Public Forums

It is definitely looking that way. I have been lurking on this site and occasionally posting for over 10 years and never seen it so quiet. It is such a shame as I have learnt so much from these boards, as have many others. With all the new regulations lots of the more experienced adopters will no longer post. I wonder also if many people now belong to facebook groups rather than posting on open boards. The break off Pro boards that were started about 5 years ago are also virtually dead too.

I really hope not. I hate what Facebook does to privacy and democracy and I don't want to support it.

I hope the boards will recover because there is much more expertise and understanding here than on a few other boards I occasionally read. I don't quite understand why this new forum seems so unfamiliar and tricky to use.

I don't like that there is no longer a like function. It is not helping that there is no longer a "posted today" button. I know it is supposed to come back, but these were popular functions and it was not wise not to have them up and running from the start. The whole transition could have been managed better, but that would probably have made it more expensive. I hope more people will find their way here.

I find it very sad and depressing too - though it has been going that way for a while. It is extremely difficult to use - as well as no posted today each thread comes up at the beginning which means you have to scroll down to the end to find something - on the phone you have to guess by trying to remember the numbers in each section whether there is a new post (though I know the latest post for each appears on the computer screen with date and poster) Personally the only improvement I can guess at is the link with Link Maker but that is of benefit to so few of the old users. Of course the chat function and meet up bits may be too but again only available to members. I don’t understand either why only members can private message as that was the only way of giving advice on a confidential way at times. It could be ignored or reported if there was a problem! Perhaps it was an attempt to sweep the board clean? It certainly feels like it! I miss a like button too as sometimes you just want to register support or agree and it’s not always necessary to say anything

Also wondering Rosiebo what the breakaway Pro boards were? If this is the potato group which I’m intending to try to join and is really quiet then I may not bother?

Has AUK actually been taken over by Link Maker? As messages come up as from Link Maker and I have no direct connection with them

Safia - the potato boards are not quiet - many of the posters there were on here before the previous update and there are a few who post on both - though I think this last change is possibly the end for many - I'm stuck as I can't PM and under current rules never will be able to as I am no longer with an agency to verify me (and after difficult experiences have no desire to reconnect with them).

I will definitely get myself sorted to join potato then - I’m nearly there! Just taken me something like 2 years to get to this point as other things keep taking priority

I am kind of reluctant to post to be honest, I got confused with the whole new registration process, I haven't been an AUK member for a while but got my account verified by my agency and have access to the members part (not sure how this happened). I thought you had to be verified to use the forum (me not reading the info properly). But I am now wary of posting in the public forum as I could be identified by the social worker who is working with us so it doesn't feel so safe to post. It's a shame as I got a lot from the boards throughout the whole process of adoption. I think the format is just not accessible enough. I don't do Facebook so there isn't much support out there for me. and there really isn't anything more valuable than advice or shared experiences from people who have been through what you are going through. My name is not the same either as that was a bit confusing too! I was Penguin11.

Penguin/Sunny - for Potato there are several members who only use FB for it - they use a pseudonym and don't connect to anyone else - you don't need to do "FB" to be in the Potato group. I'm sure the same applies to other FB adoption groups - can't quite remember how old you kids are now - potato is generally for parents of teenage adoptees.

Hi Penguin/Sunny - I am not wanting a facebook account either - though I had tried to set one up (reluctantly) a while back but I couldn't because my son has my email address attached to his account as he set it up when a child - and he seemed reluctant / unable to change this. I also didn't want my DOB there for the world to see - as it appears on companies house despite my having been appointed before the internet had widespread use and never giving permission for this and having resigned from the organisation in 1998! I have come round to the idea of setting up a fake account using my middle name and fake DOB - but haven't tried this yet - meanwhile I have set up another email account (if I can remember this!) I'm someone who has always followed the rules so all this cloak and dagger stuff is alien to me! My AD has a number of facebook accounts and doesn't seem to have trouble setting these up or to need verification of any sort so must be quite straight forward. I will need to pay again and although I have been vetted I'm not sure if this will need to happen again. I have put this down to sort out next week.

This last post comes up on the forums with my log-in name - I had been asked to take an extra security step by verifying my email address through receiving and then inputting an additional code - ostensibly because I was logged in from a different site - although this is my work computer which I use as often as my phone! - so much for added security!!!!!

It seems that on the actual post you see your forum name - safia - but on the list of topics, you see your username - jeb**** - not sure how secure that is?

Hi Safia/Bop,

We have spotted the issue with usernames displaying on the forum listing for some users and will be fixing it asap. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.

Kind regards,
The Link Maker team

I think one of my posts from earlier today has been removed?

I pointed out that the verification process was flawed as there are several groups who are not able to be verified by an agency such as prospective adopters, grandparents of adoptees and those who no longer have contact with the agency (and don't want to reconnect or them to know they are posting on these boards).

Its a shame - I had hoped for a positive response from LM not deletion of posts - I understand the need for security but the current option is not fit for purpose for many forum users. Many of the users affected have been on these forums for many years and are former AUK members.

:(

Hi Bop. Nobody here has knowingly deleted any posts. We did add a response just now on this thread

I too find it all too tedious. The boards had been becoming quieter, but not like this. My AD is still to young for Potato, otherwise I'd join them. I feel so alienated by this constant revamping for the sake of it and complicating everything. I can't PM anymore either, so pointless to take this away from us.

We all have little enough support, so why dismantle this one free resource?

Hi all. Just to address some of the questions in this and other threads:

- We are reading all of the comments about membership levels and verification process, and will raise with Adoption UK. We can answer some technical questions quickly, but some issues need discussion first.

- Link Maker hasn't taken over Adoption UK - we have a partnership covering online only, and it doesn't affect any other aspect of either organisation.

- Any of the teething problems or missing features (the 'recent posts' button is coming very soon) are not due to more money not being spent. The work involved is being done at no cost to Adoption UK, and Link Maker are using all resources available to get things resolved quickly. We want this to work for as many people as possible and are doing our best - thanks for bearing with us.

Andy

And another thing - which I’ve already emailed about. I generally access the boards on my phone. And on my mobile there’s no information - the only things you can see : Forum, Topics, Posts - those three columns only . Which frankly tell me nothing. It means going into each topic individually to see if anything new has been posted. That’s just plain silly.

I am am not going to get myself verified. I don’t want SS to get an opportunity to trawl through my messages. I want my old name back. I don’t want to go through the rigmarole of logging in every time particularly when as I’ve said I tend to use my phone and then can see naff all anyway. I want a posted today button! Please.

Its unfriendly and offers little support to newcomers. Prospective and recent adopters are the ones most in need of support - us oldies generally have moved on but are still happy to offer support. There’s so little traffic now - somebody has screwed up I’m afraid.

Turn your phone on it’s side and you get the same info as in a PC.

Not on my phone you don't!