‘Flying in for Dinner’ 100 Voices Story

A family share their story in 100 words as part of our 100 Voices campaign.

Flying in for dinner

Soon we go on a sunshine holiday, across the sea to spend two weeks in the sunshine.

Our beautiful children have been on one flight before, to come and live in their forever home.

Change is a big deal for our two and another flight would bring up thoughts of a different home.

So one short return flight, 606 miles, overnight stay in a hotel 3 minute walk from airport, one yummy hotel dinner and two children that now know they always come home with mummies to their forever home.

Most worthwhile trip we’ve ever done.

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Natalie’s 100 Voices Story

Natalie shares her experience of Scottish Adoption & Fostering as part of our 100 Voices campaign.

I am a social worker, mother of birth and adopted children and a foster carer, caring for children with complex emotional and health needs.

I heard about Scottish Adoption whilst working as a social worker in local authority teams and knew that I wanted to work in adoption one day. I remember applying for 3 different vacancies, the first two times it was for the family placement team and I didn’t get the job. So I started to work for another local authority working in Kinship care, which was a job I loved.

Unfortunately during 2020 Covid started and our then 10 year old foster son was diagnosed with Leukemia. My employer was amazing and let me take time off to juggle hospital and the other children at home and focus on getting him through treatment. When I returned to work they allowed me to do so part time but as with all things, this could not be extended and I returned to working fulltime hours in early 2021.

With the needs of all our children, including the significantly increased needs of our then 11 year old due to complications from his treatment, I could not sustain working fulltime. It was fortunate that Scottish Adoption were recruiting for a part time senior practitioner in after adoption. I applied, and 3rd time lucky, was offered the job.

Since joining the After Adoption team in September 2021 I have learnt so much and used all my skills and experience as a social worker and foster carer. I have also ‘dabbled’ in the family placement team, taking on some families at various stages of the adoption process and supporting them through to Adoption Orders being granted.

Working at Scottish Adoption has been an amazing experience, the work is varied and so rewarding when you see families being created and those who are struggling work through things and become stronger. The focus is always on what is best for the child and having the opportunity to work directly with children in a therapeutic way is why many people enter into social work and I am so thankful to be part of a team who do just that.

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Dave’s 100 Voices Story

Scottish Adoption and Fostering’s very own Dave shares his voice as part of the 100 Voices campaign.

I had never heard about Scottish Adoption until I applied for a job as a marketing assistant back in 2012. In fact, I didn’t know the first thing about adoption so I presumed I wouldn’t be successful in being offered the role. Fortunately, luck was on my side, and I was offered the 6-month temporary role. The marketing role was a new post at Scottish Adoption, and I was tasked with establishing the marketing department, creating a social media presence for the agency and updating the website. This is a marketer’s dream, to create all this from scratch. The only downside was that I had no experience of adoption and didn’t know what anyone was talking about.

This is where the team here at Scottish Adoption shone through. Everyone was so knowledgeable, helpful, and patient with me. It wasn’t long before I was getting to grips with different terms and knew about the adoption Process. It also want long before the 6 months was nearly up!  The placement was extended, which was a relief as it meant I was doing something right, and it want long after that that I was made a permanent member of the Scottish Adoption team.

This is where my own adoption story begins.  I remember one day sitting at my desk on the top floor of the office when Kathryn came in with details of this girl looking for a home. This child sounded adorable but none of the Senior Practitioners had any suitable families at that time. It got me thinking that I wish could’ve adopted her.  I spoke about this with the team at work and by the end of the day I had called another adoption agency and they were sending out some forms. All before I had even discussed this with my partner!

My partner and I had discussed children before and it was something that we wanted and saw as part of our future. We had always discussed surrogacy, due to the fact I knew little about adoption. Now I was working for an adoption agency I knew so much more about the children needing homes and I knew adoption was the route we wanted to go down.

We had a meeting in our home with the adoption agency I had got in touch with and at the end of the meeting the worker pulled out a letter from her bag offering us a place at their next preparation group. Something about this made me uneasy. They had preempted their decision before meeting us, and as an LGBTQ+ couple we felt that they were only interested in us so they could tick a box.

I discussed this at work the next day and Alex suggested I speak to East Lothian council as they were having an open session that week. My partner and I went along and met Ian. The difference was huge. It felt right and we submitted our forms. Ian came to the house to meet us properly and discuss why we wanted to adopt, what we could offer and so much more. It still felt like the right option for us and we were offered a preparation group with them.

10 years later and we have gone through the adoption process twice and have two beautiful children. This would not have happened it Margaret hadn’t offered me the role, if Kathryn hadn’t come into the office with the child’s profile that day, if Alex hadn’t told me about a drop in session East Lothian council were running, or if the staff at Scottish Adoption hadn’t been so supportive throughout the process. It really was great to have them on tap whenever I had questions during home-study, family finding and over the last 9 years of being a parent.

So it thanks to Scottish Adoption that I have a job I absolutely love and a family I love even more! I really hope that in another 100 years people are still writing about the impact this wee adoption agency has had on them!

Happy 100th Birthday Scottish Adoption and Fostering!

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Scottish Adoption’s 100 for 100

Be part of the 100 and help fundraise for Scottish Adoption as we celebrate our centenary.

Scottish Adoption turns 100 this year and to celebrate we are launching a fundraising campaign called 100 for 100.

As part of this campaign we are looking for 100 people to raise at least £100 throughout our centenary year. The way you raise your £100 can be any way you would like. You could take part in the Kiltwalk, a marathon, sponsored silence, bake sale, abseil or even a trek across the Sahara. There are endless possibilities, the choice is up to you. Just know that we will be here supporting you all the way, you never know, we may even join you!

Once you have decided on a way to raise £100 we shall add your name and activity to the list below. We can also help share your fundraising activity and your progress on our social media channels, if you wish.

Roll Call of our 100 for 100 stars!

Dave – 100km cycle along the John Muir Way
Leasa – 100km cycle along the John Muir Way
Karen – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Might Stride
Ciara – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Mighty Stride
Leasa – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Mighty Stride
Morven & Robyn – 100 Swings
Anon 1 – Kiltwalk
Anon 2 – Kiltwalk
Sue – Bake Sales
Jette – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Mighty Stride

If you wish to be part of the 100 register your interest by emailing Tina at tina@scottishadoption.org

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Be part of the 100 and help fundraise for Scottish Adoption as we celebrate our centenary.

Scottish Adoption turns 100 this year and to celebrate we are launching a fundraising campaign called 100 for 100.

As part of this campaign we are looking for 100 people to raise at least £100 throughout our centenary year. The way you raise your £100 can be any way you would like. You could take part in the Kiltwalk, a marathon, sponsored silence, bake sale, abseil or even a trek across the Sahara. There are endless possibilities, the choice is up to you. Just know that we will be here supporting you all the way, you never know, we may even join you!

Once you have decided on a way to raise £100 we shall add your name and activity to the list below. We can also help share your fundraising activity and your progress on our social media channels, if you wish.

Roll Call of our 100 for 100 stars!

Dave – 100km cycle along the John Muir Way
Leasa – 100km cycle along the John Muir Way
Karen – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Might Stride
Ciara – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Mighty Stride
Leasa – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Mighty Stride
Morven & Robyn – 100 Swings
Anon 1 – Kiltwalk
Anon 2 – Kiltwalk
Sue – Bake Sales
Jette – Glasgow Kiltwalk, The Mighty Stride

If you wish to be part of the 100 register your interest by emailing Tina at tina@scottishadoption.org

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Supporting Our LGBT+ Adopters

The second annual Adoption & Foster care support week for LGBT+ parents takes place 20-24 September. Scottish Adoption is proud to back it.

LGBT+ people now play a key role in Scotland in parenting some of our most vulnerable children. Scottish Adoption have placed more children with LGBT+ families than any other Local Authority and Adoption Agency in Scotland making Scottish Adoption the Number 1 Adoption Agency in Scotland for the LGBT+ Community. Vickie Foster, Practice Manager said

“This is something that Scottish Adoption is extremely proud of, we have worked closely with the LGBT+ community for many years, building up this relationship and trust and will continue to work with to support both the LGBT+ community and our LGBT+ families.”

In 2020 1 in 12 adoptions in Scotland were to same-sex couples. Research suggests that LGBT+ adoptive parents are more likely to adopt older children, sibling groups, or those with additional needs and disabilities than other adopters. While LGBT+ adopters and foster carers bring a unique skillset to parenting, they also face distinct and separate support challenges to other adopters and foster carers.

To help our LGBT+ adopters Scottish Adoption will take part in September’s campaign to raise awareness of new, unique content online that our adopters can access as the campaign takes place. Throughout the week this will focus on education. New Family Social – the UK’s charity for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers – leads the campaign and says education is frequently a concern for them.

“Finding the right school for your child is a top priority for all parents. If you’re LGBT+ you’ll want to make sure your family is fully supported by the school’s policies and practices. You’ll also need to know that the schools on offer can meet your child’s additional needs. If you need to access help from your adoption or fostering agency, you’ll want clarity on what it can do for you,” says James Lawrence, New Family Social’s Head of Engagement & Communications.

Scottish Adoption is a member of New Family Social and offers free access to the charity’s services as part of its support package for its LGBT+ adopters.

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Ben’s Preparation Group Blog

Ben is back with the second of his blogs, this time on his experience of the Online Preparation Group.

Preparation Group – Bonds Over Fears.

One of the most rewarding experiences of my time so far at Scottish Adoption has been co-facilitating a preparation for adoption group. This is an opportunity for prospective parents to explore processes, development, attachment, expectations, and improve understanding of what adoption really means. This opportunity really opened my eyes as I went into this group with an expectation that the focus would be on the learning and practicalities of the adoption process. What I came out with was a deeper understanding of the journey that prospective adoptive parents will go through and a shared collective spirit of support we all had for one another.

Initially I found the prospect of facilitating a group through an online platform to be daunting. I visualised looking at a computer screen with sixteen faces looking back at me and considered how achievable this could be without us all being physically in a room together. As this was early into my placement at Scottish Adoption it would be my first time speaking to a large group of people at the same time. I felt reassured that many of the feelings I was experiencing early into my placement would run parallel and potentially resonate alongside the prospective adopters experience of them themselves being in the early stages of their own journey into adoption.  I considered how this could connect everyone together in the group as many would be carrying many of the same fears, uncertainties hopes and excitements as I was and thus creating a collective experience for all. As the groups progressed it became clear that the prospect of overcoming fears together would create a connection and shared resilience that would set the foundations of turning hopes and expectations into a reality.

A real inclusive attitude to the preparation group is realised through working in partnership with prospective parents, online resources and activities are shared through an online space were feedback, thoughts and opinions are encouraged between each group session. This creates an environment of shared learning and opens the floor for everyone to explore and voice their own ideas, values and understanding of the themes and concepts throughout each week.

Central to setting an environment that provided a space that nurtured bonds and connection were the fantastic and highly experienced facilitators that I worked alongside. They both brought humour and positivity that shone through the online platform and made something that could have been a disconnected experience radiate with life.

This has been a running theme through my time here at Scottish Adoption, the unconditional support and good humour that stems into every aspect of work goes far to make something that could be a lot more daunting just that bit easier. Key to this is celebrating different personalities, bringing out the strengths of all those involved and by doing so highlighting what each of us can offer one another.

Over the weeks I could feel my own confidence grow as well, as well as my skills and knowledge, and this has formed many of the foundations of my understanding of adoption and the journeys of those people involved and has ultimately set me in good stead for my work here at Scottish Adoption and my future career within social work.

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Ben’s First Week Reflection

Finding connection in the heart of Leith.

Taking my first steps into the world of Social Work, I was happy to discover that my placement would be with Scottish Adoption. Being a resident of Leith myself, I was excited to find out its office was situated in the heart of the area that I most consider to be home.

Starting my studies back in January at Edinburgh Napier University, I could not have envisioned the surprises that the year ahead would hold. The transition from hands on learning into a world of the virtual required adaptability and resourcefulness that I did not know I was capable of. Being a student on a course that relies so heavily on the human element of supporting and working in partnership with people, Covid would go far in creating barriers to what attracted me most to the course – building connections with individuals and communities.

While I initially considered to have the potential to isolate myself and utilise support from fellow students and the university, this consequently led to a shared resilience and bond that has gone far in strengthening our resolve as students and as people. It is this attitude I hope to take into the real world of social work practice, through my placement opportunity here at Scottish Adoption.

With social distancing meaning that I have had to work from home for most of the year, I was delighted with the prospect of being able to physically come into a working office with real people, doing real social work things. I hoped that I would be entering a work environment that reflected the down to earth, inclusive, and good-humoured attitude that makes Leith so great. I was not disappointed. The people that I have met so far, in person and virtually, have been warmer and more welcoming than I could have hoped for.

The spirit at Scottish Adoption is that the work doesn’t stop no matter what challenges are presented by current complexities in health and social care. The practice that I’ve witnessed so far has left me with a real sense of what drives the work here, this being characterised through means of character building, recognising strengths in individuals, celebrating identity, offering empathy and establishing trust.

It is clear from the little time I have spent here that the shared spirit of community and connection that this organisation radiates will continue to support people through the complexities, frustrations, and uncertainties of these times and I can’t wait to be part of that ethos going forward and ultimately discovering the impact this will have on my development as social work student.

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Finding connection in the heart of Leith.

Taking my first steps into the world of Social Work, I was happy to discover that my placement would be with Scottish Adoption. Being a resident of Leith myself, I was excited to find out its office was situated in the heart of the area that I most consider to be home.

Starting my studies back in January at Edinburgh Napier University, I could not have envisioned the surprises that the year ahead would hold. The transition from hands on learning into a world of the virtual required adaptability and resourcefulness that I did not know I was capable of. Being a student on a course that relies so heavily on the human element of supporting and working in partnership with people, Covid would go far in creating barriers to what attracted me most to the course – building connections with individuals and communities.

While I initially considered to have the potential to isolate myself and utilise support from fellow students and the university, this consequently led to a shared resilience and bond that has gone far in strengthening our resolve as students and as people. It is this attitude I hope to take into the real world of social work practice, through my placement opportunity here at Scottish Adoption.

With social distancing meaning that I have had to work from home for most of the year, I was delighted with the prospect of being able to physically come into a working office with real people, doing real social work things. I hoped that I would be entering a work environment that reflected the down to earth, inclusive, and good-humoured attitude that makes Leith so great. I was not disappointed. The people that I have met so far, in person and virtually, have been warmer and more welcoming than I could have hoped for.

The spirit at Scottish Adoption is that the work doesn’t stop no matter what challenges are presented by current complexities in health and social care. The practice that I’ve witnessed so far has left me with a real sense of what drives the work here, this being characterised through means of character building, recognising strengths in individuals, celebrating identity, offering empathy and establishing trust.

It is clear from the little time I have spent here that the shared spirit of community and connection that this organisation radiates will continue to support people through the complexities, frustrations, and uncertainties of these times and I can’t wait to be part of that ethos going forward and ultimately discovering the impact this will have on my development as social work student.

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Our First Christmas Morning

We adopted our two girls in April, so we had a good run into Christmas the first year.

Our girls were three and a half and one and a half at Christmas and while the younger was largely oblivious to what was going on, it was really our eldest who we wanted to make sure had an amazing and special time. It was interesting speaking to her about what she remembered from the previous Christmas when she had been in foster care, and it was obvious that she had had a nice Christmas the year before. We felt a lot of pressure – largely put on ourselves – to try and make Christmas absolutely perfect, complete with spending much of Christmas Eve building things and getting the presents under the tree just right. We also felt it was really important to start talking about our traditions, and what we planned to do not only this Christmas – but for all Christmases in the future.

The first Christmas morning was amazing. We had decided to do stockings in the bedroom, so they were able to open Stockings straight away and when we came downstairs, and they looked under the tree at what Santa had brought them – you could see they didn’t know where to look or what to look at. Especially the eldest, she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing, and the look of wonder and amazement on her face was absolutely magical.

Our Experience before we were parents was obviously very different. We had no time to open our own presents this first year for obvious reasons – it really was all about the children. Prior to this, we had always loved Christmas, and had our traditions as a couple which as the kids get older, will be much easier to continue (and develop!). A niece had arrived a couple years before – so after we were finished at our house, we had gone to ‘Grandma’s’ to continue the gift opening – and it was just starting to change to be more kid-focused as she was growing up. The bonus now is that our eldest is the same age as her cousin and they both have such a wonderful bond.

The most distinct memory is seeing our eldest face and not knowing where to look first.  Also, our youngest trying desperately to open presents but not quite managing yet based on her age. Obviously, this will continue to progress going forward.

I think the only thing that was unexpected was how disappointed we ended up being that the girls didn’t have much of a chance to play with their new toys on Christmas day as it was full of opening presents at our house, then to Grandma’s, then there was eating in there and by the time all was said and done, it was bedtime! Certainly learned we needed to plan our day a bit better!

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Scottish Adoption Festival

What a week it has been! We have had an amazing first ever Scottish Adoption Festival so thank you to everyone who has made this week more of a success then we had hoped it would be!

For everyone here at Scottish Adoption the purpose behind the Scottish Adoption Festival was to have some fun family events which provided opportunities for adoptive families to come together and celebrate adoption. Events, such as a Bookbug story telling session, a Parkour workshop and a music writing masterclass with Singer/Songwriter Nikki McDonald and ending the week with our Annual Family Fun Day at the Five Sisters Zoo. These sessions were open to families from all adoption agencies and local authorities giving them a chance to meet other families that they would not necessarily get the chance to meet at agency only events. The Scottish Adoption Teenager Groups also wanted to use the week to do some fundraising and so they organised a very successful Duck Race, selling more ducks than ever before! A huge well done to them!

We also recognised that as Scotland continues to have a shortage of adopters, like LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week in March and Adoption Week Scotland in November we would also provide recruitment opportunities to help raise awareness and encourage potential adopters to come and talk with us to learn more about the adoption process. We held two of these events and were really humbled by the number of people who came along to hear from us and our adopters and it is great that some have already decided that they want to start their adoption journey with us.

We are already looing forward to next year’s Scottish Adoption Festival which will be even bigger so come and get involved and let us know what groups you want to see next year!

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Stevan and Denis Talk Siblings

Stevan and Denis share their experience of adopting a sibling group.

Stevan and Denis talk openly about what it is like to adopt a sibling group.  If you are thinking about adopting a sibling group and want to speak to someone about this, please call our office on 0131 553 5060 and ask to speak to the duty worker.

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