In the first session we set the plan for the assessment period and were even told when, providing everything goes to plan, we will be going to panel. Panel, is where you become approved as an adoption. It consists of about 12 people who go through the report our social worker has put together and make the decision whether to approve us or not. With that in mind we have put in place 10 meetings where we will both meet with the social worker and one for each of us individually to meet and populate all of the boxes on the extensive report.
I have to say, I was expecting the assessment meetings to more like facing a German war general before being thrown into a concentration camp but so far it hasn't been that bad. If truth be known it's actually been more like a trip down memory lane. We've been taking about our childhoods and our early memories of our families. It's surprising how much you remember and how talking about things unlocks so many other suppressed memories, memories of family squabbles, bad outfits and handed-down toys. She also had to go through all of our papers, birth certificates, passports, NI cards, you name it. They even want to see proof of my car insurance cover!! I'm sure the questions will get more probing and even more personal as the assessment goes on but for now I'm wondering what all the fuss was about. Ooops! Have I spoken to soon? Probably!
So, we have one more session next week and then a 3 week break. We have been incredibly lucky. Some of the people we met on our prep group still haven't even met their social worker and I know it's been extremely frustrating for them. Here's hoping that our speedy progress continues. If everything moves at this pace we'll be a family of three in no time.
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