Tag: approval panel

When I grow up…

This was a question I remember being asked at various points during my childhood. Looking back at what I wrote aged 7 (I have a project I did then)  it appears I wanted to be a teacher and a Mummy. In some ways both are now true – ok I am a university lecturer rather than a  school teacher which I suspect I was thinking about. My mother is a retired teacher and my sister is a teacher – along with me being a school governor as well as an academic.

What I did have to deal with to a level growing up was the assumption (still) that as a girl I would not being going down the science route. I was good at all academic subjects at school so when it came to GCSE options it was a real dilemma – I already knew what A levels I wanted to do (even then I knew I was heading science-ward) – but GCSEs were more traumatic as I could have done pretty much anything (other than Art & DT). I did want to do all three sciences so that left me two options (had to do Maths, both Englishs & a language) – you would not believe how much time it took me to decide to opt for a second language & Music.  Even with the unseen pressure I was still able to stick to my science route – did help that I was pretty much always first (or second) in the year in the subjects. Continue reading “When I grow up…”

2013 in review

Well as T (DH) commented the other night, you cannot say that our year has been uninteresting. We started of the year with our social worker appointed (one we knew as she had been leader of our prep course) and the first home study meeting pencilled in for February. We end it having had our first family Christmas and with our son appearing to be very settled some 10 weeks 3 days into placement.

It has been a rollercoaster ride with the process turning round and confounding us more than once. At the end of the prep course in November 2012 we expected to hear from LA about our SW early in the New Year, so starting this year with her appointed was the first point of acceleration. We still expected it to be early 2014 for placement given that we thought it would be a year from end of prep course to matching and that would then be too close to Christmas. Continue reading “2013 in review”

Panel

Well first thing to say is we are now approved. As someone I read recently said it is our adoption equivalent of the blue line on a pregnancy test. We were first panel and being us arrived stupidly early. Ok partly as we were on train as planning to go into town for a meal to celebrate we hoped.

Then had long wait for questions although did spend time discussing next steps in our potential link – and possible dates to meet his SW. Panel was running a bit late so we got our questions about the time we had to go in and hadn’t finished discussing them when chair came down to talk to us.She explained  what was going to happen – introductions then questions then a chance for us to add anything further then we would go to other waiting room while panel asked our SW something in references. This was no surprise to us as there is a potential safeguarding issue within the family of one of our referees ( not referee herself) which was in her reference so we had expected something on that. Once we had finished with questions we went down to panel and found ourselves faced by 13 people (seemed to be more observers than we expected & two minute takers).

The night before

Well we are now within 12 hrs of our panel. I am nervous but also still excited. Had a great meeting with three of the other couples from our prep group tonight. Two couples missing – one starts Introductions tomorrow and N wasn’t feeling well so backed out and the other couple are away we think.

Of those of us who were there – one couple has prospective matching panel 5 weeks tomorrow & 1 is at similar point to us in finding out more about a child. Third couple has yet to see a profile they want to explore further. We had a good time chatting & catching up – become a group who are there to support each other as best we can. Indeed one couple met my sister & brother-in-law as they wanted to meet an adoptive family. They really appreciated it from what was said tonight which made me happy as I started that process by asking N if she would.
Still feeling very positive over our potential link who just seems right to us. Hoping we might get a bit more info tomorrow. Suppose I better try to sleep if I can….