# Just starting our journey& looking for buddies - Adoption uk



## Plex

:hi: Hi, anyone just starting out on the process of adoption in the UK? Hubby and I havent yet emailed our council to enquire and we're not really sure of what will happen. 

Looking for some buddies to join us for the journey :D :flower: x


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## helloeveryone

Just wanted to say hi and welcome, I have just gone through the process to foster and after 9 long months I am so pleased to say I AM NOW A FOSTER CARER. :happydance::happydance:
I don't know much about the adoption journey, but I will help you with what I know, and I will follow your journey if that's all right.
WELCOME!!


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## Plex

:thumbup: thats great! Id appreciate all the advise i can get :D

Congrats on becoming a foster carer :D did you have to do lots of courses to prepare? x


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## Plex

I keep finding ttc stuff/advise then changing my mind about when to start this process off :dohh: Im such a ditherer at the moment its unreal lol


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## helloeveryone

Sorry to hear you are not sure what you want to do yet. 
I think most adoption agency's like you to be fully stopped all treatments for ttc for 6 months at least, but I might be wrong please check and don't just take my word for it.

For me trying to get excepted for fostering was quite stressful, unsure whether or not to get excited about it all or not, 

We did have a few courses to go on, we had a six week training course that was called skills to foster, where we learned what sorts of children come into care and what skills were needed to become good foster carers, it was quite fun and not as scary as we thought it would be.
My older children had to go on a children to foster course which was only one day, they all enjoyed it, and learnt a lot from it, two of my children were to young to go on the course so we have just tryed to talk to them about what fostering entails.
We had a social worker come to our house and help us fill in our assessment of us, which she came around roughly every week for at least 10 visits for over 2 hours each time.

You are doing a good thing just even thinking about adopting there is so many babies and children out there who need a loving home.
Please see all the good in adopting, and it is a positive step forwards if you are ready for that next step, but if you don't feel ready, take your time think things through.
What age children or babies are you hoping to adopt?


And I hope someone else can offer you more advice than I have, as I know adopting isn't the same as fostering.

Take care speak soon x


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## Plex

our last official treatment was in November, we've just been using up our last lot of clomid unmonitored just as a last ditched attempt. Where we are we have to have had no treatment for 6 months at least but i suppose it cant hurt to get the ball rolling so to speak. 

I have read that we will only be able to adopt a young child/toddler at this stage as the child would need to be 2yrs younger than our youngest child (he's 3.5yrs old). 

I have to say the process daunts me and worries me a lot. I think the home visits and all the questions panic me. I think its important to focus on the end goal though which is tough when faced with all that inbetween!

Sounds like u've been busy especially the 10 home visits! AND 2hrs at a time, do you work at the moment or are you a sahm? Im working but seriously considering leaving to be a sahm full time. I hate making decisions at the best of times lol xx


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## helloeveryone

Hi again.. i am a stay at home mum, I love it,it would be hard for me to work anyway, what with all the doctors visits, school plays, and sick children all the time. My youngest boy is 3 and half as well so he is still at nursery. 

I am looking forwards to fostering because it will mean ,I feel like I am working and still enjoying being a stay at home mum at the same time.

After one or two home visits we quite enjoyed them, but it was a bit of a relief when they were over, knowing that we could cross of another visit of our list. Xx


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## Aurora CHK

I'm here to both cheer you on and learn more about it too, Plex.


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## Axl2

Hi I am going through the adoption process in Canada. We are doing the seminar in May and submitting our application at the same time. We have to do a criminal record check, intervention check, and medical history. We were told the average wait time to get a baby is 2 -3 years. its a long process but very worth it.


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## awesometwo

Hi

We have just started the adoption process too. We dithered for 2 years inbetween Ttc but have decided to just go for it now. Still so many uncertainties but feels more certain than TTC. 

Have you been on https://www.adoptionuk.org/forum and also first4adoption website. Both very good resources x


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## nobump

Hi,

Can I join in? 

Not sure whether we are going down the fostering route. Going to go to an info session next weekend if I can get hubby to agree.

Don't think I can do a third IVF cycle. We have a good life together so can be happy without kids but think it is worth exploring options. 

I work full time so not sure if that would count against us. Not sure if you need to be a SAHM if you foster. Does anyone know? 

Xxx


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## helloeveryone

nobump said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can I join in?
> 
> Not sure whether we are going down the fostering route. Going to go to an info session next weekend if I can get hubby to agree.
> 
> Don't think I can do a third IVF cycle. We have a good life together so can be happy without kids but think it is worth exploring options.
> 
> I work full time so not sure if that would count against us. Not sure if you need to be a SAHM if you foster. Does anyone know?
> 
> Xxx

Hi welcome, hope you find the info session good next week.
All I can so about fostering is everyone has to be on board 100 percent for it to work.
I am a newly approved foster carer (2 months now) and I really enjoyed all the training we got.
To the answer to your question about weather or not you need to be a SAHM, I think that depends on what age group you wish or want to foster.
If it's little ones younger than school age then yes I do believe you do need to be a SAHM.
But if it's school age or over then every different local fostering teams have their own rules, some say you can work part time some say you can work full time and some of course say that one of you needs to be a SAHM.
Any questions you might have feel free to ask me x


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## Srbjbex

Hi

Sorry to jump onto an old thread but just about to start the process in the UK and was wondering how you all have been getting on over the last few months.... 

Plex - I notice you are Warwickshire - we are going with Warwickshire council (going to their info evening next week) How has your experience been??


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