Thanks, Irene. A wise response, as usual. I agree that the birth father's family should also be involved, if possible, or at least mentioned. In our case, he is not mentioned, because it was felt not to be in the child's best interests. The birth father .(BF) was in a short-term relationship with th...

I agree that it's important for the child to know where she/he comes from and learn who her/his parents and family are but, in this case, the grandmother and family are already doing a book. The child is placed with family and will know who they are, sees the birth mother, will be told further detai...

I understand that it is important to have a record of why a child was placed into care, for future reference, but I also understand the poster's reluctance to release private family photographs. I think there is a need for some clarification here: Is this record book to be given to the child, kept a...

Thank you, Suzie. Although an SGO would probably have been sufficiently secure, the entire family felt that adoption would give 100% security for the child. Both her birth family and her adoptive family wished for adoption. F will be maintaining contact with her birth family. This is a wonderful, in...

After having an SGO for a little girl for just over two years, my daughter and her husband were granted an Adoption Order last Friday. They will now be able to change her surname to theirs and they will feel more secure. I have to give some credit to the Children's Officers in the county where the f...

Thanks, Irene. You have been supportive all through this. I should add that when the judge asked F. if she knew what the adoption order meant, he also asked it she was happy about it and if it was what she wanted. She answered "Yes" to both questions. He then dictated a letter (I assume it...

Thank you, Robin.
And thanks to everyone who has supported us here.

I have some wonderful news! Yesterday, our daughter and son in law they attended court , and the judge granted the Adoption Order. F is now legally their daughter, and our granddaughter, by law as well as by love. :D There was a delay in the process - almost two hours - as some of the final paperwor...

Thanks, Irene. We all hope the adoption goes through without any hitches. Our daughter said the Judge asked why an SGO was taken out initially, as he thought that adoption would have been more applicable in the circumstances. Daughter replied that F. had been in foster care for 10 months by the time...

Thanks, Robin. CS adoption officer says that her Annex A report is already completed and will be filed on Monday. Cafcass officer has to contact birth mother and get her written consent to adoption, on the correct form. Apparently, although BM signed something, supervised by her father, it was not i...