How does the National Adoption Register work, please?

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi guys

Is the Adoption Regiser for England and Wales the same as the National Adoption Register, and how does it work please?

I've had a look here

www.adoptionregister.org.uk/site/page.aspx?pid=36

and so I know now that we can self refer if we wish, although we need to wait 3 months, I think.

But I am wondering, do we get to see the children on the register or do we need to wait until a social worker contacts us?

Thanks.

its basically a computer programme! they upload what adopters are looking for and see what children are matched to them.

Usually what happens is the sw (either child or the adopters) runs a search and the matches come up. They look through a VERY short piece about them (no photographs) and then they contact the social worker as their details are given.

You can ask to go on before the three month wait - your agency should do this if they don't think they will have anything in house for you.

depending on the age that you are looking at have you considered exchange days?

Yes, they're one and the same register. It works as floaty says. I had mentally dismissed it as an option for us as I thought it would only deal with hard to place children (and we were approved for a 0-2 year old) but it is how we found our dd (who came to us at 10 months). I think she was probably on it because she was an ethnic match that was hard to find in that area.

And the nice thing is that you can get your details on it and then forget about it.

Many agencies are part of a wider regional confederation that pools details of waiting children. So I went very quickly from LA to the whole of West London, before resorting to the NAR. Does your agency do the same?

Not sure what my agency does, need to get up to speed!