Looking for advice re adoption of foster child

[bottersnike]

Firstly, and most importantly, this is not about us adopting our placement. A member of our family is going through the adoption approval process (started before we became carers, incidentally).
They have raised the question of whether it would be possible for them to adopt our placement; they have got to know our placement casually as we see each other fairly regularly.
Lo has not yet been released for adoption but that should happen in the next couple of months.
Are there any carers out there with experience of this kind of situation? Is it likely? Who should we discuss it with - my first thought was the guardian?
Considering the best interests of the child, it would seem to be a great idea, but I'm not sure how to raise it with SS.
Suggestions / advice appreciated!

I have 30 years experience in adoption and fostering (now retired) I think you have to put this idea out of your head. Placing children for adoption is a very complicated task, as I am sure you are aware. Social workers need to look for the right "match" for a child awaiting adoption, and so much depends on this. For instance the adopted child usually needs to be the youngest child in the family, there are geographical considerations, and all sorts of other considerations to be taken into account.

I realy don't mean to be rude, but I don't think either you or your friends should mention this to a social worker as it does somehow minimise the importance of placing a child for adoption; almost like passing on "something" to another family. I know that you don't mean it like that, but that's how it would probably seem to a social worker.

Especially I don't think your friends who are not yet approved for adoption should be raising this issue, because it could signal that they are unaware of the complexities of placing children for adoption, and in fairness they probably aren't aware yet, as everyone has to learn as they go along.
Please feel free to raise these issues if you feel you need to, but I am just giving my advice, which you don't have to take of course!

You are quite right, NanaNina, we don't have a clue how matching is done, we're simply considering it from a point of view of easing the transition for our placement.
Can I ask why geography is taken into consideration?
Your answer shows exactly why I wanted to ask, to see what we hadn't thought of and how SS might see things. Thank you :)

Just to show a totally different perspective...

I have a child who's been with me over 16 months. He's been waiting for adoptive parents for months now. I mentioned to his social worker some time ago, in passing, how close he is to a friend of mine and she absolutely jumped on the idea of him going to her for adoption! I don't know whether it was because the family set up there is identical to mine or because they are struggling to find adoptive parents to take baby on, or any other reason, but she said it would be an ideal solution. Unfortunately my friend isn't even considering adoption so baby remains with me...

ps - I think geography is taken into consideration because if your relative lives nearby it could put the adoption at risk if birth parents found out the new address.

Scarlet5 - your post is interesting. I stand by what I said but it can never be ruled out that an adoption placement could be made, in the circumstances you describe - except that your friend didn't want to adopt! I think your experience shows that the social worker is desparate to place this child and was a little over optimistic and possibly a little bit inexperienced.

You are right about the reason that geography is a big consideration and children are almost always placed outside of their home area, to reduce the risk of birth parents finding out the whereabouts of the adoptors or the child's school etc.

Bottersnike - glad you took my post in the spirit in which it's meant.