# Anyone going through Thurrock, Essex adoption agency?



## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi,

We are just starting the process.

We've been to a couple of info meetings before with Essex County Council and one in Colchester but the GP advised that Thurrock had a good reputation. So we are off to their open evening in Nov. We can't officially start the process until January (6 months after our last IVF cycle) but are in the middle of completing the forms now so we are ready and raring to go. 

I've got a book and done lots of research on what to expect and the process but would love to hear from anyone who has got specific experience of this particular agency,  Thurrock council, who can give advice on how they found it etc.

Thanks
Vicky


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## KJB1978 (Nov 23, 2010)

Good Luck on your journey

We went through with Essex CC and its been long and tough but overall we have been processed quickly and easily.

Is Thurrock not in Essex CC then (in terms of adoption - I obviously know it is geographically )

K


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks for that.

no Thurrock have their own agency. Essex cc have put a hold on all adoptions and new applications. My GP also said she had another patient who gave up with Essex cc as they were taking too long and communication was poor so thy went to Thurrock from start to finish it took 7 months. Have to say so far they've been really good.


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## jaxwee (Jun 16, 2004)

Ive not heard anything about thurrock cpuncil but have just completed our prep course through a consortium called 'partners in adoption' who cover Thurrock, havering and Southend. The whole experience was very positive, we went through Southend agency but would imagine their Thurrock branch would be the same.



Good luck!


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## KJB1978 (Nov 23, 2010)

I had been told that Essex CC have shut the doors to new adopters because in the new year they are bringing out their new system which from 1st appointment to panel incl HS and prep course is going to be done in 6 months.  They cant work in the old system and new together so they are getting through the backlog of people in the middle of the process and starting with the speedy process in the new year.

Good luck with Thurrock - 7 months is really really fast!!


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## Mel (Jan 1, 2002)

Hi 

We are with Thurrock and have had our ups and downs with them, it has taken us 4 years from beginning the process with them (applying) to matching panel, just waiting for our AO to be granted now.

Not sure why we took so long, could of been the SW we had but it was only that I was pro-active and found our daughter in BMP that we have her here today.

I am not saying everyone's experience is the same as ours and our new social worker appears more on the ball and I do believe they have changed the system slightly so that the process should be quicker.

Thurrock is part of a consortium that includes Havering and Southend.

If you have any questions or query's I am more than happy to help, you can send me a PM

Good luck 

Mel
x


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks ladies.

Jaxwee it's the partners in adoption that I meant I though it was part of the council. Off to their open evening on the 14th.

Kjb1978 interesting about ECC my dh and I speculated about the reason why and thought it might be related to the new govt initiative to reduce the process timeline. 

Mel thanks ill probably pm you once I've been to the meeting on the 14th. It's so hard to know so I want to compare the 'face' of Thurrock with what we found at the ECC meeting last year.

Xx


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Yes it does thanks.  We're about 90 % sure it's goin to be Thurrock. The open evening was v v well organised and thought out. They had a sw and adopters on each table. The presentation was short but informative and the people on the tables were available for questions. We just felt more comfortable with them. The fact ec haven't come out and explained nor even answering the phone or queries puts me off. I didn't think much of thir presentation at all. I agree re Southend though the manager came to our table at one point and was bordering on rude but the guy from Thurrock has been really good on the phone and email. Xx


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Have to say at the moment I can't recommend Thurrock highly enough.

We've done our course, they approached us for that, had our medicals and crb's done so just waiting for the agency to assign us a social worker. They weren't as scary as I had feared.

So far so good.

x


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## MummyPea (Jun 11, 2012)

We're using the Partners in Adoption. Just had our prep course and it was fantastic. They can be a little slow but that's more to do with resources then anything else.


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## Maccer (Feb 2, 2010)

Hello,


I just wanted to say that We went through this consortium and they were great, very supportive and provide excellent post placement training.  Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.


Maccer xxx


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Hi everyone,

I hope to start the process with Thurrock this year. It's my LA and i've heard good stories about them anyway.

Does anyone know how often they hold info open evenings and prep courses? I would like to make initial contact towards the end of the year, as i am still researching so much, but i'd like to have a rough idea of the waiting times between each stage. If there could be a long wait for an info evening to come around, then i might approach them sooner. Thanks for any advice.


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## MummyPea (Jun 11, 2012)

Hi LemonSponge, the last info evening was in November. They tend to do them as a group though you don't need to attend one to get things started. We had out initial visit in July, had a few delays due to job changes etc. Had our prep course in Feb now just waiting for a SW to call and say hello! We're using the Southend team but they seem to work in roughly the same way!


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Hi JesP, thanks so much for your reply - i've already been reading your blog and it's a great help to understand all the stages involved.

I'll contact the LA as soon as i feel ready. I'm so eager to get going with it all, but i will be buying my first home within the next 6 months - still in the same town i am living now - but i guess the SW will want to see me settled for a while before i start my application.


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

*Lemonsponge*, we are Thurrock too. We went to the open evening in Nov but it was for all three areas. Havering, Thurrock and Southend. We had emailed and spoken to them prior to that as we had concerns over referees. We don't have many 'joint' friends if any as we met late in life and dh has been married before. We had our initial visit at end of jan then the 4 day course at start of feb. Now we are waiting for home study and sw to be assigned. We were told this can take 3 months. Although we are going up to age 5 so apparently that goes in our favour. Everyone on our course wanted a baby.

So far impressed with them but that might change if we are kept waiting too long for home study. Lol

Good luck it's worth doing initial contact as they'll give you a copy of the form which is a bit daunting at first so give you plenty of time to look and complete it.

Xx


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Thanks Vickytick, that's great to hear. I will make my first contact as soon as i have bought my house and moved in properly. As i'm buying in the same area of Thurrock where i grew up, i doubt this will affect my application much, as there will be no settling in period. Finances are quite well secure, but i'm worried about refs too as a single person, all the focus will be on me. I have great family support who also live nearby and 2 good friends who could be relied on, although don't live very close by. Can't see them helping with child care, but they wouldn't be needed for that, just moral support really.

Your process sounds reasonably quick so far, at least reaching this stage, i hope everything keeps progressing well for you and dh. Your family will be complete soon x


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Yes referees are a nightmare bit. We were told  on our course that we need 5 at least 3 they meet and 2 who complete a questionnaire. Of the 3 they meet only 1 can be family but another 1 family member can answer the questionnaire. They like the ones they meet to be relatively local so they see them easily enough. 

Good luck with the move. Xx


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

My opinion of Thurrock has dropped considerably over the last few weeks. I'm so disappointed at the moment we are thinking of changing agencies. We had our course end of Jan after THEY chased us we have waited 3 months to be assigned a SW. They still hadn't contacted us so I chased to be told she is off sick and we'll have to be reassigned a new one. They will contact us when they are able to do this. We've not been given a timeframe or anything just left hanging. The impression I've got is it won't be a matter of days.

The government wonders why people don't adopt this is the reason.


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## LemonSponge (Jan 22, 2013)

Sorry to hear this Vicky. Do you know if you will need to do prep course again if you go to another LA? If not, maybe you could be honest with Thurrock and just say that if they can't give you a social worker now or within a reasonable time frame that you are happy with, perhaps you should switch to another LA - Essex CC is still seperate from Thurrock isn't it?


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## Vickytick (Feb 25, 2011)

Yes we've Spoken to ECC as I know they fast track people who'll take siblings or older children but they are still not taking on anyone knew until August and we have to go to a open evening, which we've already done, in July. It really does seem that despite everything the govt says the LA are not getting into gear and all this time children are in care when they could be in good homes. So sad.


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