After trying for a family for 10 years Kathryn and James adopted siblings and have never looked back
We always wanted more than one child and James really wanted a daughter, but we didn’t really discuss adopting siblings. We had spent 10 years trying for a family and had talked about adoption for a few years before attending an adoption information event and starting the assessment process. Six months later an adoption social worker told us about two sisters aged two and three and asked if we would be interested. I said yes!
Melanie and Pete had hoped to have their own children but after IVF was unsuccessful, decided to go along to a local adoption information event
We had been together for 10 years before we went along to the local authority adoption information evening. I was 30 and Pete was 35 at the time. Pete was a bit doubtful at first, but he met an old school friend when we were there and this seemed to help him to warm to the idea. Also we have friends who have adopted, and my cousins are adopted, so I think we started out with a reasonable awareness of adoption, its challenges and rewards.
Louise and David had tried for a family for seven years before deciding on EPP as the way ahead
‘We had tried for a family for seven years,’ says Louise. ‘Over those years we looked at all our options, we even considered surrogacy. I had multiple miscarriages during that time, so it was a bit of a roller coaster emotionally.’
For Megan and Angie, starting a family was a little more complicated than for some couples
We thought about all the alternatives - and explored some a little more than others - and although in the beginning I was keener than Angie to consider adoption that was the path we decided to follow.
Matt and James wanted to adopt a very young child so Early Permanence Placement (EPP) seemed like the natural choice
‘We started talking about adoption with friends, family and work colleagues, and it became clear that many people had some knowledge of, or had their lives touched by adoption,’ says James. ‘So, armed with encouragement and reassurance, we began researching online to learn more about opportunities for adoption and the processes involved.’
Charles and Sophie felt they didn’t want to take the risk of a child inheriting a debilitating disease that had affected a family member
‘We’d been married for about five years when we decided to explore the possibility of adopting a child. Our initial contact with our local adoption service quickly led to a home visit and then we were invited to attend a preparatory course. ’
‘You learn a lot when you adopt. Nicola learned that two can be family’
Nicola had always wanted a family, but hadn’t found the right partner to make the commitment to parenthood. She had considered adoption as a possibility, and read and researched the routes available, before taking the next step and going to an information event.
‘You learn a lot when you adopt. Liam and Nick learned that sharing really is caring’
Liam and Nick have been in a relationship for seven years. In the early days they didn’t really discuss having children, but as their family and friends began to start families they became the go-to babysitters, and an idea became a reality.
‘You learn a lot when you adopt. Alice and Ben learned that honesty really is the best policy’
Alice and Ben adopted James and his disabled brother Luke, when they were four and three years old respectively, and their four birth children were in their teens.
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The stories featured are from interviews with adopters, some details have been changed and stock images are used to protect identities.
Kate and Liz live at home with their two adopted children and dog Bob.
This is their story.
"We met at an adoption support group which we attended because we had each adopted a child with previous partners,” said Kate
“After our relationships ended we started seeing each other and then lived together as a family of three with Liz’s little boy Aran while my son lived with my previous partner. We decided we wanted to adopt again and enquired with the council’s adoption team.