Bridging to adoption

[fostering]

I have just posted this thread on fostering but realised that I would probably get more responses here!

Can anyone tell me please, what happens in their LA's when children meet their new adoptive parents.

Is the transition period prescriptive, do SW's listen to the foster carer's thoughts about the speed things should happen and in what order?

Are SW's normally present when adoptive parents meet the children and if so which SWs, children's, carer's or adoptive parent's?

How long between first meeting and final farewell?

I am thinking of a single child fostered from birth to 18 months.

Thanks

[RipVanLilka]

There is usually a review in the middle of intros - at this point, everyone can state their views, and the introductions can either be sped up or slowed down if needed. Intros with one of my children was slowed down by a few days, as they were finding the transition too fast. The fc's views were listened to, as were mine, and the sw's had the final say. So yes, you will be listened to, and so equally will the adoptive parents views be taken on board

My DS was nearly 2 when he came, and intros lasted 7 days (actually 8, but one day I didn't see him, that was review day. That was I think after our 4th meeting)

How long intros are planned for will depend on the sw's and LA. For an 18 month old, probably between 1 and 2 weeks

I think a week was right for us that time. It was nearing a month for DD2, 3 weeks for DD1..again about right for them personally and their ages (8 and 10)

[melvinscomment]

@ fostering ... I agree with RipVanLilka that the SWs will have the final say. They will also have the initial and middle say. Whether they pay much attention to what anyone else says is debatable.

[RipVanLilka]

melvin...thankfully, in my experience and that of friends, the sw's were paying lots of attention to what we were saying about intros. Not all are like that, but most were

[melvinscomment]

@ RipVanLilka ... True, the SWs are more or less obliged to pay attention to what the prospective adopters are saying.

[hester]

Hi, I adopted my dd when she was 10 months old. The fc was consulted on the intro process and her views and preferences were given quite a lot of weight.

Our introductions lasted for 6 days. It kind of went like this:

Day 1: we went to fc's house, with dd's fc, stayed a couple of hours
Day 2; we went to fc's house without sw, stayed most of the day
Day 3: we went out for the day with fc and dd. In the afternoon there was a review mtg with dd's sw, our sw and the family finder
Day 4: fc brought dd over to our place and left her there for a few hours
Day 5: we collected dd from fc and took her back to our place for the day
Day 6: we spent a few hours with dd, then had review meeting with sws. In the afternoon we went home
Day 7: fc brought dd to us and stayed overnight nearby (this was at her request)
Next day fc came to check dd was settled, said goodbye and left.

hth

[fostering]

Hester - this sounds ideal. Fingers crossed for something similiar.