# Anyone from Gloucestershire??



## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi, is there any one from Gloucestershire? We're going to Panel next Tuesday, and will meet our LOs SW ten days later, so it's all going ahead top speed 

Just wondering if anyone from this part of the world is around


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## Dreams do come true (Jan 4, 2012)

Nope...but couldn't read and run 

Wow.....your journeys moving long very quick, you must be so excited!

How old are LO's? x


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hahaha, yes, I'm bursting!! It's been an incredible ride! Must say, when our SW mailed with the date for the LO SW I just stared in shock, it just felt sooooo real and scary!! Up till then we'd just run with the flow in a way, and now the end was in sight!!

DS is just 2, DD will be 1 next month....!! So exciting!!!
Which ages are you looking at, and boys or girls
How was Panel...??


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## Dreams do come true (Jan 4, 2012)

Panel is okay, nothing to worry about. You'll be fine, it's just a formality!

I'm in the West Mids, also with a VA - who have been amazing 

Lovely ages, and one of each   We're hoping to be matched with a DD 4mth and a DS 18mth - just waiting for the LOs SW to say she likes us, wants to meet us, and whether they are considering anyone else that's interested....it's sooooo hard!

Good luck hun x x


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Wow, those are amazing ages!!! How lovely to have them soooo young!! (I do think it makes attachment easier, it must be harder to carry a six-year old round....)

Yes, our LOs SW is very keen, apparently he told the team, and they agreed, and he already talked to the bm and her mum, and they're happy for us to parent the children because of the particular experience.... so trying to keep myself from squealing and shrieking all day....

when will you get their visit??


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Just very upset  Had phone call from agency, one of my relatives sent a not-so-nice letter and they're moving panel to December whilst speaking to other relatives, just as a formality apparently... SW told me not to panic, nothing has changed, but they need to sort it out otherwise panel might question it and defer, and she said it's better for them to move it  So, so, so upset!!!     
I know technically nothing has changed, but I'm really really gutted!!


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## Littlecat (Aug 5, 2011)

Hi DiDi, I was initially reading this as I'm from Bristol (moving towards adoption after deciding to stop IVF, but not ready to start on anything yet). Anyway, I am so sorry this has happened - it must be so upsetting that a family member would do something like that, as well as the natural worry that it will stop things from working. I'm sure social services are used to people being unpleasant for the sake of it, or lacking understanding or whatever and if she's saying nothing has changed then I would believe her, but I can only imagine how difficult that must be, especially so close to panel. Thinking of you.


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you, Littlecat  Yes, it was such a shock! The agency seems to think of it as a technicality, they're just upset that this has happened, as I normally get on really well with my sister(s)  
Just hoping that nothing will change about our LOs 

Our agency is in the Bristol area


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## Littlecat (Aug 5, 2011)

It must be so much more of a shock for it to be a relative you normally get on really well with. I will keep my fingers crossed for you that nothing changes with your little ones. Obviously, I know nothing about this process yet, but surely they would have put a lot more thought into postponing the panel if it meant anything other than a short (and incredibly upsetting) delay. 

Very early days but vaguely thinking about which agency to use - I know Bristol City aren't keen on adopters from the city itself but would obviously like quite a local agency. Would you recommend yours?


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Yes, definitely! They're amazing, literally amazing! Never seen any social workers like it! They are incredible at reading people and situations, they're fun, and really good listeners! It's called CCS, and because it's voluntary agency, you could easily adopt out of the Bristol area!


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi


I'm also from Bristol and am about half way through the process with CCS also and I couldn't recommend them enough, they've been amazing so far. I know they've got an info day in December so little at you may wish to go along to that, it doesn't commit you in any way and may give you some things to think about.  I wouldn't waste your time with Bristol LO, as you say they don't accept people who live in Bristol. Feel free to PM me if you'd like anymore info. 


DiDi, good luck for your panel in Dec, I'm sure that everything will work itself out, and the panel will be here before you know it 


Summer Girl xx


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## Littlecat (Aug 5, 2011)

Hi Didi and summergirl, thanks so much for the feedback on CCS - it's really reassuring to have an idea of an agency to approach. 

My situations got a little confusing (basically my consultant wants to get an NHS fertility consultant to consider us for something experimental as I need a hysterectomy and she's uncomfortable with slamming the door shut at my age). My DH is only just facing the idea that natural children really might not be possible and he wants to wait till we've heard what they have to say. I honestly do believe we'll be coming back to adoption in a couple of months and will be looking at CCS then. 

DiDi, I hope everything is well with you and will be thinking of you for your December panel.


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Littlecat, keep us informed, it sounds so interesting! I'm sure it will all work out one way or another!

This Thursday the LOs SW are coming.... and I'm racing around like a headless chicken trying to get everything straight before then...  I just hope they don't leave the dvd at home by accident... 
Just collecting the last bits of (extra) paper for panel now. Summer girl, how far have you got, how're you getting on? Have you got a date for panel yet??


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi Didi

We're probably about half way through, last training day this Frisay and we've got our review meeting scheduled for early Jan where they've said they'll discuss potential panel dates 😜 hopefully the time is going to go quickly. So far the process has gone well, it was a bit of a shock to begin with as we hadn't appreciated how long it would take to complete all of the forms, but I think we've got into the flow of completing all the homework now. 

How long has it been since you've been approved? Good luck for Thursday I'm sure you'll both do amazingly. Did it take you long to go through the process?

Summer Girl xx


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

We had our first interview 29th Feb, and panel is now the 11th of December. It should have been the 20th, last week, which is why the LOs SW will come this week. Even though approval panel has been moved up, the SW is still coming...!! Hopefully they will tell us when matching panel is....


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi Didi

Hope your SW appt went well today for your LO, I'm sure it's a relief to get it done.

The timeline for your process seems reasonably quick, we're hoping ours will be the same 😄


It's the last of our training days tomorrow and I think I'm going to,miss them when they finish!

Summer girl xx


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Yes, I really missed the training days as well! It's so good to meet others 

Meeting went really well, we saw the dvd (I nearly cried, but managed to just nod and smile....)
So approval panel 11th December, and Matching Panel probably 19th Feb, although there is the tiniest tiny possibility that it might be in January...not holding my breath though...  Anyway, let the endless waiting begin....


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

I'm so pleased for you that it went well today 

I'm sure your panels will come round in no time and before you know it your LO one will be home with you and your DH 

Would love to keep in touch, let me know how you get on xxx


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## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

Woohoo!!!  So pleased the meeting went well and you have panel dates to work to.

I know Feb seems a long way off but believe me, it will be here before you know it and your life will change forever 

OT x


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## Littlecat (Aug 5, 2011)

Hi, I know this is now a really old post (I was off-line in December due to moving house) but I really wanted to find out how things are going - DiDi, any news? I did keep thinking about you during December and wondering how things had gone. Summergirl, how are things with you?

I have no news whatsoever from the hospital and I think we are moving very much closer to making a decision & getting ready to pursue adoption in 2014 (we can't do anything this year as we have a few things to do to the house to make it fit for habitation).


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi Littlecat,
things are a bit slow at the moment.... Yesterday the LOs family finder told our SW that he was quite busy so wanted to move the matching panel..... that would mean they probably won't come home till May, so our SW told him to get a move on...so hopefully he will! All a bit frazzled!

When did the hospital think you should hear?


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## Littlecat (Aug 5, 2011)

That's so frustrating & surely the children deserve to be home as soon as possible. I will keep sending positive, speedy thoughts in your direction.

The consultant had promised an urgent phone-call within a week - so November. I got a letter yesterday after posting so have an appointment at the end of the month. 

I also got in touch with CCS yesterday as my husband wants to donate sperm to some good friends of ours & we weren't sure how it would be viewed. They were so lovely and within 2 hours I had a really well thought out and supportive email back.


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## MummyAuntieKatie (Oct 18, 2012)

Hi Ladies, we are now living in North Somerset and are going through Bristol (they didn't want us when we lived in South Bristol) so have been reading through.  Looks like our panel will be 7 Feb!  Really feels scary now.  Keep up with the info, good to hear other's experiences!


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi Auntie Katie

That's good news Katie, I know what you mean about Bristol, we live there and approached Bristol initially, however after attending their open day, they told us we couldn't proceed with because of where we lived, if only they'd told us this before and we wouldn't have wasted 3 months! We're now 4 months into our homestudy and had our review meeting today and all is going well and we hope to go to panel in May or June.  To be honest I'm a little disappointed that its not until then, we've only got 6 more sections of the report to complete so I can't get why we can't have a panel date sooner. I think a little of the frustration is that I hit 40 this summer and had hoped to have children by then 😔

Good luck with your panel on 7 Feb and feel us updated of how it goes.  How many children and what ages are you hoping to be approved for?

Didi hope you've managed to make some progress with your LO's social worker? Can I ask how long from homestudy until you went to panel?

Summer girl xx


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

We've made some progress... We have said 'no' to a link as the LO had severe learning difficulty, and things were dragging on etc etc....
We're now looking at a few sibling groups of three... One of them sounds very hopeful!! So I've been soooo exciting today, just looking forward to hopefully getting more news next week....

We had our initial interview 29th Feb last year, should have gone to Panel end of Nov, got delayed for a month, so went to panel 11th December, and now cautiously hoping for Matching panel March or April... 
Our agency has been fabulous!!


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi Didi

Hope youre well, wondered if there was any more news on you sibling group?

Summer Girl xx


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## DiDi2012 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi Summer Girl,

we have a link meeting on the 7th, where the LOs SW will come to the house... So far they seem ok with us, lol, long may it continue!! 
I'm really doing my best to not get too excited, but we really really like these three (DD,4, DS,2 and DD,1)! They seem just right for us, as long as their SW think so too... 

Our own SW seem to think it might be a good match, so I just hope the visit doesn't put them off... 

Have you got a panel date yet?


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Wow that sounds perfect, good luck for your meeting, will keep everything crossed for you xx

We had our review meeting and was told May maybe June for panel. To be honest was very disappointed as I can't believe we've only got 6 more sections of the report left to complete yet it will take at least 5 months to go to panel 😞 we've just submitted a planning application to get our house extended so maybe we wouldn't have been able to go to panel until then anyway, but it seems like such a long time to wait. They did say that if they found a likely match for us then it could be sooner. So we're just going with the flow and I'm trying to not get too worked up about the timescale, had hoped to have children by the time I was 40 in the summer, but maybe it's not meant to be. DH and I are now talking about one last big holiday for my 40th so every cloud ...

Take care and let us know how you get on. 

Summergirl xx


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## summer girl (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi Didi


Hope you are well? How has your link meeting? Hope all has gone well?  We've finished our final official meeting and SW has started to write PAR 😄 she did say she was still aiming for May panel so hopefully the next few months will pass quickly. 


Summer girl xx


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