Adopting as a single parent?

[hopefulme]

As in already have children and would like to adopt , anyone done it /know about it?

I have a basic form to fill in confirming I am still interested so will send that back and see what happens next.

I am assuming it will take at least a year so dd2 will be nearly 7 and the age thing won't be so much of a problem.

I mentioned I work to the SW but as its p/t and school hours its not so much of a problem, she did ask if I would be able to attend training but as I can usually swap days that isn't a problem either.
Also I would take adoption leave (is it still 6 m or did it change when Maternity leave did?) which could cover a good chunk of a year including school hols.

SN- I know quite a bit about the disabilities/needs the children may have as I have worked with children in care and with SN children so wouldn't be going in with no idea.

Any more things I need to consider?

good luck - I'd be happy to talk some more if you want to CAT me but be aware my experience is predominantly overseas not within the UK system.

hopeful - you might want to think about what element of legal uncertainty you could cope with and what level of contact with the child's birth family you woudl feel comfortable with

if the father of your children still has any contact with them or has parental rights, i suspect ( though I dont knwo for sure) that you will need him to be OK with you adopting.

your children will also be involved in teh home study, but i woulndt tell them yet until you are much closer to it starting

have you checked out teh other adoption agencies in your area?

Not aware of any other adoption agencies in my area, is there any national ones?
Don't think the kids Dad would bother about it , can't see that being a problem.

adoption agencies that I know - Coram, Catholic childrens Society, Norwood. Google "adoption agency" uner UK only or look at dfes website under adoption I think it may give a difinitive list.

Your ex-P will definitely be interviewed so will have to tell him at some point. They will intervoew ex-P's to make sure you weren't violent.

Thanks Sue
Hewas violent though

It is definitely possible for a single person to adopt a child under 3. Some placing agencies prefer to place children this age with couples, but I know of several single parents that adopted babies. I was myself approved for a child aged between 2-7 yrs (I didn't want a baby).

The only fast and clear rule is that they prefer the adopted child to be at least 2 yrs younger than any other children in the family - this is because adopted children often need to be the youngest for various reasons.

The age of child you want to be approved for, and what disabilities you can/cannot take on will all be discussed with you during your home-study. Until then, it's difficult to really know what you want - often once you have more fact and details, you change your mind.

scaper - that's great news that some agencies are placing white, healthy babies with single parents. Do you know which agencies these are? I know several people who woudl be intertested. Will they place with single men or just single women?

I would defintiely consider domestic for my second if I could get a young enough child (otherwise the age gap wouldn't work). COncurrent plannig with Coram has been very successful in placing babies with singles but I don't know about single men KristinaM.

whats domestic?

I know a single parent of one (well, now two ) who adopted a baby (under 1) with Down's syndrome.

domestic = Uk

Geekgirl I know one too (I wonder if its the same one?)

oh no she doesn;t have two though.