Celebration hearing

[Finchbon]

Finally, after 18 months of administration nightmares the adoption order has gone through and I've been given my date for the celebration hearing.
For those that attended their hearing I'm just wondering what actually happens on the day. The letter mentions it's only about 15 minutes but says you can bring your camera so wondering what actually happens in there.
Do you take the children along or is more for adults?
My parents live 100 miles away, is it worth asking them to attend.
Thanks!

Hi the actual ceremony isn’t very long but we made a special day of it. We gave DD a celebration day present in the morning (a doll that she’d had her eye on). As DD is an older child do I took her to a nail bar so we could get our nails done together. (Originally Id planned build a bear but they closed the one in town). Then we met up with grandparents who had traveled in and were staying in a hotel. (both sets traveled over 100 miles) Then we went to the hearing which is very child focused. The saddest bit was that after our child’s SW who was lovely then had a few minutes with DD to say their goodbyes. Then we all went out for a meal as a family.

It was a school day and hearing wasn’t until 2pm but we took her out of school all day rather than sending her in for the morning.

It is very much for the adopted child in my experience. My lo was only 11 months but the whole day was about her including the court bit. I would absolutely invite family to attend and do something special. We mark the day every year with a cake, day out and gift for lo.

There really wasn't much content to our hearing. The judge asked around the room to find out who everyone was and then we took lots of photos in the court room. Then we all went for lunch and I splashed out on a bespoke cake. My son was so young he doesn't remember any of it but the nice photos from the court and lunch are a really important part of his life story. For the adults, especially extended family, it was a chance to officially welcome him to the family. For an older child I'd definitely plan on including doing something special that appeals to their interests like the nail bar that Mycat did. It's really got to be what works for you and your child. 100 miles is a long way for your family to come for fifteen minutes, but if you add on your own celebration after I would say it's worthwhile. Or you could do something with them another day. It's for you really to decide how to mark it and who is involved. If you just do the court room it might just feel like an anti climax.

The hearing itself is a little like a wedding reception tbh. A bit of a speech from the judge and then they sign the adoption certificate and then they invite any photos to be taken. This itself is quite quick and expect all involved to have to go through a security check as in an airport since it will probably be in a court. My immediate family attended including young nieces and nephews and we made a day of it by going for a nice meal afterwards. We all wore smart but not quite wedding smart clothes. We and relatives also bought our LO gifts for her to keep and I made her a cake. You can make as big or as little of it as you like really. That probably depends for you how old your child(ren) are and how they feel about being adopted. Our LO is a baby so we just got plenty of pics for her life story book but probably won't massively celebrate the day in years to come unless she invites it. We are celebrating the day we met instead in future as this seems more sensitive and positive than the day her ties with BPs were formally severed which is how she may see it. All in all it's just a nice day really and the formal bit itself is a bit of an anticlimax asides from the obvious huge significance. Enjoy it and get lots of pics is your only job xx

Grandparents and both SWs came to ours. We went for a meal after and had a party with a bar and bouncy castle to cater for all ages the following weekend for friends and family. We didn't wanted get our LO christened so this was how we celebrated her instead.

Great info. Thanks so much everyone x

We had a big party the day the Adoption order was granted and surprised DD with the news and an embroidered teddy to mark the day (bit risky as the court outcome wasn’t through til 3.15)
On the Celebration Hearing only 3 of us went and SW’s, it was lovely, photos and videos and the Judge had a balloon and sweets waiting, then as we were given her memory box that day we went home and looked through that which she loved.
Congratulations and enjoy your forever family day (that’s what we called ours)

we had our 18 month old daughter's celebration hearing last week. As we, my family and my husband's family were all travelling about 100 miles to get there, we arranged to have lunch together before heading to the court. We also invited the SWs from both sides. I think there were a 14 of us in the end. Our Judge was lovely; she gave our daughter a cuddly toy and spoke a little about our new lives together and encouraged us take as many photos as we wanted in the 15 minute time slot It was a special day that we'll never forget.

It really is what you make of it, My son was nearly 9 and it was very important to him that he got his bit of paper. The judge made a lovely speech, he tried on her wig and banged the gavel.
We had balloons and a specially made cake at home, lunch at favourite cafe with grandparents, we had a lovely summer day so played garden games, in the evening we out for pizza with close friends.
I sent a cake in to school the next day and they had a party for him. It was a special school so most of the kids didnt understand - it was an excuse for cake, but it was a lovelly gesture from his teachers who had given him a lot of support in his first year.
We do celebrate becoming a family every year but what we do has changed as he's grown up. I always get him a number helium balloon though.
Congratulations and have fun

We treated it like a sort of christening. We invited close family and friends to the court. They dressed smartly but not OTT.

The judge asked us a few questions about how we were getting on as a family and then said a few words about adoption. He invited us and the DC up to his bench to have photos taken and try on his wig etc.

He then presented us with a certificate.

Afterwards we all went out for a posh lunch and we had a celebration cake which we got the DC to cut. DH made a speech thanking everyone for their support during the process.

We did this for the both the DC's celebration days and we now celebrate the dates every year by going out for a meal together and buying a small gift.