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Adoption

Feeling deflated!!! Tried putting in our adoption Application today!!

12 replies

oinker · 12/01/2011 20:32

We are fed up and tired.
I spent weeks trying to get the relevant info
so's we could complete our Adoption Application
Form. The social workers all seemed mystified
by the flipping forms. I eventually got what I thought
was all the info so we went to the magistrates court
today to submit it. Fortunately a legal clerk took a
look at the papers. There were a couple of issues

  1. our SW had told us that the solicitors for the LA would be our legal representatives. According to clerk this is not the case. We are supposed to find our own! Noone ever mentioned this before!!!!!! Is this the case?
  2. There is no mention of a requirement to submit marriage certificates on the firm, yet we need to????
    I am also a bit concerned that the eventuall hearing will apparently be in an open court? Is this the case?
    SW keeps going on about her completing Annexe A form. What is it? What info is on it. Our adoption process info is supposed to be private and confidential, I don't mind tge magistrate seeing tge info, but I'm not having it read out in an open court!
    Who has recently been thru this process?
    I really hope someone can help with some answers.

    Apologies for the rant! I am so, so angry and confused!!!!
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Lilka · 12/01/2011 21:01

It shouldn't be in open court at all- this is family law, so private hearings. I'm pretty sure the clerk is mistaken. I think you can have family present there, not sure if there is a limit on how many?

I'm a singlie, so i've no idea on marriage certificates

God, im annoyed for you! So stupid and unproffessional, how can they be so clueless! Are they paying the court fee for you, or aren't they doing that either?!

I'm afraid the last time I did it, my SW sorted it all out and mailed all the paperwork there herself, post placememnt reports, forms, fee etc. I did not have my own solicitor there. Can you get advise from someone other than the clerk?

Vibes of support coming your way!

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Lilka · 12/01/2011 21:11

I'm going to add- I think its probably the best thing to get your own solicitor. What else can you do if the SW's are too incompetant to get stuff done, and you aren't sure either

Also, if his first parents ask permission to contest the order, then that will complicate things

Also, are you using your local court? Because the first parents will be served notice of the application, and they have every right to attend the final hearing, so applying to a not local court might be an idea if you have a security issue.

And also, when i said family earlier, i was thinking of celebration hearing, not adoption hearing, so ignore that. Sorry!

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oinker · 12/01/2011 21:14

Lilka,

Thanks for your info.
That's exactly what I thought....It's family law..??
The thought of opposing family members being their listening to whatever info is read, God only knows what is in the Annexe A form which the LA submit to the court???
It's all very confusing...Confused
I'm coming down with a flippin' cold because of the stress of all this.....Angry

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maryz · 12/01/2011 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oinker · 12/01/2011 21:31

Thanks Maryz...

This is hopefully the final hurdle.
DS has now been with us for over 3 months. We just want to move on and get all the legalities sorted.
We will do whatever it takes to keep him. He's not going anywhere without US!!

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LovetoAdopt · 12/01/2011 21:38

Hi Oinker,

Our SW did all the forms for us and submitted it all on our behalf, we did not need any solicitors as it was all sorted by social services. To be honest this was really staightforward for us, but our SW is absolutely brilliant.

Ours was done in a closed court. Then about a week later we were invited in for a "celebration day" at court. We took both sets of parents and a close friend with us and ds and first had some time with the judge in his chambers which was a real treat then pics in there with him, then into the court for more pics and an opportunity to try out his wigs!! I think we were really lucky with our Judge too!

Sending you lots of luck! Hope you get it sorted!

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flossymuldoon · 13/01/2011 06:53

Oh dear - it does baffled me just how incompetent some SWs are.

Just remember that after all your hard work/commitment/determination this is the final hurdle now and then he'll be all yours! Smile

Good luck for getting it sorted soon!!!

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walesblackbird · 13/01/2011 12:15

Yes, you do need marriage certificates. Ours was problematical as we were married overseas and had to have them translated into English and certified.

No, not an open court BUT the birth parents will be informed of the date of the hearing. Now the celebration day is normally held separately from the day on which the AO is granted. BPs won't be informed of that.

Solicitors - not really sure why you'd need one unless the adoption is being contested by bps? We've adopted three and only needed a solicitor once - we found our own and the placing LA paid the fees. On that occasion our solicitor completed all the paperwork for us.

Annexe A - sw has to complete that within a given timescale of you submitting the application.

Make sure that you've asked for case to be known by a number, rather than name. There have been many cases of an adopter's name being given - inadvertently or carelessly - to a bp!

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oinker · 13/01/2011 13:16

Thanks for all your responses.
We too were married abroad. Fortunately I have
originals and authenticated translations at hand.

Have had responses from queries put to SW's
and it seems to me they too are confused. I'd have
thought they did this day after day and would be a bug more clued up on these matters.
I will wait to hear from the court next week and see what they decide after all they have the final say. If their not happy with something court will not sit!

Thanks again.

What info about us goes on the Annexe A?
I wouldn't want BP's knowing anything about us at all.
I don't care that tge court hear the info it's just them.
For example we were married in a pretty unusuall place which if read out will be remebered. Our employment info will make us super easy to find etc.....
We have asked for anonymity but as stated..... Mistakes can be made!

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walesblackbird · 13/01/2011 14:28

The information won't be read out. It's for the judge to read through to decide on the AO.

And, whilst bps have to be informed of the date and venue, none of ours have ever bothered to turn up. If they can't be arsed to fight for their kids or look after them adequately they're unlikely to make the effort to attend.

Although having said that one of ours was contested and bm certainly had her day in court! We were't there though.

When we did have to attend we had to be sneaked in through the car park and kept hidden in the staff room until everyone was sure they hadn't turned up.

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NanaNina · 20/01/2011 14:06

I am as confused as you oinker - is this a step parent adoption? I have 30 years experience as a sw and fostering tm mgr in SSd but am now retired.

If this is a step parent adoption and the sw doesn't know what she's talking about, then find out who is his/her team manager and complain and ask for someone competent to do the job. It sounds to me like she doesn't understand what she is doing and for whatever reason is not admitting this to her manager and getting the advice she needs.

You should not need a solicitor, as they don't usually know much about it either. The ssd need to sort it all out and of course it isn't heard in open court.

Are you in Scotland by any chance where I know these matters are dealt with differently. If this is not a step parent adoption and you are not in Scotland but in another part of England, I am lost for words!

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KristinaM · 20/01/2011 14:48

Don't worry about the sw not completing a form. The court will tell SS when it's required and they have to provide it to the court. It's not your job to chase them up . If the sw doesn't know here job she needs to deal with her manager

No it's not in open court. Unless it's contested then very little will happen on the day. The judge will just tell the Clerk that after considering your petition, the adoption is granted. That's it. They don't read out any of the report, that's just for the judge to make his/her decision

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