13 months post placement and still no court date

[Finchbon]

Eurghh
Not a question really. Just a bit fed up
Single adopter and no one to have a good moan with.
Adoption leave over and I've gone back to a new job so not even surrounded by people familiar to the process I've been through. Having to book time off for a quarterly LAC review, LAC health visitors and monthly visits from both social workers still.

It's getting so frustrating with things like setting up the tax free childcare account. Everything obviously still needs to be in birth name.
It's coming up 3 years since I first went to an adoption open day.
I am mummy, I feel like mummy. I just want to acknowledge formally that it's done and dusted and to be left alone instead of the constant flow of people reviewing us.
Did it take forever for anyone else? Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Can I ask where you f2a? That can slow things down as you might be 6 months in before placement order is even granted. Are you in England or Wales? If so this timescales seems very long but probably not totally unheard of. If you are in Scotland and Northern Ireland this time-scale is most certainly more common and it is very frustrating.

I have done both f2a and straight adoption. While doing f2a the long drawn out proceedings is very frustrating and I get that you just want to be left alone to be mummy. I assume by monthly meetings from both social workers you mean the child’s and your own supporting social worker. I think it is reasonable to ask your own social worker to reduce her visits and to do some by phone. Her visits are to give you support and advice and if they are causing you more stress due to getting out of work then they are not serving their purpose. The child’s Sw visits are compulsory and will have to continue but you should expect them to be quite flexible with you as to timing. Are you back at work full time. If so, could you perhaps use flexible working to reduce your hours a little until the legalities are through and have say one day a week that you are available for meetings. Won’t necessarily work for lac reviews but other meetings you should be able to schedule at a time convenient for you.

Hang in, you will get there and in time this will all seem a distant memory.

Ugh, that sounds horrible. I assume Pink is right about F2A being the reason? I had no idea it could take that long.

I think it is reasonable to ask your own social worker to reduce her visits and to do some by phone.

This seems very sensible. When we adopted they split the visits so that they were monthly from one of them (so child's SW used our SW to count for some visits).

We are 18 months into placement and just received a court date for first hearing in a few months time. Will probably be two years by the time we have our family day in court! Definitely feel your frustration & despite being in the same work, ppl are running out of patience & flexibility as even they feel like we should just be "normal parents" now.

Hi. Sorry for the delay in replying.
No not f2a!
Just issues getting the information together to apply to the court.
It's progressing but at a snails pace.
Really fed up!
@Gertruude we have a very similar sounding story.
Thanks for the tips about sw visits. I will definitely suggest. I can tell the both sw are very comfortable with my position and I feel I am a bit of a chore for them.

Just issues getting the information together to apply to the court.

That's a bit confusing then. Are you perhaps not in Englandandwales?

If you are, did you apply at 10 weeks and then something has delayed court? How long has it been since you applied?

I can tell the both sw are very comfortable with my position and I feel I am a bit of a chore for them.

For the kid's SW, you are likely the easiest job of the week.