Letterbox before AO granted?

[ChoccyJules]

Hi All,

can you tell me whether your Letterbox contact started before the AO was officially granted?

DD has been here long enough for the first of the twice-yearly contacts to have rolled round. For some reason I had it in my head that letters didn't start until she was legally adopted but we have had our reminder that it's time to write.

I guess for the birth family this first one will be very important, as they last saw her several months ago at final contact. I know that contact is actually more for the child, though she won't understand about that yet, but I do have a certain empathy with various birth family members.

Anyway, I wahted to check what other LAs do.

We did our first one before AO went through.

Both times before. Settling in letter at about 6 weeks after intros ended, from then on according to the contact agreement, regardless of whether the AO had been granted yet.

I received my first letter box (I'm a birth mum) before the adoption order was granted

Thanks, I guess that's unanimous then

We started before AO too (luckily as it took 15months).

I remember there was something different before AO though. I think the birth family were allowed to send a present or something because they were still the legal parents.