# Adoption Proceedings - anyone had this happen to them?



## starrysky

Hi Everyone 

Our step parent adoption was proceeding along nicely until we got a letter asking us to attend a Directions Hearing.. We had asked for the adoption to be heard at a magistrates court and the court we have been asked to attend is a Family Proceedings Court.

We actually thought this was the adoption hearing although something didnt seem quite right. We hadnt heard from the Guardian for example, and hadnt seen the report. 

I called our social worker today who told us that he thinks that someone who doesnt know much about same sex adoption has sent us to a court to decide if our case needs to be heard in a higher London-based court. He said he will be there to say that the case can be heard in a magistrates or county court.

Has anyone else had this? Does anyone know if we have any reason to be worried by this?

We used an anonymous donor, Jo has PR, we are civil partners and we had our son together

Thanks everyone

Starrysky


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## Mable

Hi there,
A big sigh from me about these adoption palavas. No, I've not heard of someone in your situation having to go to a family proceedings court, although I can't see why your social worker can't intervene and turn this around. It will be such a stupid waste of time and energy (and presumably a day off work for one of you). I don't think you should worry though as the law hasn't changed and you will get the adoption, it just sounds like a massive waste of time and money (will they make you pay for it? I resent the £140 I paid to submit the adoption application).

We have our hearing on 9th June at the magistrates court. We haven't seen a guardian (the social worker thinks she can do this bit although I have absolutely no confidence in her ability to get this adoption sorted out for us) and I haven't seen a copy of the report (she submitted it at the last minute).

I am putting in a complaint about our social worker, mainly for the horrible unchildfriendly comments she has made whilst visiting us at home ("I'd forgotton how noisy 4 year olds can be, can he be a bit quieter I've only just got up" was one gem!), the meal she has made of assessing us (over 6 meetings each where her aim seemed to be to talk about herself which meant that at the last minute she was ringing up for all sorts of information and then we didn't get to see the report because she was late with it). Rant over.

Let us know how it goes. I can't wait for this to be over, and I'm sure you can't too.
BW
M


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## bobinski

Hi there Starrysky - spookily enough, we had a similar thing happen today.

We've been ticking along with the Social Worker, trying not to get too annoyed at the intrusive questions - quite why the number of O'levels I have (and the subjects they are in!), whether my parents go to church and the fact that we live near water have anything to do with it, I'm not sure.  She also said to my parents that she was concerned that i come from such a small family (and I'm the biological parent trying to increase the size of our son's legal family!!) - utterly odd!! She also won't let us see a copy of the final report - we know adoption papers are exempt from "freedom of information" but it would have been reassuring to see the report.

Anyhow ..... we'd been told by the court to attend today - there seemed to be some confusion about the type of hearing but the Social Worker said the adoption order could be made .... so .... we took the day off work, kept our beautiful son off nursery, told family and friends and put the champagne on ice ........ only to have a phone call an hour before the hearing to say we were not needed as it was a directions hearing and, having read the reports (submitted 10 days ago!), we were not needed at court. ARGHHHHHHHH   We have been told that directions hearing are a matter of course and that we'll have an adoption hearing soon but it is very frustrating.

Anyhow - hopefully we'll all get there soon!!

Liz


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## starrysky

Hi Mable and Bobinski

Thanks for the replies.

Isnt it ridiculous! When we are already parenting the children we are trying to adopt. Utterly ridiculous! Mable - six visits each, that is just crazy when we had no individual visit and a very brief session together. Two visits in total.

We had planned a celebration too, new outfits, bet the actual adoption hearing will be in winter so we will have wasted our money! We are both off (though I am quite glad as missing a nasty meeting!). We'll be prepared for a last minute cancellation.

Worst of it all is that Jo had actually called the court to ask about bringing cameras in etc and the woman who had written the letter about the directions hearing didnt even mention that it wasnt the adoption hearing!

Oh dear - oh well, onwards we go!

Will keep you posted.

Heather


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## bobinski

I'm sure we'll all get there - it's so odd though, how different the experience is for all of us particularly when we get told we are only being asked all these questions as it's a legal requirement - we too had 6 x 2hr appts - (both of us were also seen seperately) and both sets of grandparents interviewed - both of us were CRB checked and they accessed 10 years of work references for me as i work in child care (although not for my DP who is the adopting parent!) it seems that each area deals with it so differently ...  anyway, fingers crossed for us all
Liz


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## nismat

How terribly frustrating for you all in your different ways! I hope that ultimately everything is straightforward, even if unnecessarily complicated, irritating and tediously long-winded. 
And that you all get to enjoy your day when everything is official and legal!   

We really must start the ball rolling ourselves for Karen to adopt Toby.....


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## evelet

we have a directions hearing on 14 June. We won't attend though. The judge will basically make an order requiring the social worker to do her visits. They are not bothering with CRB or medical or work references as they apparently are no longer required. I had already said that I could not see the need for rosypie to have a CRB check as she is already the bio and legal parent. They are only supposed to be checking up on me not her. I am the so-called step-parent wanting to adopt after all. 

am a bit bemused by the magistrates/family proceedings stuff. I thought all family matters were heard in the family section of your local county court? If its really complex you get sent to the Principal Registry in London. Although I am a solicitor I do not deal with family matters so am basically clueless   

Good luck to everyone anyway - hope you get your adoptions through soon.


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## starrysky

Tomorrow is the day!

I cant help feel we were so pleased with how smoothly the assessment went that now it is getting more complicated.

Interesting Evelet that you are not going to yours. We each got written invites referring us to read a guide that wasnt in the letter.

Will let you know tomorrow.

Heather


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## evelet

We're  not going because its a directions hearing and it won't add anything us being there. I'm sure the court gets it drastically wrong sometimes but I am very lucky to get free legal advice at work so if anything goes wrong they'll sort it out for me. We live in a relatively small town with a small Court Centre so they are very friendly and know exactly who I am if I phone up. They have quite openly informed me that we are their first same sex couple step parent adoption and that they expect it to be very straight forward.


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## bobinski

Hi Heather - hope the directions hearing goes well today - we rang the court the day after ours and it went through without any problem - we were initially given a final adoption hearing date for 25th August but the court have managed to squeeze us in for the 3rd Aug so that we can have it all finalised in time for our little man's first birthday and naming ceremony on the 7th


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## lucky2010

hope today goes ok heather and jo.


Rach


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## mintyfaglady

I've not been on here in AN AGE, but popped in today because I have questions about adoption proceedings and lo and behold!!

Starrysky, an almost identical thing has happened to us. We have been given a date asking us to attend a Directions Hearing at a Family Proceedings Court on 14th June (was expecting just an adoption hearing) and, out of the blue, received a call from someone at CAFCASS asking for my (bio-mum) date of birth and informing me that they would be arranging a visit in person to talk with me to check I fully understood the implications of agreeing to this adoption (WTF!! - haven't these people got anything IMPORTANT to do).

Social worker has done her visits already (whole other story) and submitted her report to court and we've had to undergo CRB checks, so I'm really not clear why CAFCASS have stuck their oar in, BEFORE the directions hearing no less!

We were CP'd before our baby was born, he was conceived at a clinic with an anonymous donor - really, it couldn't be more straightforward!

Good luck with your hearing today Starrysky. Let us know how it goes.


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## snagglepat

We had a chap from CAFCASS come to talk to me about it too. we were told it was standard procedure so didn't think to question it. It was a very brief and simple conversation and I thought it was all fine. It happened after the directions hearing for us though (which we didn't attend - we have been blessed with a slightly bonkers but very nice social worker who has done step parent adoptions for two other lesbian couples before us and we do actually trust her). Our court date last November was the directions hearing - not the adoption hearing - I made the same mistake there. 

However as unfussed as I was initially about the CAFCASS visit it has turned into a huge palavar for us. The chap who came we saw first forgot to submit the paperwork, then when he did after much chasing by our social worker he submitted the wrong paperwork, and here we are still chasing it up with no court date in sight. Our social worker is at least on the ball though, and is chasing on our behalf. 

Aint it crazy?

Gina. x


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## lucky2010

You guys certainly are putting us off adoption!!! good luck to all x


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## pem

phew....it does sound like what should be relatively straight forward is in fact a complete nightmare...typical bureacracy though i guess..hope all goes well for you all...


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## bobinski

Well ---- just got in from work with little man who has a ranging temp and been sent home from nursery to find the outcome of the directions hearing - it seems we also are now required to meet with CAFCASS to discuss my consent - so it seems that our initial hopes for 3rd August may have been premature!!!  This is soooooo frustrating - maybe the government should read this thread if they want some ideas as to how to save money


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## mintyfaglady

I find it depressing that these overstretched workers are having to waste time and resources doing these "investigations" when there are kids and families out there who really do need their help and support.

I also REALLY resent the intrusion into my affairs and the idea that there are files out there on my kid/our family makes my blood boil. I try not to think about it too much and remember that I'm supposed to grateful that I'm lucky enough to have this option of protecting my family open to me. It's hard to stomach though.


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## starrysky

Hi everyone

All went well today, very straightforward little meeting with a Clerk who basically asked the SW if any concerns and where he thought it should be held. Now have a date - 6th August - that is giving four weeks for the SW to do their report and another two weeks for the Cafcass report plus another two. 

The SW did say that we should prepare ourselves for the possibility of a Cafcass delay but seemed fairly positive about it being okay.

Hopefully wont be too delayed for you Bobinski.

Mintyfaglady - yes, we havent had it too bad sue to ultra cool social worker who knows where his priorites are but people getting six visits each.......unbelievable!!!!!

Heather


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## Mable

Our hearing tomorrow has been changed to a directions hearing because of this Cafcass business not having been organised. We are not going. It's such a shambles. Trying not to get overwhelmed by my feelings of annoyance about all this but really my blood would boil if I let it, like you Mintyfaglady. We have been promised a final court date in a few weeks. 

My main frustration is with our sw who is making a right meal out of this process and yet has produced a report riddled with errors. She is also making a meal out of explaining what is happening with the adoption to Monty, which we object to. It's up to us what we tell him, not her. It's really nothing to do with him, but she's getting reports from his preschool, his GP. I keep reminding her that it's Noa I am adopting, not Monty. Arghh.


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## evelet

ooh i can just imagine the justification for getting reports from M's preschool etc. Its such crap really. I'm dreading the cafcass part as everyone groans about how bad they are at work and I dread to think how a cafcass officer in a little town like this is going to manage. 

i'm so relieved i have family lawyers dealing with it for me. One of the partners at work is writing a letter to the court clerk stating what directions we want. She also knows the social worker who has apparently told her that she is going to try to deal with it in as few visits as poss. The only wild card really is the cafcass officer.


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## starrysky

Dear all

Oh dear.........it is quite unbelievable. We are existing families........how can it be that complex. Mable you must be so fed up with the intrusion. 

Evelet - we are dependent on Cafcass too now..

I guess we'll all going there in the end!?

Heather


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## NatGamble

Hi all

Apols if I haven't read through the whole of this thread, but just thought I should explain that the Family Proceedings Court is the magistrates' court - it's the lowest level of family court at which straightforward cases are heard by lay magistrates, and so nothing at all to worry about.  A directions appointment is just a hearing at which the judge says what has to happen next ('gives directions') and I would expect it simply to involve setting some deadlines for the filing of the local authority report etc before you go back for a final hearing at which the order will be made.

Best of luck to you all (I've been through this process too, and it is a bit ridiculous, but well worth the short term discomfort for the long term security and permanence of an adoption order).

Natalie


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## mintyfaglady

Our directions hearing is tomotrrow morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

Natalie - can the judge direct NOT to ask for a CAFCASS report? It seems so pointless, certainly in our case (treated at a fertility clinic as a couple). I'll be sad if it holds things up.

Minty
xxx


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## starrysky

Good luck tomorrow Minty!

Thanks Natalie - yes we waited an hour and then were in with a clerk for about five minutes whilst dates were set.

We hope cafcass get to us in time so that we can go ahead on 6th august.

Heather


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## rosypie

we had to surrender the boys' birth certificates. i knew they wouldn't be valid anymore but i thought we'd at least get to keep them. feels a bit strange that.


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## mintyfaglady

Really! (re. birth certificate) I hadn't thought about that before. The idea makes me a bit sad. Can't they just invalidate it somehow and let you keep it, like they do with old passports?

Our Directions Hearing this morning was a bit of a non-event really. Nobody except us and the court solicitor turned up! Social Worker was never planning to come (not sure why we thought she would be there) and CAFCASS bailed out at the last minute saying they couldn't make it because they were too busy.  The outcome was that the Social Worker's report should be submitted within 2 weeks, the CAFCASS one 2 weeks after that, then there'll be another hearing to check all the paperwork is in order (we don't have to attend this) before a final hearing on August 9th (provisional date).

The court solicitor kept going on about how we could make it a special day and invite family and friends, etc, but we're both really struggling to feel anything but upset and angry about having to do this. (MABLE- I HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU'VE MANAGED TO STAY CIVIL WITH YOUR SW!!!!   ) It feels worse somehow knowing that the law has changed and we STILL have to go through this intrusion. 

Any suggestions on how we can "buck up" and make this a bit more special for our boy? It's part of his story, after all and I don't like the idea of him thinking our sourpuss faces were anything to do with him!  We thought about inviting a bit of a lesbians-with-kids contingent along to court with us on the big day.

minty
xxx


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## evelet

Why don't you do that? Invite your lesbian mum friends along? I don't think the court would like to have a lot of children around though. They aren't keen simply because you won't be the only case that day and there will be parents in horrible situations therefore generally not the place for children etc. 

We had our directions hearing today. They are basically dispensing with the Cafcass officer (all that happens is that cafcass are given notice and then decline to do the report unless the social worker recommends it). They made a date for the adoption hearing in September and said we will have the 'celebration' hearing at the same time provided the social worker recommends that the magistrates make the adoption order. 

Seemed really easy and straightforward. Hope its all ok with the SW. She is pretty cool so I'm not expecting any problems.


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## mintyfaglady

Ooh, jealous Evelet - I did have a moan about CAFCASS involvement today, but was told they HAD to make a report for every case (and this despite our SW not requesting it).  Mind you, this was by a solicitor who wasn't aware that the law had changed to allow two women to be named on the birth certificate.  

At least our SW has been relatively sympathetic and quick.


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## starrysky

Hi everyone

We are making a day of it! Meal, champagne, family and a couple of friends if they make it. Adam has a nice outfit and I even have a skirt to wear (not very usual!). Jo's mum and dad are coming and we have recognised with them that they are becoming legal grandparents. Grandma has made a decorated adoption cake.

I was adopted myself and have had a lifetime of ups and downs with it, I think thats one of the reasons why I want to make this a nice day.  Also for Adam's memories and story as you say. Making it a celebration. How about thinking of it as part of LGBT history so that in years to come you can laugh with him about what you needed to do to "strengthen your family"??

Rosypie - I know what you mean about the birth certificate - our SW told us this so we went and got some "parchment" paper from Paperchase and copied it and its a pretty good lookalike.

For us as well, as Jo goes through her (probably) last IVF its a bit symbolic that she will become Adam's legal mummy. We are in a way quiet glad it is all happening at this time.

Its nice that so many of us are going through this at the same time.

We are lucky though, we havn't had crap SW experiences, we must be sure to write him a letter of thanks recognising how cool he has been.

Good luck with it all.

Heather x


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## SANFRAN06

interesting reading!!!!!
We applied for step parent adoption when our boys were 5 months old! They are 2yrs old in August and we haven't heard a thing since our initial social worker visit last year. They said it takes about 2 yrs
Its just so frustrating, the law has changed and its unfair that we are being treated differently to our peers now!


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## bobinski

Hi SanFran - we informed Social Services and applied to Court anyway as soon as our boy was 6 months old - Social Services were very unhappy about this and advised us to wait until they could allocate a worker as they had very long waiting lists - after a number of very heated phone calls with Social Services we applied anyway and were therefore bound by the timescales of court rather than Social Services waiting lists - our Social Worker has since said that had we not done this, we would stilll be waiting to be allocated a worker and may have waited years!!!


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## Mable

About having to surrender the original birth certificate - when I adopted Monty we also had to do this but we got a replacement from the registry office, saying we had lost the original. It costs under £10. for their memory books, or whatever.


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## mintyfaglady

Nice one Mable! Did you do this before you surrendered the original? If they'd still issue a replacement after the adoption had been finalised, what's the point of making you surrender the original anyway? Odd.


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## Mable

I think we did it before we surrendered the original, but as most of you haven't finalised your adoptions yet, there's still time. I must organise to get Noa a replacement one today.


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## NatGamble

Hi Sanfran06

My advice would be to whack your application in to court.  Once you've notified social services in writing and waited three months, you are entitled to make your court application (and if you wait more than two years, which is getting close for you by the sounds of it, you have to start all over again).  If you get the court involved, they are likely to set some deadlines and this will move things along.

Best of luck

Natalie


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## bobinski

Hi there - just checking in to see how people are doing - we hassled CAFCASS into submission (intially we rang and we were on a waiting list to be entered onto a database in order to go on a waiting list?   ) and they sent someone to see us this morning - really nice lady - very straight forward and she's going to make sure she attends the hearing to ensure there are no problems .. so it really looks like we might be all set to go ahead on 3rd Aug


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## mintyfaglady

Ooh, you've made me a bit twitchy about making sure CAFCASS get their act together now. I'll give them a ring in the morning. We're away for a fortnight end of July and if they don't visit before we leave they'll never be ready for our final hearing on the 9th August.

SW has got her report in in good time though - it was quite touching actually.

We've invited a few friends along to the court and for lunch afterwards. What plans do others have, or wuill it be a quick in and out?

minty
xxx


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## Mable

we've got our final hearing (fingers crossed) on 7th. It will be a quick in and out, I've taken an hour off work. We had a bit of a celeb for Monty but to be honest it just felt wierd, celebrating me adopting him, when I've been his parent from birth and before. So this time, we'll fake some photos and keep it really low key. Life is busy enough now..

Good luck everyone else.


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## evelet

we've invited our mums to come to the hearing then we are going to this lovely farm cafe place for tea and cake and the boys can go on the farm trail. we're then going to london the following weekend and having a little party at my dad's house with some family/friends to celebrate. its a load of old codswallop really because what are we celebrating? i'm already their other parent. However, I'm glad I have the right to do it and it does feel somehow momentous. Plus, any excuse for a party...


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## mintyfaglady

FINALLY managed to pin CAFCASS down and arrange for them to come out and see me. Thank goodness I did, because they showed no sense of urgency at all. 

If they are able to decline to report, then I don't understand why the hell they don't do just that - bloody woman sounded positively annoyed with me wanting to book in a time for her to visit! Sorry for being such an inconvenience! 

We managed to find only one mutually suitable time between now and us going away. It's after their deadline, but I'm just relieved to have managed to get her pinned down to do it, as afterwards would have been too late.

Inviting some friends out for lunch on the day has made us both feel a little better about it though.

Must remember to get that replacement birth certificate!

Minty xxx


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## starrysky

Thank You Venus in Furs! So true........

Reading all your posts about Cafcass prompted me to phone. They havent received our SWs report yet so advised us to call this Friday. The woman I spoke to didn't sound very enthusiastic about getting us allocated - so its a call back from us on Friday - we'll see......! 

We have started to make plans for the day. We are going for a meal and then to the local childrens farm which will make it a day for Adam.  I am looking forward to it, I've thought a lot since I last posted. Being adopted myself has brought me a lot of challenges in life as well as some benefits. I think thats why it has to be a day that I view positively.

We've been reading "Its okay to be different" with Adam and he is now reading it himself (memorising the pictures and phrases I mean!). Anyway the other night he read out "Its okay to be adopted" so I told him about the court and being adopted by Mama.


Good luck everyone

Heather


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## mintyfaglady

Thanks for your sympathy Emma - it does help me feel slightly less irritated about it all!

Heather, I wonder why it is that SW reports seem to take so long to hit the desks of CAFCASS workers. Ours claimed she'd only received it that morning, yet it had been filed over 2 weeks ago. Perhaps it's a standard excuse. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they pull their finger out for you.

We're accidently got a fairly big crowd coming to our final hearing now. We invited a few people, thinking most wouldn't be able to make it, being a Monday and all, but they ALL said yes!! We both feel quite touched actually.  Fortunately the court we'll be going to is not too unsavoury as courts go, and I'm sure the nice **** on security will let us go through to wait in the court room itself, which she did last time we were there.

Not long now.
xxx


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## bobinski

Hi all - seems we are all ticking towards the big day at about the same time!!  Keep hassling Cafcass as I'm sure they only came out because we were on the phone most days!  We've got both sets of parents coming down for the hearing - it's 9.30am so we'll all go out for tea and cake after    Our Social Worker can't make it on the day but fortunately the court has agreed that it can go ahead without her.

Organised a replacement birth certificate - managed to do it all online and it turned up within 48hrs - thanks for the tip about that - it feels important that we have a copy.

Fingers crossed that all the hassle and irritation will be worth it - can't wait to be a fully legal family.

Liz


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## starrysky

Update on us!

We are all set for the 6th August! We called Cafcass a couple of times - on the second call Jo left a message and two seconds later our allocated person called us back. He asked if we could go that morning so we said yes. All done! He was very cool too. We seem to have been lucky with both.

Looking forward to the day now - will give us a lift after the BFN.

Heather


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## nismat

Glad to hear that things are proceeding well on the adoption front Heather & Jo - hope that August 6th is a fab day for you all


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## nismat

We've been really lax in starting anything for Karen to adopt Toby (initially because we were hoping for a sibling, but then of course the laws changed, so it's now just a case of laziness on our part!).
What do we need to do to get the ball rolling? I'm very hazy about it all, other than knowing that technically it's a step-parent adoption   
And what do we need to be prepared for in the process?


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## starrysky

Hi,
First you have to notify the local authority that you want to adopt, then I think you have to wait for 3 months before you can then put in a court application.  (or you can wait a bit longer if you wish)
The application form you can get the court to post out, when this is sent back you have to pay - Ours was £140 with original birth certificate and any other relevant documents (such as civil partnership) etc.  Only the non-birth parent has to do anything on the form, but birth parent has to be named etc.  If it was donor sperm then that needs to be made clear, also any parental responsibility agreements.  If there is a birth 'father' then they also have to be named and details given.
Then the local authority will allocate a social worker to assess, this is likely to take at least 3-6 months from the time you apply and everyone seems to have had varying levels of assessment, number of visits, waiting time etc.
After that CAFCAS also have to submit a court report, this should be relatively straight forward and is a bit of a formality for most people, involves birth mum signing to agree, and to agree that they were not paid etc.
Possibly at any point during this stage the court could ask for directions hearing (for us this seems to have been in one way a bit of a nonsense but also a little helpful in getting CAFCAS a set date to submit by, they are notoriously oversubscribed by cases).
Then you go to court for the actual order to be made - we were able to choose whether we wanted to use magistrates or a judge, though there may be areas where choice is not possible or if you get a strange decision from your social worker, CAFCAS or the directions hearing.
We have done all the process without legal advice and I think most people probably do the same, it has taken a while but mostly has been fairly clear what was next in the process.
Hope that helps a bit,
Heather & Jo


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## bobinski

Hi all - well ...... we finally got there!!!!   

Final hearing was yesterday and was all rubber stamped - the court people were lovely and the three magistrates seemed genuinely touched by the process - there was not a dry eye in the room!  We went with grandparents and an old friend - really quick process - formalities were over in about 10 minutes and, after time for photos, off we went for tea and very large cakes - followed by bubbly and takeaway once baby Isaac went to bed.

It was such a frustrating process along the way but a huge relief now we all signed, sealed and legal and all in time for his first birthday on Saturday   

From the post's above - it seems there's a week of these for everyone so good luck Heather & Jo, Monty and Mable and and your families - the finish line is approaching   

Fingers crossed for you all
Liz


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## snagglepat

This week is a full one for rubber stamping then. We're off to court tomorrow morning for the final hearing. After that, we're finally done and dusted! Phew. Unfortunately they didn't give us the date until last Friday and Rae already has some things booked in at work that she can't get out of so although she can make it to the court there'll be no celebratory lunch afterwards. Her parents are away too so the lovely day we had planned in our heads will have to be postponed. I guess it just underlines the fact that it really is just a formality, a piece of paper that says our family is now legally what it always has been anyway. Oh well. It will be nice to have it all sorted at last.

One thing I found really quite unpleasant was when I had my booking appointment for this pregnancy. One of the sections on the booking form asks if we're currently having any contact with social services. Because we were still mid-process when we had our booking appointment, we had to say that we were, which I really didn't feel comfortable about at all. I hope it won't have an impact on anything further down the line - we did insist that she write 'step-parent adoption' next to it for clarification - and it shouldn't, but there's always that niggle in the back of my mind. Thank goodness we won't have to do it again for this baby! 

Gina. x


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## bobinski

Hi gina - good luck for tomorrow - it really is a week of it!!!

It's wierd the thing about medics asking about Social Services involvement - we've had to take Isaac to the hospital on a couple of occasions for rashes and have always felt really uncomfortable about having to say we had a Social Worker involved - not having to say this anymore was one of the things we celebrated yesterday! - That being said - there has never been any come back from it and things progressed anyway.

Enjoy your day tomorrow!


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## starrysky

Hi everyone

Yes its adoption week for us FFs! 

We are Friday - everything all done - Cafcass visited again on Monday morning as he realised he hadnt seen me on my own. He decided I was of sound mind!

We just opened a lovely parcel from our friend Leece who works for Cafcass. She has sent Adam a letter for when he is older about the adoption, which we were able to read and a handmade adoption card for Adam with dinosaurs. 

Jo has now got a truth charm bracelet to match mine, I add a charm every year to represent what Adam has been up to. Jo has one with a rainbow bead (still to arrive) and a dinosaur. Unbeknown to her I bought a little blue bootee to represent that she has always been his mama.

We are going with grandma, grandad and Jo's brother Uncle Dave followed by lunch, a trip to the local childrens farm and then hotel high tea. Some fizzy stuff in the fridge for when we get back!

Good luck tomorrow Gina - hope you are able to celebrate afterwards when Rae finishes work.

Congratulations Bobinski    

Good luck Mable and Edith and Monty 

A strange thought that once our group gets through this that will be it, all the new parents wont have to go through this form of adoption. Truly a part of LGBT history. 

Heather x


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## NatGamble

Hi all

Just to say that if any of you are looking for the forms for adoption, they're on our website at http://www.gambleandghevaert.com/page/donor_conception_and_co-parenting/3/.

There's also some guidance about the adoption process for lesbian couples at http://www.gambleandghevaert.com/page/children-conceived-2/6/.

Natalie


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## leoaimee

congratulations to everyone who has rubber stamped.

we (in gibraltar) have had some disapointing news from our solicitor regarding dps planned adoption ... they have said we can apply, we will probably be denied, and our only redress is to take the government to court because it infringes our right to a private life ... but that could cost thousands and thousands in legal fees.  so untill a government in gibraltar changes the archaic laws we are a bit stuck.

poo 

was very sad news.

but maybe we have a chance.

ax


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