I worked at Scottish Adoption for 16 years, and recently left. Adoption has been part of family life as well as work life. I worked in the Placement Team, After Adoption Team and lately managing the After Adoption Team.

Being out of the busy-ness of the everyday job, the ongoing demands and commitments has allowed me to understand, feel, appreciate a little of what happens there.. Here are a few moments and memories.

Dark winter evenings completing home study, questions and discussion, back and forth,  noticing when someone’s brave enough to drop their guard a little, trust building.

Discussing details of a potential match, playing the ‘cool-headed’ role whilst prospective parents go through the rollercoaster of excitement, trepidation, doubt, decision.

Visits early in placement, tiredness, curtains closed, washing up to be done, pot of tea to help, little time left to talk. Old life gone, new one so unfamiliar.

Supporting a young birth parent, a concealed pregnancy, offering a space where they can explore what on earth has just happened to them.

Many meetings with parents, confused, concerned, irate, how did it come to this? wanting to lash out, needing to be listened to..

The smiles, the laughter, the stories, the care, the thoughtfulness, the wish to get it right.

Groups of children, adolescents, young adults, taking risks, making friends, planning trips, more laughing.

Ideas becoming reality, employing therapists, counsellors, safe hands and spaces, knowledge, wisdom, care and experience.

Mostly the willingness and wish to love and the want and need to be loved. Human connection, lives changed.

I don’t know about 100 years, but the last 16 have been pretty special.