So this evening, I was just about to hop in the bath before going off to babysit, when the phone rang. It was a WITHHELD number. Usually I ignore withheld numbers but something told me to answer it. So glad I did as it was a lady from adoption services…finally, yay!
She asked me a series of questions about me, my background, my health and my job/past jobs. And we had, what I think was, a positive conversation. I asked about meeting other single adopters and she reassured me this was possible. In fact it is their policy to partner adopters up, particularly single adopters. And also they try to make sure that during preparation sessions they try to make sure there is always more than one single potential adopter present. She explained that the differences in the process have more effect on the social workers and the way they have to work, than on the people applying to adopt, but there is more emphasis now on potential adopters providing evidence to support their applications.
She said that what would happen now is that I would be put in ‘the system’ to be allocated a home visit. The home visit will be to discuss what I’d told her over the phone in more detail and if it goes ok, then I will be invited to a two day training session about the background of children placed for adoption. I should receive a letter within the next two weeks telling me when the visit will be and outlining some of the things we will discuss. I was told if I don’t hear anything in the next two weeks to give them a call and check up on what’s going on, but that it shouldn’t take that long.
So 40 minutes later and I missed out on the bath, but my nephews haven’t seemed to care!