THE WEDDING COUNTDOWN
IAN FORBES IS THE HEAD OF ADOPTION AND FOSTERING AT THE CABRINI CHILDREN’S SOCIETY. HE HAS BEEN MANAGING ADOPTION AND FOSTERING SERVICES FOR THE SOCIETY AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES SINCE 2002
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Which sort of people do you find make the best adoptive parents? Motivated to adopt and, if in a relationship, equally committed, people who understand their own lives and have resolved any issues relating to their upbringing, ability to attach to children, able to accept children as they are including any uncertainty arising from their early life experiences, who have a strong support network, willing to work in partnership and to seek help when needed. What checks are made on people to ensure that they are suitable adopters? All prospective adoptive parents have comprehensive checks this includes Disclosure Barring Service, (DBS); 3 references – one from a family member, two personal references; employment references; ex-partner references – if the relationship was significant; health check. More checks may be carried out if applicants have lived abroad, have their own children or have looked after children. How long can the process be expected to take? The assessment process takes a total of six months from the start to approval by the Adoption Panel. There are two main stages; stage one takes two months and stage two up to four months. Stage one is when all background checks apart from employment and ex-partner references are completed, there is also a home study to complete which is a piece of work on the applicants own lives. Stage two is the stage when the social worker visits regularly to undertake their assessment and produces their report called a Prospective Adopters Report (PAR). The Adoption Panel will analyse the PAR and meet the applicants before making a recommendation on whether to approve or not. If someone is considering adoption, but is uncertain whether it is for them, where can they get advice? The Cabrini webpages contain a lot of information – www.cabrini.org.uk - or telephone 020 8668 2181 and ask for a confidential consultation with one of our very experienced social workers. Cabrini also runs information evenings on a regular basis when a lot more information is discussed and there is an opportunity for individual discussions. A really good national website and help with independent advice is www.first4adoption.org.uk telephone: 0300 222 0022.
“We also run information evenings on a regular basis when a lot more information is discussed and there is an opportunity for individual discussions”
What other services does the Cabrini Children’s Society offer? Cabrini offers high levels of support, training and advice throughout the adoption journey. It is also one of very few adoption agencies that has its own directly employed family support team, which includes experienced therapists. Most families will need support at some point and will not want to wait for this service so we are proud that we can support families quickly. We also have seasonal events such as Christmas parties, summer picnics etc. What is the most satisfying thing about adopting a child? Being a parent - adoption is the same as being a birth parent in that all the feelings of love, wonder at seeing a child grow, children developing their own personalities are amazing. And on a personal level what has given you the greatest satisfaction working for the Cabrini Children’s Society? Cabrini has enabled me to shape services to create a bespoke experience for each prospective parent within the national regulations and standards.