I, along with many other adults, have heard the government pleas for more adoptive parents to step forward. I have read articles and adverts in the local paper and seen many a discussion on raising awareness of this situation. Our monthly Adoption and fostering round-up has lots of information on the topic.
Have you been tempted to adopt?
A part of me would love to give a happy home to an orphaned child but you hear stories of lengthy and intrusive processes and they make me hold back.
It was with great interest I read Gem’s open letter to Mr Cameron on her blog, Life with Katie. I was frustrated for her and other couples going through the lengthy process to become adoptive parents. Having already completed the adoption process once and only a couple of years ago, you’d think it was relatively simple and quicker to repeat the process a second time and take another child under their very capable wings? Not so. What should have been an 8 month process has already been 1 and 1/2 years and still the end is not in sight.
Paperwork. Changing the names of forms, changing the actual process to somebody else’s idea of perfect has lead to delays and cuts in finance has led to a lack of qualified staff resulting in a bogged down situation where the only people to suffer are the children waiting for homes and the frustrated parents waiting to adopt.
Thank goodness for The Guardian! They have picked up on Gem’s open letter to Mr Cameron and highlighted it in their Society Daily email we want to add our voice too because as Gem says just a little more funding and many more children would be out of the costly foster homes saving the government more money in the long run.
Come on Mr Cameron, listen to our call.
About Marianne Weekes
BLOGS AT: Mari's World; TWITTER: @maris_world. Mother of four and nana to three, Marianne Weekes has spent half her life in the UK and the other half in Italy. Blogging since Jan 2010, she finds it hard to drag herself away from her laptop and writes about food, travel and lifestyle. Always on the lookout for the next thing which takes her down many surprising lanes.
ThreeBecomefour
Monday 10th of September 2012
I just wanted to thank you for sharing my letter to David Cameron with the Britmums readers. I am so positive about adoption and so keen to highlight how great our experience has been. It's just such a frustrating process for many involved. I appreciate your support. Gem
Marianne
Thursday 6th of September 2012
You're right it's heartbreaking to think of all the missed opportunities, let's hope some changes are made soon
Sarah A
Thursday 6th of September 2012
Great article and I've read the open letter as well. There's so much that needs to change, how can they call for more adoptive parents but do nothing to make the lengthy process more easy. I wonder how many children have not been adopted just because of the difficult and long adoption process.
Thanks for sharing, Sarah @ Goodheart Gifts.