SGO vs Adoption

[Mrpip]

I'm hoping for some advice.
I have posted in the past about our situation but things have moved along since then.
My dh and I have cared for our niece since birth. My sister has a drug addiction problem.Her partner,baby's father is in prison on a drugs charge. Our niece was discharged into our care from hospital. My niece was initially on a child protection plan but that has since been removed and she is now a "looked after child". Under a voluntary agreement with my sister. No care procedings have taken place. Obviously we have had all the nesscesary assessments and are currently approved kinship foster carers.
There has been a considerable amount of foot dragging and differences in opinion within the LA ranks as to what order should secure our niece. Initially they attempted to palm us off with a RO but our solicitor soon put a stop to that as the proper channels had not been followed at that point. A SGO was the next recommended path which we wholeheartedly embraced. Our assessment has gone well and we are pretty much at the end of the process but yet again the goal posts are being shifted.
The adoption and permancy team who have been doing our assessment alongside our nieces LAC (previously child protection) social worker believe that adoption is the best course of action for our niece but our LAC sw and the legal team connected to her department want us off their books ( sw words)and think a SGO will suffice. Saying that the LAC sw has told me its basically up to me and to let them know after the Easter holidays which order we want to go with.
Honestly.... That's no help at all. This is our little girls future who we love dearly. We want the best for her. We want to make the right decision. I won't be forced into a decision because we are clogging their numbers but equally I'd like to start a fresh without LA involvement. If anyone out there has any advice it would be greatly received. Many thanks in advanced. P.s I have 5 kids so please forgive any delay in replying.

[fostermumtomany]

I agree with the team, adoption is the best option for you. I was involved with a lo whose aunt and uncle were looking to take care of. initially they looked at sgo but this would not have been in anybodies best interests.
in the future, do you want to be able to have the sole decision on what school this lo goes to? or whether you can go abroad on holiday without having to ask? if so go for adoption because otherwise you would have to be asking mum and or dad at every turn.
also if you want to let mum have some involvement you can always go down the road of an open adoption. whereby you decide when and how often she has contact be it person to person contact or letterbox contact. you can decide if contact is to be in your house, her house or a contact centre.
its a huge decision to make but I honestly think you, your little girl and her birth family would feel more secure with adoption.
good luck in whatever you decide xxxx
please feel free to pm me if you would like me to discuss this in more depth with you.