Information evening nerves.

[ploughingon]

We are going to a drop in session on Tuesday evening to begin our adoption journey. I understand that the agency has a shortage of adopters currently so if all goes well we could be matched with a baby within quite a short time. After so long thinking about this and planning ahead I am incredibly nervous. Did anyone else find the process almost too quick? For so long we've been hearing that approved adopters are waiting a long time after panel so didn't see the start as the start iyswim.

Hi!

Yes! I rang my LA in Nov, went to an open eve in Dec, had foundation day on thurs and start stage 1 next fri! It feels quick!

You can make it as quick / slow as you need to ploughingon. We had our drop in evening in may & registered interest but took the summer off & read through the entire reading list. I found that really helped me feel ready. We then got back in touch in September to start stage 1 but they couldn't sort out stage 1 meeting until early October. We then did things at our own pace & finished stage 1 late December. We're told at least a months wait until we hear that we've passed to stage 2 so earliest start would be Feb. You can set your own timing xx

Ours went very quick. We phoned to enquire in the August, on the course September,linked December, approved to adopt January, melatched May, ds came home in June. We didn't have time to catch our breath! !
Have your la said they have an "excess" (completly wrong word) of babies up for adoption? I know you've said that they have got a shortage of adopters but that doesmy necessarily correspond to the children being available babies. Wheb we applied there was a shortage of adopters but the majority of children were classed as hard to place. Older, siblings, additional needs etc.
I don't mean to put a damper on things your comment just intrigued me.

They are specifically stating that they have unborn babies who they expect to place in foster to adopt arrangements soon after birth. They really weren't getting placement orders over the last year or so but the situation has changed. It is a small authority so they quickly used up their pool of adopters. We will take the process at our own time frame and see how it goes.

Ahh foster to adopt! I understand now.

we was approved last June and had baby home in 4 weeks after, that was with potential 3 other sibling group matches before that
we ended up doing foster to adopt, albeit it went very smoothly. However please be fully aware of what it entails and the risks it comes with. You will learn about this in your session. Do not be rushed into anything by anyone until you know the full details.

Also please be aware that most of these children removed at birth have had pre natal exposure to drugs and alcohol and the risks that entails. And often a family history of serious mental illness.

I have friends who have fostered babies from birth and the agency have struggled to find adopters for them as the babies have significant delays.

Try and calm those nerves.

You can slow the process. I was told easier to slow at start than at end. We were offered Oct course but chose later for personal reasons.

Take pen and paper, ask questions, get the full view. The evenings are nice, welcoming etc but they should give you a clear and realistic picture. Are you adopting alone or with partner? You can chat after if so. We went to a pub on the way home and chatted; straight after in fact!

It is exciting but don't get too far ahead of yourselves.

Good luck.

How did it go?

What was it llike?

Hi, we are going to our first meeting tomorrow, after hours and hours of reading up on experiences and on authorities websites. I am terrified. its very overwhelming. X

Hi Porkchops123 congratulations on starting the journey! Try not to worry, the info evenings are great & everyone is in the same boat. Hope it goes well & you feel better after

Thank you very much somethingwitty
This is my first post on here, have 3 grown up children and didn't have this support then.
The financial side of it was something I naively hadn't thought of and now realise the responsibility is much more than having birth children, I have clearly had my head in the clouds! Lol
I have relatives that foster and they do an amazing job, they make it look so easy.
They tell me I am perfect for adopting, but it's a long road ahead..... x

We have been on our journey now for almost 2 years. Has only been since November 2016 things have started moving. Good luck in your journey but I doubt it will be as soon as they have stated xx