Approved!

So yesterday was a very special day for us as we finally went in front of the adoption approval panel.

We got there early and waited for the panel to invite us in. We sat in the waiting room making small talk with our social worker for what seemed like an eternity. The panel was running about 25 minutes late when we were finally invited in with our social worker.

There were 12 panel members, who introduced themselves one by one. They fielded a good number of questions. We had been prepared for two or three questions but we counted about nine in total. The biggest debate was whether we were to be approved for one child or a sibling group.

We did our level best to get across all of our skills, experience and passion for parenting.

They asked us to step out and afer a few minutes invited the three of us back in for the verdict.

Everyone went around the table and we had a resounding 'yes' from all the voting panel members.

It was a little odd but they have not put any restriction or recommendations on our approval in relation to ages, gender or number of children. Instead they wanted to leave it 'open'.

So, we stepped out of the Town Hall, shell shocked, bewildered and a little bit confused the result. (We had expected more precise detail in the panels recommendation).

Today we both woke up and the massive news is starting to kick in.....finally we are approved as adoptive parents. We are 'good enough' according to those in the know!!!!!

It has been a long and difficult journey to get to this point, we are both so excited and relieved. The next stage will no doubt be equally as difficult but we are so ready to move on and start trying to find our children and eventually getting them home!!!

Hannah and Ruth
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