BM appealing

[Harris122]

We finally had some great news on Wednesday to say we have been booked to go to matching panel in September, we were so excited; until today..... birth mother now has a new boyfriend and would like to appeal the adoption order?

Is this common? Is she likely to win the battle? I know no one can guarantee anything but just to get some averages,

Very common and won't succeed unless she can prove she has significantly changed her life and is stable. A new partner does not mean this.

Yes its not uncommon for birth parents to want to appeal. In my albeit limited experience, Social workers and courts arent that keen on 'new ' boyfriends.

She would have to be showing significant and sustainanble and longer term changes to her circumstances. It would be rare for a birth parent to get an order overturned.

It's happened to us too, with the result that our matching panel has been indefinitely deferred until the court process works itself out. Obviously every situation looks different, but for us this is likely to delay things but several months. We've had to ask ourselves whether a potentially substantial delay is something we're prepared to deal with.

thetom, has your panel date 100% been delayed?

I'm a bit confused as to why this would delay a matching panel? Would this only happen if the child didn't already have a placement order?

Yep, definitely delayed. It's the placement order that is now being challenged, though it's been in place for some time.

I shall keep my fingers crossed for you!