1500 Kids and Counting

I have been watching this series on channel 4 with interest; it shows much of what we saw during our journey through the adoption system but also some insights into the ‘other side’ of it all.

 Episode 1

The focus upon the birth families left me really divided. For one lady my heart broke. It felt like she had tried so hard to get her son back, to do everything that social services asked of her and still her son went for adoption. The other family, the gentleman (I use the term loosely) spent so much time shouting, swearing and generally being unpleasant to the social workers that I had no sympathy for him, only for his partner who seemed resigned to accept the situation. The third family shown really highlighted the problems faced when the NHS and social services don’t work together – something that happens more often that I think is realised.

Episode 2

I enjoyed hearing the perspectives of the social workers involved, I sometimes forget how much they invest in the children they are responsible for and just how much they care. Seeing the social worker’s desperation to find loving homes for the children she was responsible for and then her elation when adopters came forward was really moving.

I was also pleased to see how the foster carers were portrayed as they also invest huge amounts of time, energy and love in the children in their care not only taking them in when are they incredible vulnerable but also in the preparation for the live ahead of them. We were lucky in the foster carers who prepared our children (something I have discussed before) but I have heard of cases where this has not been the case.

Episode 3

The focus turned to the transition between the foster carer and the adoptive placement and this was the bit that I could relate to most – it wasn’t forever ago that I lived it. I remember all too clearly walking into a stranger’s house to meet to tiny, frightened children who had no idea what was going around them. I remember feeling terrified that they wouldn’t like me that we wouldn’t bond, that everything would fall apart. The excitement was also very real. Watching the excitement from the children and their new parents were fabulous but the foster carer’s sadness was also apparent as their charges moved onto their futures.

 I do hope that this series has highlighted the benefits of adoption, the need for adopters to consider older children (despite the added difficulties they can bring) as well for those people considering adoption to take the plunge and go for it.