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“When do me & my brother move to our next house?” – the first months with my sons
In 2017 Matt and his husband adopted 2 young boys. Here, he describes the highs and lows of their first weeks together… We first met our boys in October 2016 at an adoption activity day. The day was amazing and allowed us to spend four hours with these wonderful boys. Smiling, laughing, playing and getting […]
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Adopting siblings – Jamie’s story
Did you know that over half of the thousands of children who are waiting for adoptive parents are part of a sibling group? I’m Jamie, adoptive Daddy of two handsome little chaps called Rich and Lyall. Richie’s seven, Lyall’s eight. I’m one half of Daddy and Dad with my partner of 15 years, Tom. Tom […]
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“Becoming a Dad was the most radical thing I’ve ever done”
In this special blog for LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week, Rupert Smith reflects on changing attitudes and new opportunities for gay parents. I was at an adoption event recently, talking to a young man who wanted to be a father but also wanted to carry on going out to clubs, having lovely foreign holidays […]
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“I sometimes feel like a puzzle piece trying to fit in”
Like many adoptees, Claire has often felt like “an outsider”. Her she shares her story and some advice for her younger brother. I was adopted at a very early age. For me, adoption was not a full stop as some people misconstrue it, but the start of a brand new story. Fast forward 20 years […]
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Brownies had to be made, the house cleaned, the cat kicked out… This was what we’d been waiting for.
Tom and his husband adopted in 2015. In the 2nd of 3 blogs he remembers the excitement and uncertainty of waiting to be matched with a child. When we were approved as adopters in October 2014 we knew that we would potentially have to play the waiting game. Everyone we talked to – social workers, […]
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“Your mouth goes dry & you start to realise how important this actually is…”
Tom and his husband adopted their son in 2015. In the first of 3 blogs, he shares his story from deciding to become a Dad to attending the adoption panel : Where do I begin? It all feels so long ago now. But here we are a whole 18 months into life as a family […]
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Adoptive Dad, Barry writes about finding the right school for his daughters
Looking at social media or talking to adopters about their children’s school can be a disheartening business. The overall message seems to be that schools just don’t seem to understand the needs or behaviour of adopted children. Which is why I wanted to write about our family’s positive experiences. I also thought I’d share some […]
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I became a father at the age of 53
I became a father at the age of 53. If you’d told me this would happen twenty years, ten years, even five years earlier, I wouldn’t have believed you. Parenthood was something I’d always thought about, but it was never for me. Why? Because, until 2005, gay couples couldn’t adopt. It took a change in […]
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The blessings of adopting an older child – a Dad shares his adoption story
It’s quite understandable that most people start by thinking about adopting a baby. Having a baby is the biological norm: adopting is initially about replacing like with like: I can’t have a baby, so I will adopt a baby. It would be quite a leap of the imagination to think, ‘I can’t have a baby so I’ll adopt a […]