A couple who welcomed an eight-month-old baby into their home has shared their emotional journey toward becoming his permanent parents. Zoe and Cheryl had discussed having children since they first met. After marrying in 2018, they decided they were ready to take the next step.
Zoe said: "We were stable as a couple and financially okay. We weren’t getting any younger and constantly talked about the things we would do when we had a child." Initially, they considered traditional adoption.
However, during their first training course with Barnardo's, they learned about Fostering to Adopt. Zoe continued: "We looked at each other and realised it was the right path for us." Fostering to Adopt, also known as Early Permanence, focuses on providing a stable and loving home for a child as early as possible, which is crucial for children who have experienced significant trauma and instability.
After being approved, Zoe and Cheryl were offered a Fostering to Adopt placement for an eight-month-old baby named Charlie (not his real name). When he came to live with them at ten months old, it was his fifth home and legal discussions were still required before they could officially adopt him. Adoption carers need to be able to deal with the uncertainty of this period before the court's final decision.
Zoe explained: "This period played with our emotions. We were really up and down. "By this point, we were totally in love with him, and the thought of possibly having to give him back was awful.
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