Another adoption TV series

[DaffodilDandy]

I've just read the latest copy of Adoption Today, and they mention a new TV series about adoption:

"First4Adoption has been working with the award-winning independent film and television company Wall To Wall, which has been commissioned by ITV to make a documentary series about adoption.

The series will consist of four programmes which will air this month and next on ITV at peak time.

Wall To Wall has consulted with Adoption UK and BAAF, among others, to make the four-part series which will highlight the number of children in care who are in need of adoptive parents, and will aim to encourage more people to think about adopting.

Wall To Wall is the production company behind series such as The 1900 House, Turn Back Time, Who Do You Think You Are, The Voice, and Long Lost Family."
(Adoption Today, April 2014)

It seems adoption is quite popular for TV companies at the moment.

All for homes being found for all children who need care asap, of course.

But having just been told by LA that we will not be allocated a SW for the foreseeable because they havent got enough to go round and need to deal with childless couples first (I paraphrase), I wonder about the effort/cost going in to advertising adoption. Maybe some of the resources ought to go into employing more SWs so that they can handle the cases they have...

Might well be watching this programme though!

And I found another one!!

This is from years ago, but it's been put up online in the last year. 14 years old, it's still worth the watch

It's an 8 part series from the BBC called "Love is Not Enough", and it aired in 2000, so filmed in the late 90's. I saw it when it was aired (watched with my then 14 year old!) and I thought it was really good, and I was so amazed to find it online after all this time.

It followed prospective families from beginning the process to bringing the children home and then several years down the line. Both domestic and international. Very honest, very moving

I've just rewatched the final two parts. 8th part was filmed 2 years after 2 of the families brought their children home (domestic adoption, sibling group of 2 and sibling group of 3). Didn't hide from showing the fact that the families had some difficulties. Talked about things like sibling seperation and contact, that some of the children had ongoing issues due to their experiences, families wanting more children etc.

Part 7 was also a follow up but is heartbreaking, just warning before anyone watches

Even if you don't have the time for all 8 parts, I think the later parts at least are really worth watching, with the introductions and what it's like to parent an older child several years down the line. Still one of my preferred adoption documentary series

All 8 parts are here - vimeo.com/album/2529993

Oh god I remember watching this

I remember after part 7 aired, poor DD1 was so upset. (The adoptive mum died of a malignant brain tumour only a few months after bringing their second adopted child home, barely 4 weeks from diagnosis). DD1 couldn't finish it, and she started shouting at me and trying to hit me, and obsessed over my health and whether I was going to also get cancer and die for ages afterwards

She had plenty of comments about people's motivations to adopt and the adoption process throughout the whole thing

Very odd watching it again after all this time.

I definitely haven't seen that - I was doing my GCSE's at the time so was more into Neighbours than documentaries. I will definitely watch though.

Thanks, Lilka!

Daffodil - you make me feel very old…

Thanks Lilka for searching for this. I am annoyed that the BBC 3 series "Protecting our Children" shown in 2012 is not available - I am sure it is in their archives! (That, too, like last night's, painted a balanced view I thought.)

Mojangled my understanding from our local authority is that all agencies were given extra funding for additional sw's last year when the processes changed,however that money wasn't ring fenced so some agencies have used it for the intended purpose whilst others haven't. Our la also told us that there is additional money available for extra resource based on the amount if adoptions they handle, ie the more they do the more money they can get for additional resource and the more adoptions they can do.

Mojangled are you now tied in to this agency/county?

It seems very odd they are prioritising families with no children! Do they think their job is to find children for families! I always thought it was the other way round!

Lilka, hooray! you found that documentary. That is the one Mrs Devere was talking about on the 15,000 kids and counting thread.

Had not watched it. Its very different to how the process and perceptions are now.

One couple (useless with names) the guy is so up his own ass. Iv only watched ep 1 & 2, so hope he changes.

I am loving watching this again, 'Love is not enough', very moving.

Am in episode 2 now.

Very moved by this dear lady from Leeds.

This process is very similar to what we went through and the prep group is very similar to the prep group we had.

The Christian couple are very brave to say so much about their faith, or possibly a bit foolish, well (spoiler alert) I did feel they phrased things in a way a social worker would find hard to understand (for a non-Christian social worker). The whole subject of why they wanted to adopt rather than try for birth children would probably be quite hard for a social worker to understand in the time frame it happened for them.

I will certainly give this a watch :-) I must say I didn't see it 1st time around as I was 12 years old!

Oh Buster that makes me feel old!! I was almost married then!

This is a link to watch protecting our children 1 to 3

www.dailymotion.com/video/x15pc3t_protecting-our-children-ep1_lifestyle

Is anyone watching Love is not Enough? Do you want to chat about it?

Love is not Enough : The Journey to Adoption and Life after Adoption

Love is not Enough is a series of programmes made by the BBC following the adoption process i in the UK. We follow 4 families from the initial interview stage through to the placement and beyond.

vimeo.com/album/2529993

If you do want to chat about it, please pop onto...

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