# who to go through LA or VA for adoption



## crazybabe (Apr 24, 2007)

Hiya  

Can you confirm who you went through adoption with your LA or VA, we had our information pack form one VA today and I have completed the Preliminary application form which I will post tomorrow, and then a SW will contact us to arrange a visit within 2 weeks, who would you recommend us to go with The VA or our LA, I heard that the VA are quicker than LA.  We would like to adopt a younger child I have heard that the LA deal with more younger and easier to place children, do you know if this is correct, when I spoke to a SW at one of the VA's the other day she said that they would do our assessment etc bit they charge the LA a fee so that the find the link of a child(children) so this would be the same thing wouldn't it, we just not sure of who to go through, our LA have said we cannot go through them as I work for the same LA even though different place, any advice would be grateful.

Thanks

Crazybabe


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## sundog (Jun 21, 2007)

Hi Crazybabe,

Firstly, you are not restricted to your own local LA. You can apply to any authority or agency within a 50 mile radius of your home, so look at what other options are available. Aside from working for your local one, you should also consider that you are less likely to be prioritised by the LA that you live in as very often they prefer to place children out of the area that they are from, so enquire further afield.

LAs place children that are in care within their own jurisdiction with parents that they have approved, so if a young child comes up for adoption it is likely that they will get placed quite easily with LA approved parents. VAs on the other hand place children on behalf of LAs, usually when they have been unable to find suitable parents themselves. While occasionally you do hear that VAs have the opportunity to place younger children, this is less common. However, as VAs do get paid a substantial sum of money by LAs for each child that they do place, they tend to be better resourced and hence can operate more in favour of the parents and work to better timescales, sometimes getting you to approval panel quicker. 

All I can advise is that you consider and weigh up all the options that are available to you in your area against your personal priorities. We went with an LA that is 10 miles for our home and were placed with a 6 month old little boy just 3 months after approval. We did have to wait about 7 months from application to get a SW assigned, but once we did, I have to say we cannot fault the process. We were approved 5 months after starting homestudy.

sundog x


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## crazybabe (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi Sundog

Thanks for the very helpful email, we are just confused at the moment which way to turn, to either the VA or LA, our LA said that they don't have many babies/toddlers come up for adoption, but you have just proved they sometimes do, we want to adopt a young child preferably ages between birth to 2 years, so I guess I will have to investigate.

Thanks so much for the info

crazybabe


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## Viva (May 16, 2005)

Hi Crazybabe, 
We were in a very similar position to you when we started, DH is a teacher so our local LA wasn't a great option. We contacted a VA which looked great but they were honest and said that we would probably in a for a long wait as we were hoping for 2 children (siblings) 4 and under  without any significant disabilities. We ended up hitting the phones and contacted all the LA's within a 50 mile radius which because of where we live was a lot(!) we ended up having preliminary interviews with 2 and chose the LA we eventually went with because they were very professional, had a good history of placing younger children and got back to us quickly when they said they would. We potentially lost a few weeks getting started because we took our time finding an LA that was right for us, but the whole experience has been very positive and we feel very happy about our choice. In the long run going with the LA we did has been good in terms of time frame, about 18 months from very first enquires with any LA to placement of our children, so I guess I would say don't be put off if the LA home study time frame is longer than the VA one.
I hope all this makes sense and all the best.
Viva
X


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## crazybabe (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi Viva

Thanks for the message and advice, so you would recommend us goinh through LA if we want to adopt a younger child ages between 0-3 would you I send off my prilimary application off today to S.D but have also emailed few other LA in our 50 mile radius to.

How are you keeping

crazybabe


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## superal (May 27, 2005)

Hi

The firs time we went with a VA & we were placed with our DS aged 3years 10 months as placement, we found out about him aged 3½ yrs!

The second time around we went with a LA & got our DD placed with us aged 9 months.

Every area and every SS differ and your best bet is to ring around, ask for information packs and attend information evenings before you make a final choice of what you'd like to do.

It is true that you will be told there are no babies placed for adoption these days but you will see by reading through the members list how many of us have been lucky enough to be placed with a baby or a toddler under the age of 2!

Have you heard of concurrency where you foster a baby with a view to adoption??

Its a very hard thing to do but if the baby, YES baby stays with you its so worth the risk.

I wouldn't normalally recommend it as we did this and the baby we looked after was returned to her birth parents, that is the risk you take, the not knowing BUT it's such good scheme for the baby and can effect the risk of maybe later "damage" of being moved form one home to another to another.

maybe do a search on concurrency, like I say not for every one but it may be a way of getting a young baby.

We have a member on here who has also done concurrency but I'll let her get in touch with you for her to share her experience of it.

Love
Andrea
x


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## crazybabe (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi Andrea (Superal)

I have sent you a PM

thanks

crazybabe


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## superal (May 27, 2005)

Sent you one right back!!


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## crazybabe (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi Superal

Thanks for the PM

crazybabe


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## ritzi (Feb 18, 2006)

just so you know crazybabe - concurancy isn't an option in Wales....as far as i have been told it is actually 'frowned' upon by welsh SS's and VA's


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## crazybabe (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks Ritzi

I thought the same anyway, I am a bit uncertain who to go with the LA or VA such as B's or S.D as we would like to adopt a younger child age 0-3 we have sent our prilimary app/form to S.D and I have emailed othe LA in our area,we only want one child.

How are you what you been up to over the weekend.

thanks

crazybabe


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## jilldill (Feb 2, 2006)

Hi Nicky,
I have  written on the other thread this is just to say a big hello and welcome!!!
Love JD x


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