Subsequent children.

[G1ggleloop]

Hi. Sorry just a quick enquiry. When our children's birth parents have more children who have been taken into care and subsequently placed for adoption are the LA supposed to contact us first? I thought I was told that this is the case but I'm prepared to be told I'm wrong. My children now have two younger siblings. The first was born only weeks after our youngest was placed and so we were definitely not in a position to take another sibling. However the latest sibling is now in search of an adoptive placement and neither us, nor the parents of the other sibling have been informed or asked if we would take them.

Ideally you should be informed, yes, but beyond that it depends on so many other things - principally the anticipated needs of the new sibling, and the impact they might have on any other family. It may be there is a reason they think the child needs to be placed where they can have the parents' whole focus, but it's impossible to tell. There's nothing to stop you enquiring though.

On my DD's CPR there was a box about siblings, and the LA had to say why they couldn't be placed together.

I suppose, if they feel they can fill that box in, i.e. have a reason why they don't want to place the child with you, they don't have to even speak to you about it, but most of the time they would need to.

Thanks. I actually had a phone call from the LA today and they agreed that we should have been approached first and that she'd pass this on to her manager. New baby is not ready to be placed yet so they will be in contact when it's time. I guess we have a decision to make in the next few months.

We were not informed but found out through other means and contacted ss. After a short wait they located baby and confirmed dc would need an adoptive family. We put ourselves forward and dc came home 6 months later. It felt very very long!