# Adoption and the limitations on housing



## Poppets Mammy (Mar 7, 2011)

I posted on here a few weeks ago asking for advice on stopping Tx and pursuing adoption, I received some helpful replies and advice so thank you for that. I am now accessing counselling and addressing my feelings regarding stopping treatment. Hopefully you can help me again?


We have gathered a lot of information from our LA regarding adoption and have had a lot of our questions and concerns answered, but something someone said in an answer to a previous thread has got me thinking (Sorry I can’t remember who it was or where it was).

Basically I would like to know about peoples experiences with having suitable/unsuitable housing for adoption. We have a nice 3 bed roomed house. However we are all on one floor like a bungalow and use our 3rd bedroom as a dining room (but could convert back to a bedroom if need be as we hardly use it). So basically as it currently stands we have our room (master room) and a spare bedroom. I understand that they would not allow us to adopt more than one child into one bedroom, that’s not an issue. But I’m sure someone mentioned they had experienced problems adopting as they only had one box room spare. So :-
What counts as a box room?
Our spare room is small but not sure if its small enough to call a box room, it can easily fit a cot/junior bed/single adult bed in, but there would not be a large amount of floor space after that. There are built in cupboards and shelves in the wall so there would be no need for room on the floor for a cupboard/draws etc. It would just be toy space. The rest of our house is a good size, ample living space for us and a little person.
We don’t have a garden, but have a large well maintained yard with plants, BBQ, table & chairs etc.  We have coast and parks nearby and go ‘out and about’ a lot with family members and our dogs so any potential children would not be limited in outside running around/playing space. 
So I suppose my main question is the bedroom space an issue? Is there a general min bedroom space, or does it vary on LA and the age of the child. We would be aiming to adopt 0-3yrs and would not be planning on staying in current home for more than 3yrs as we aim to move up the property ladder ASAP.

Any advice or reflection on personal experiences is welcome.

Thanks for listening  
x


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## Loobys (Nov 14, 2010)

Hi 

Were currently on homestudy and were in a 2 bed age range 0-3, our future lo room is not a box room size bit bigger but our s/w didn't say anything, we also don't have a garden but a paved and shingled small area again it wasn't a problem so I wouldn't worry but can't speak for all la's x

Hope that helped a bit 

Good luck x

Looby's x


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## Camly (Dec 12, 2006)

hiya    


we stay in a 3 (double) bedroom flat. it is fairly big for a flat.    we also have my 2 step kids who come here for holidays, which our sw'ers knew about and also met during our HS. We had always wanted a sibling group and this was what we and our sw'er were aiming for during HS. it wasnt until i posted on here about sumthing to do with the bedroom that our future children/child would share that i found out that every LA is different. ours did not have a problem with the children sharing a room. infact now that we have our 2 girls, i dont think they would have coped very well being split up into different bedrooms?    i dont think personally you have anything to worry about. ur sw'er would go thru everything with you so please try not worry.


hope this makes sense??


good luck with your journey xxxx


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## aaa is a MUMMY (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi don't worry, we live in a small 2 bedroom flat with no garden and we should have been going to panel in April but have had to delay it cause I need a major op. It was one of our major worries that they would say no because we don't have a lot of space but it has never even been mentioned. Our little one's room is big enough for an adult sized bed (just) and a sml unit and thats it. Hope that helps. Good Luck with everything.


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## libby29 (Dec 27, 2008)

Dont think you need to worry hun. We have a 2 bed house and also 2 step kids who come to stay on holidays and w/e. I was worried sick but sw said it wasn't a problem as the step kids dont live here. She was more than happy with our plan of having the sofa bed and the kids having our room when they come to stay. Sw hasn't even seen the room yet other than walking paced and we are almost at panel. Also she said they like little one to be in with us until they are 2 any how. XX


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## Miny Moo (Jan 13, 2011)

When we started our HS and the SW looked at our box room, which I think is small, just room for a bed and wardrobe, nothing else, she said it was a decent size!!!!

We are hoping to start again soon for no.2 and that will be their room.


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## Poppets Mammy (Mar 7, 2011)

Thank you all for your replies, most appreciated, you have all reassured me.

Thanks again
XxX​


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## curvycat (Apr 8, 2008)

Hi the only thing that I think you may need to consider is when looking for a child 

When we started the process we had a 2 bed flat and our sw was happy to have us approved for a sibling group of 2 we moved and we now have a 4 bed house but one room is on 3rd floor so only really used as a guest room 

When we were being interviewed by kittens sw she made it very clear that she expected kitten to have the largest room of the house and not our small room that is large enough for an adult single bed a wardrobe and toys............. this was our plan anyway so fine with us but may have been an issue if we did not have the space 

now we are parents I shudder at the thought of us having stayed at the flat with just kitten let alone our original plans of 2 because as small as the children are there stuff takes over everywhere and there is SOOOOO much of it! My living room looks more like a nursery than a lounge! 

I would just try to declutter as much as possible and think on space saving ideas xxx 

good luck


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## Poppets Mammy (Mar 7, 2011)

Thanks for your input Curvy cat, your point is valid one.

I am very anti-clutter, every 6 months I go through every room and donate things that have not been used in the last 6 months, im a little over the top with unecessary mess (childrens toys etc are not mess in my eyes though).

I feel we do have room, I was just worried about a SW not agreeing or it not looking good 'on paper' We dont even use our spare room, its totally empty and awaiting a little person to make it their own one day.

Im surprised that your SW demanded that kitten got the bigger room in the house, that seems unusual. At the end of the day these kids need room thats a given, but more importantly they need love, security and care, not material things. A SW wouldn't be coming around inspecting peoples homes and spare rooms to someone who was pregnant or had a newborn and waving their finger demanding the rooms were swapped. But I suppose circumstances very greatly from all individual situations, and all SW/LA will have different ideas of what they want.

Im very glad you have your family and are settled with your kitten, I inspire for that to be us one day


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## minmouse (Nov 15, 2009)

Oh I wish LAs would follow the same rules!  I have a 3 bed semi & I read this post with much interest.  We've been postponed as our LA insists we keep a room for each of 2 step-kids who visit w/e & hols, and have a further spare ready for LO.  We had hoped sharing would be OK, or a sofa bed in lounge, but then planned to build the required 4th room.  However the funds we hoped to build with didnt materialise, so back to the drawing board.  We have a space downstairs c 9 x 7 foot which we plan to convert to a smallish bedroom for our eldest step-child who will shortly be away at Uni anyway. Id love for some reassurance from LA that this will be acceptable, but we have to convert before theyll come for a home visit to check.  Fingers crossed! Then I read here that many different situations have been perfectly acceptable.  Its a minefield, but where theres a will there's a way - good luck ladies x


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## thespouses (Jan 5, 2006)

Minmouse, can you not try and go with a different LA or a VA? It does seem some are more flexible than others. Yours sounds crazy, or can you say that the stepkids no longer visit at the same time since one is at Uni?


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