Your Network

[GracieHC]

First time poster long time lurker. Just completed our foundation day today and the concept of your ‘Network’ was introduced. I should have asked at the time but I didn’t. What or who exactly are classed as your Network during the adoption process.

Its your support network, anyone who is supportive generally to you, from emotional support like chatting about your problems with, to physical support like walking your dog as a help if your ill for example, that kind of thing. Friends, family, neighbours etc, anyone who is a support/help to you in someway. Very important people!

Thank you. I was told they would be looking for childcare experience outside of this network before we could progress to stage one.... I was hoping your network wouldn’t be a vague a concept as that. As it seems to somewhat rule out any child experience excluding working or volunteering... having a follow up with the SW tomorrow so we shall see I guess

Oh ok. I may be wrong then? Yes see what the SW says? Yes that sounds like childcare experience with children you dont already know maybe? That sounds tricky.

Ours was our support network. This included practical and emotional. We listed people who could help practically with things as well as those I will lean on for emotional support when I need it (some of those people live miles away so couldn't help physically).

When we adopted they wanted us to get childcare experience with children outside of our support network eg children that we didn't have pre existing relationships with (does that make sense?)

In terms of your support network generally, ours has quite naturally changed since being parents. The neighbours who were pleasant to say Hello to in the past become lifelines when you run out of pull ups or milk late at night or when you need someone to collect your child from school because you are stuck in traffic!

Thanks for your comments all. We had the call today and they have asked I volunteer with a kids charity my husbands also volunteers with. But they aren’t requesting a certain number of hours and even more importantly they aren’t going make us wait to proceed while it’s done.