Thought I would say hello.

[sarahlux]

Been a bit of a lurker for a while so thought I would come and say hello :)

Me and my OH are on stage 2 of the adoption process and currently have a panel date at the end of January 2015. Nervous is an understatement.
Our home study has been done and our PAR has also been wrote up.

We just need to start on our family book to take to panel with us...bought a suitable book but not sure what to write in it.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks.

I'm sorry I'm just heading to bed, but I wanted to say hi and welcome to the board

Hope the process continues as smoothly as possible

Welcome Sarahlux

You said We just need to start on our family book to take to panel with us...bought a suitable book but not sure what to write in it.

I have no idea what a family book is. If you elaborate, I might be able to say. We write about our own life stories and then did a photo book.

You may find this thread helpful. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/adoptions/2092272-Newbies-Part-2

Welcome! Is this the PR blurb on you that will be sent to family finders?

Hi. I'd do a book similar to what you will do for a child but not for anyone specifically - a scrapbook style album would be fine.

Just include yourselves. Pets. Home and close family etc.

Thanks for replying.

It is approval panel we are going to and our social worker has told us that we need to start the family book to take with us. I believe this is the one were you introduce your self for when you have been matched with a child :/ does that make sense lol.

Hello! We are going to panel in early January but haven't seen our report yet although I thought it had to be with the panel for consideration at this point. Getting a bit twitchy! We've not been asked to do a family book either but I would think that would be difficult as its approval panel, not matching. Without knowing who to aim it at I guess the best thing to do would be photos around the home, you, pets, close relatives maybe? My mum has bought us a big teddy for child's room so that once it's done it can go in so if maybe include teddy in the photos to!

We did a family book. It had to be generic but I spent a lot of time and money on it so I made sure it could be easily adapted when we were matched. I had a scrapbook, buff coloured spiral bound book from paper chase. I did pages on mummy and daddy, house, garden, family room, kitchen, school, ( we were being matched for older children) local park, local area, grandparents etc. I did all the headings and photos for generic things that wouldn't change like us and house but left gaps (which panel were fine with) for bedrooms etc.
When we were matched, I changed a few piccys and added a few more specific things like names on the front (and made another identical one as we are adopting siblings!) but generally it stayed the same.
Hope that helps x

We got the Toby talking album andt put pics of me and DH around the house, in the garden etc with a teddy bear in each pic, ending up in the LOs bedroom (painted a neutral soft grey!). Good luck, you're nearly there!

Thanks everyone. Yeah I think our social worker just wants us to start it..such as generic this is mummy and daddy etc.

Rather nervous for panel!!

ASDA have books you can make up at reasonable cost Google ASDA Photo books for some idea's.
Regards