Archived Forums

I read what you say about the 'simple' way of going back to previous pages, but to me it isn't in the least simple, and certainly far too time consuming to have to repeat each time that I have commented on a post. One of the previous 'joys' of the boards was to be able to go back to read the days posts when I have a moment to spare---now I only have the opportunity to reat the current page---unless I want to spend fruitless time fiddling about and getting nowhere. I rather think that users will suffer as posts that move to the previous page just won't be read as much, and some valuable support will be lost.

Another alternative is to use the search facility. Just put in the date from when you last read and the forums you want to look at and they come up.If you want to see replies from a specific post, put in author of OP or words in the message body search and you will find it. A bit easier me thinks.hooray for semi private boards. I guess some will be unhappy about having to be AUK members, but I think you will benefit in other ways too. that website will not be revamped until the Autumn.

But Jellies, how do I know what I want to reply to if I haven't seen the post in the first place?

Imp - you don't. If you want to look at all posts from say Monday this week, enter mondays date and if you only ever look at , say the adopters board , put that board in `the which forum search box. Again long winded but not as much as the way that has been posted above.

Whatever the problem was initially it has now spread and I am sorry to say my other way does not actually work now. So sorry imp if you have been trying. How annoying.

I would speculate that AUK members are principly either approved & unmatched() or adopters having difficulties.() Like we were, LA gave us a yrs membership which we never renewed.Me thinks that making the boards private will effectively kill them off. I can't imagine that many non-AUK current board users will pay a membership simply to get access to the boards. I don't see the advantage in private boards, do you intend to reveal your identies to each other? What additional material would pass between anon. users in private (well not really private, any/all AUK members)? Surely if you know who you're talking to, then you'd ring 'em up?Just my $0.02 worth - Of course the "unsolvable" current problem may kill off the boards before anthing else.

How dissapointing that we have to wait until the Autumn for the board updates. Considering the first survey started in sept/oct last year, that means we will have had to wait at least a year, as I doubt it will come online in the Autumn, more likely to be winter 2013. Surely your website designer could let us have some of the more simpler updates a little earlier?

Jaffa, as a FC I certainly am not 'eligable' to become a fully paid up member of AUK, though we FCs have our acknowledged place on the current boards

I thought the idea of the "private boards" was just for those who wanted to share more confidential things and that they were willing to pay/become members for that privilage. I assumed most of the rest of the boards would stay the same? Perhaps I misunderstood?

Hi,I was unaware that there was an eligibilty requirement - To lose FCs would on it's own make the changes a "foot in mouth" action.In the case of our adoption, I lay the blame for it's success (so far of course) squarely at the feet of our kids FC, and her family.I hope that AUK will think about this again - particularly within the scope of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

"most of our message boards will just be for Adoption UK members".Have just re-read Auk's post and seen the above comment. If this is true then so many people will not have access to the knowledge that members share for free on these boards as so many of us simply cannot afford to pay membership.I will repeat - I thought the idea of the private section was just for those who wished to discuss things in private and who wanted to know that only paid up members were reading, not just anyone who happened to come by the boards. These people were willing to pay the membership fee for this privilige.But to make most of the boards members only is a bit much IMO and I think it will lead to people in need being abandoned.

Wow, that would be a blow if most of these boards are members only. Like others, I can see the need for a private facility, but not for most.I suspect most of us would set up private FB groups prior to this happening.....

I am a new member but I have tried to access the older pages following your suggestion but it doesn't work at all, regardless of how many times I have tried.So is this something that will not be resolved until the autumn too? As a main and one of the first recommended resources to me when I first enquired, it's a shame that so little of it can be accessed.

Oh well I'll just be sticking to my secret fb groups from autumn. Seems a bit like blackmail to me and I won't be forking out for membership.

I think you are right Bovary, if "most" of the boards were private members only then the Facebook board would take over and every non member would leave myself included even though I detest Facebook.A private "chat board" for paid up members only would be the way to do it, so that those who need to chat about more private topics could do so safely in the knowledge that no SW's or birth family members of troublemakers were in there. I don't think BF or troublemakers would pay the fee to join, so they would be a lot safer than presently, but if they make the majority of the boards private members only then what would be the point on anyone coming on here to read or educate themselves especially those just thinking about adopting or wanting to enquire/ask questions.

I think it's a bit of a compromise to do some of the privacyThink its madness that flipping weight watchers has a private board yet auk doesn'tI like fbI enjoy using itBut still use these Mind you I'm not in the awful security position of many families.It's very slowwww progress though I thinkAnd the mess over the next pages- well- it's a real pickle

So - only the first page of every forum is available until the autumn? Really? That is very, very bad practice!It really does show how unimportant these boards are as far as AUK is concerned. Most other people would make the upgrade a priority given this recent breakdown. (Actually others would have updated years ago, but that's another gripe).Just for information - the extremely complicated work-around to get to pages other than the first page - doesn't work if you use a Mac... No right button to click, and the usual equivalents to the right button don't give the same options. I am happy there are to be private boards - finally - after years and years of asking. But, personally, I won't pay the large cost of full AUK membership just to access them. I have never benefited from any AUK service other than the message boards (when I was a member - which I was for several years) and can't justify that cost just to come here. But this is my choice. I'm glad that some will benefit.

I can't believe mambers are expected to put up with only being able to access the first page for the next 5-6 months, that is ridiculous. What on earth are they getting for their £62 then, hardly value for money?

Thank goodnes...after many, many, many years....finally, I can post the TRUTH of my adoption experiences....and receive support, and understanding...and possibly some useful strategies from others.I have been 'outed' on here last year....with devestating consequences.I come on here and support if I can, I could do more, but I have to be so, so very careful, and I can never ask for help for myself.I limit my time on the boards because a lot of my energy is taken with dealing with adoption issues affecting my whole family...I am isolated by the fact of the boards being public...thankfully, I have fantastic friends (from the boards I might add) who do support me, but sometimes I would just like to 'get it all out'...its been years since I could do that.I am so relieved and happy that there will be private members only part to the boards.Last year, I very nearly lost my best friend, because after the major incident with my ad, I once again received platitudes and 'oh she will learn from this, oh don't let it get you down, oh it can't be that bad'...from her.I know she thinks she is helping...but the things I have in my life...are a MILLION miles away from anything she deals with, with her own adult birth children....and so..I wrote a loooooong letter to her...and it was vile....but it was the TRUTH...the whole truth and nothing but the TRUTH...of what living as an adopter really means....every day..year after year...and what and how you have to live...to just keep going with the relationships. I told her I did not need her platitudes....her 'everything will be alright' attitude...because you know what? everthing will NOT be alright...not ever.This is a lifelong situation that is difficult.I needed validation...and just understanding, and if she couldn't do that, then lets call it quits.she got the message.I don't have to send messages like that to other adopters..THEY KNOW...they just KNOW...so thank you, thank you, thank you AUK...I will find the money, as I always do, because AUK is what we have, its not perfect, many things I don't like, some developments haven't pleased me, been disappointed with some of the training etc...but...AUK is what we, as adopters have and so I'm committed to that.If the change of heart is because of a 'business model'...I don't care...I have a great NEED to be honest, and post the truth..somewhere...despite the fact Spring has gone back into hiding...I am looking forward to Autumn..don't let me down AUKyou have said it....now deliver it...please....finally...thank goodness.