# How long does the process of adoption take?



## buddy01 (Jun 1, 2013)

Hi all

I'm hoping to start the adoption proceedings with a VA next Feb.  Can I please ask those who have undertaken it and been successful with a match how long did the process take from start to finish?  I believe the course is 6 months and then it takes a few months before a match but just wondered how ladies on here got on timewise?

Thank you!
Jane


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

its a bit like the question 'how long is a piece of string' lol..everyones journey is completely different..for some people it can be under a year, for others it can be more than 2..it just depends on all the variables..how good your agency is and your own SW, what type of child you are hoping to  adopt, how organised the court systems are in your area..etc etc..
for us it took a year fro initial open evening to panel, then a year for our daughter to be placed..so 2 years in total


kj x


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## Macgyver (Oct 27, 2008)

Hi buddy


We were on the old system which I understand has now been shortened but from prep in sept 2012 and the time our son came home was 1 year. But from initial enquiry it was 1 1/2 years.


Prep: sep 2012
AP: April 2013 (approved for siblings)
Linked:June 2013 ( in love with a Singly)
MP begin of sept
home:sept 2013,  
AO finally granted :June 2014


Good luck


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## Barbados Girl (Jul 7, 2012)

Hi Buddy, perhaps if a few people give you details of their timescales and you can check out our signatures too. So for us:

Formal app- Aug 2013, finished stage one Oct 2013, finished stage two Feb 2014, approval panel April 2014, saw our son's profile May 2014, linked to him June 2014, matching panel end of July, intros began last week and he moves in forever tomorrow. 

Our approval panel was meant to be Feb but it got delayed due to a paperwork backlog. Other than that we experiences no delays or issues and in matching terms we were really quite quick, the only reason it took over two moths from linking to intros was due to (a) the fact the agency only convenes for panel once a month and we were too late for June and our baby's sw went on holiday between mp and intros. We have been matched with a child in the harder to place category.

Good luck!


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## MummyPhinie (Oct 27, 2013)

Hi there,

I consider us to be quite fast but I think that's because we had a great social worker, we kept in top of our work and the social worker and had 'hard to place' children.
Had approached adoption 2 years ago but thought we would try ivf, then we decided not to and adoption was our path. Went with a larger LA.

Initial phone call oct 2013, with first visit in oct.

Start of stage 1 beginning of nov. Prep course jan/feb2014, plus stage 2 start (got approached about a possible link).  

Attended activity day in March 14 and saw link. In a competitive link situation. 

Approval panel 23rd April, big fat yes for sibling group 2-3 as recommended by our Sw.

Matching meeting in May decided we are a match for our monkeys 3 siblings 4 and under. Quick panel due to foster carers holidays was 18th June. 

Started intros in July. They have now been here over 5 weeks.

So 9 months for us from start to placement! Interestingly my work colleague was ttc and got pregnant around same time we started and she couldn't believe we had 3 children placed before she even gave birth!
It's. Been hard work, time drags at some points and whizzes by at others. I was hoping we might have a link by this Christmas, in reality I may have my big family as legally mine!


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## littlepoppy86 (Feb 14, 2014)

I think were a very quick journey too....

Stage 1 oct & nov, stage 2 dec, jan, feb...approved feb, linked feb & matched April.

LO moved in May, so 7 months from start to moving home!


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## beachgirl (Jun 7, 2007)

we applied in march and by December had our baby girl home x


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## Lorella (Jan 10, 2013)

We applied last November. 
Approved July. Linked straight away and hopefully LO will be coming home in October. 
X


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## Frangipanii (Nov 21, 2011)

Hi ours was fast...

Formal start- January 13
Intros -  September 13 
2 kids under four 

Good luck with your journey! X


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## Flash123 (Jan 29, 2006)

Hi buddy, we too were fast but please please don't think everyone is. As many of us on here who have taken under a year there are plenty who have taken longer. Good luck  

Oct - started hs
Feb- approval panel (next day learnt about our wee man)
May - matching panel (had a delay due to legal/med issues)
June - home forever. 

8 months with a few delays in the middle of that


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## HannahLou (May 22, 2011)

12 months from first phone call to baby coming home, but we did concurrency x


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## pyjamas (Jun 24, 2011)

Ours seems to be taking a long time. Info evening was November 2012. Initial visit January 2013. Approved July 2013. Still waiting for our LO, even though we are not asking for anything too specific! x


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## buddy01 (Jun 1, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your replies.  It is heartening that the process has been quite quick for many of you although not in every case.  We shall have to see how we get on anyway.

Thanks again


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