Rosaline and Robert’s story
Rosaline had a child from a previous relationship but after recently getting married, we wanted a child of our own. We had looked into a number of different options including IVF, but the process didn’t seem right for us for a number of reasons. We were also aware of the number of mixed-race children in care needing adoption and found that we were in a unique situation as a bi-racial couple, where we could do something to help make a difference in a child’s life.
We initially reached out to a number of local authorities and we’re invited to attend an information meeting where we heard from a previous adopter and got a better idea of what the process involved.
We developed a good relationship with our social worker who we continue to speak to and contact for advice and also attended training days as part of the process which put us in touch with other current and potential adopters and provided a good balance of information to allow us to make an informed choice.
Our daughter came to stay with us just over a year ago and having her has put even more fun, laughter and a bit of chaos into our household. There is now always something a bit mischievous going on. When she arrived with us, she already had such a bubbly and lively personality, but we’ve also seen additional positive changes in her speech and behaviour during her time with us. It has also been great to see how well our two daughters have bonded and the admiration our youngest has for her older sister. We’re now looking forward to celebrating her birthday in a few weeks with our friends and family.
The first six months of adopting can be a whirlwind of meetings and medical checks and anyone going through the process should allow yourself enough time off work to help settle your child and to bond with them.
The adoption process is long, intense and can sometimes feel intrusive. For anyone going through the process, my advice would be to stick it out and have the tenacity and patience to follow it through, because the end goal is definitely worth it.