One of the many myths about who can apply to adopt is that you have to be married or in a relationship. The reality is you don’t. Modern families are made up in many different ways from same-sex parents, to single, separated, married and everything in between.
Becoming a parent via adoption is no different. What’s important is that you can provide a stable, loving home. It doesn’t matter whether you are doing that on your own or with someone else.
If you are single and are thinking of adopting, there are some wonderful accounts in the #ukadoptioncommunity on Instagram that are well worth looking at. @themum_thecat_thekid @suddenlymummyat40ish @2starfishsolo and @raising_roo are just a few.
I’ve shared lots of adoption stories in the magazine, and I thought it would be useful to do roundups of different types. This article is a roundup of interviews with solo adopters. They share the highs and lows of becoming an adoptive parent without a partner.
Helen’s story
Helen’s was one of the first interviews I shared in the magazine. She explains how the process worked for her which include the best and most difficult parts.
Suddenlymummyat40ish
This interview is full of nuggets of advice for anyone considering becoming a solo adopter. It covers fears about the process, matching, the best and worst parts, and some brilliant tips that will stand anyone thinking about becoming a parent via adoption, in good stead.
Adopting siblings
Sarah shares her experience of adopting two wonderful sisters in her interview. She always knew she wanted to adopt a sibling group and her social worker whole-heartedly support that decision.
The interview is inspiring and a must-read for anyone thinking about becoming a solo adopter, or adopting a sibling group.
Matching
In this interview, Sam shares her experience of the matching process. She followed the fostering-to-adopt route and was matched with a new born which is a different process to being matched after a baby has a placement order.
There are lots of other adoption stories in the magazine. They share experiences from adoptees, birth parents, adopters and foster carers and help to explain what the process is like from all sides of the triangle.
