Adoption agency not accepting expressions of interest

[ParticlesDisbanded]

My partner and I would love to adopt and are looking at foster-to-adopt. I have been doing research and our LA works with Adopt North London. I applied to one of their information sessions and sent an email to them only to receive an email saying they are not accepting expressions of interest from potential adopters now (see below).

"Unfortunately we have had to pause our recruitment and are not currently accepting Expressions of Interest and we are not holding information sessions at present. It has been very difficult to make this decision and we know it will be disappointing news as you feel ready to start your adoption journey now. We currently have a number of families who have already been waiting several months to start an assessment and we feel it is important that we are transparent and respectful to you, the new families wanting to be assessed, as well providing the best possible service to the families already waiting to start the process."

We are very new to the process and are just starting our journey. I have put together a list of resources (books, blogs, forums, films etc) to build my knowledge but really want to speak with an agency too. If this is the agency that our LA works with, does this mean that this is our only option and we have to wait until they begin accepting expressions of interest again? Any advice from people who have much more experience than we do would be greatly appreciated.

[Confusernme]

You can approach other regional agencies as well as voluntary agencies, you don't have to go with your LA. Unfortunately quite a few agencies have recruitment on hold at the moment because of lots of adopters waiting to be matched, so you might have other similar responses, but definitely worth approaching a few more. Good to ask around anyway and decide which might be best for you.

[ParticlesDisbanded]

@Confusernme thank you so much for replying. I've already reached out to another agency so will see what they say. We are interested in foster to adopt and it seems that not all agencies do this? Would certain areas have more adopters waiting than other areas? I'm finding it all quite confusing tbh and am struggling to understand how it all works. I'm meant to be doing work today and have spent all day on adoption forums / websites / and making lists of possible resources that could help... it's a bit of information overload!

[onlytherain]

You are right, your first step is to go to adoption agency's information events. You can go to as many as you like. You seem to be in the North of London, so I would contact all of London's RAA, Coram and Family Futures.

You can find agencies nearby you by your postcode with this search machine: https://www.first4adoption.org.uk/find-an-adoption-agency/
I would go to any events they offer, even you think you won't go ahead with that particular agency.

I would also contact Adoption UK and join one of their information events.

You have probably come across this (or something similar): https://www.first4adoption.org.uk/the-adoption-process/

A beginner's guide to resources:
https://www.adoptionukforum.org/topic/a7e76f8d-f8a9-4161-bf80-9c0c674e7155

I would recommend watching "Instant Family". It is very funny yet true to life.

Good luck!

[ParticlesDisbanded]

@onlytherain Thank you for replying, and for the recommendation of Instant Family – I'll add it to the list! I've started watching 'Trying' too. I'm going to reach out to more agencies this week and try to attend as many information evenings as possible.

[tonyhawks23]

Trying is wonderful!

[tonyhawks23]

Trying is wonderful!

[ParticlesDisbanded]

@tonyhawks23 I've just watched the first episode, and it was a bit confronting tbh (given our experiences with fertility) but I did enjoy it; and it feels like a healthy thing to be engaging with these topics as we start to consider beginning our adoption journey!

[tonyhawks23]

yes its an emotional one for sure, but they are such a lovely couple and its does show the whole journey quite nicely, quite real imo.