Public Forums

I like the latest update to the new posts -much easier to work out what I have read ?

Still would really like to PM - hope that won’t be too long!

I seem to have noticed loads of people have left as many questions have hardly any responses.

This used to be one of my favourite forums. However, I rarely use it.

Has it really been 6 months ???

This place really has become a g?host town ?

It is so very very sad....

C'mon AUK re-launch a AUK forum back to being in total control over your membership.... just do it already...... this is getting insane nothing has improved really & No-One is here ???? everyone has voted with their feet....

Linkmaker is a totally different beast & from what I can see, dissinterested in post placement funding & support issues...

Linkmakers shock when their hard fought for matches go into freefall is going to be disasterous for all newly matched parents, when things ramp up with their children suffering with inevitable issues..... I truely worry about the massive void of support this forum has unecessarily caused... no support or advice will be available.... my go to place for help... we personally would have drowned without it....

I worry about you all xx

Good Luck to all newly matched parents xx I hope your struggles are far away when they inevitably happen xx

Xxxx moo xx

I agree totally Moo. On another adoption forum people are saying how very quiet the Auk boards are now and how different it used to be. I think so many have given it up as a bad job. Very sad.

As far as I was aware Linkmaker was set up to facilitate the matching process so I'm not sure its helpful to have a go at them for not doing . something they weren't set up do. Matching is ultimately the responsiblity of the SWs, not Linkmaker.

Whilst the loss of support thats resulted from the continous changes to the AUK forum should be of concern to all, I also think its not helpful to talk about disaster for ALL newly placed families.

I think what Moo is saying is that the very fact that Linkmaker is running the system has changed things completely - and that these organisations have different aspects of adoption as their focus with Linkmaker being the early stages - and so in the merger the other one - the post adoption AUK one - has been completely lost. As you say it’s six months and nothing substantial has changed - and it’s hard to understand why not if there is or ever was any intention to continue with the sort of support offered before. So many people have said how vital this was for them in helping them understand and get support for their children and I can’t understand why this has been scrapped. This cannot be replaced by meet-ups or courses - these complimented the online support. If there is a will to continue with this kind of support PLEASE do so immediately. Any changes so far have been very superficial and taken a long time. I can only assume that in a competitive market AUK have been over sensitive to the criticism in other places about their site being negative rather than believing in and promoting the uniqueness of what they offer

Thank - you safia so wonderfully put, I have obviously offended where none was meant -

I was simply suggesting/requesting what you have in so much better a way...

Through personal experience with my boys & knowledge of adopters in the real world, support is always sought as our damaged children grow & mature & issues morph & usually increase as the children themselves settle... AUK has been the support & strength to keep us going in times of extreme need... it is no longer available for whatever reason ( sorry if I malign linkmaker)

I truly worry for the futures of new adopters without this valued & in my experience vital for survival & even prevention of disruption support that used to be found on the AUK website x

Xx moo xx

Still no like buttons .. but agree Safia. I’ve seen very few positive changes - what I’ve also seen is the sparsity of posts!

I'm not offended, I just dont think attacking and berating Limkmaker is a very helpful.

I'm pretty sure Limkmaket will be working and responding to a brief and budget set by AUK.

And Inam of course disappointed and saddended by the current situation

Unfortunately I agree with much of what has been said. I still don't understand why I have to go through a high security vetting process and log in procedures in order to post on a public (!) forum. It is the worst of both worlds.

I can still see posts on other forums of users saying they have not managed to sign on. That means others might not even try. This has severely damaged AUK's reputation.

I see what has gotten worse (log in, PMs, like button), but no improvements. All "improvements" have just been reversals of changes for the worse. Where is the substantial change for the better that would justify all this?

I was/do not attack link maker.

My comments are designed to assist AUK to encourage missing friends to return to AUK.. by simply that...pointing to where, in my view AUK's strengths are & are now no longer.... This 6 months feels like an age tbh...

I am saddened that my comments have been blown up beyond intention, wrongly accused & been mistaken to be aimed in 'the wrong' direction..

Enough..

Xx moo xx

I think it’s hard to tell who is benefitting from these boards as they stand. Given that there are only two new threads from prospective adopters in the entire month of September... it would seem that something is awry? Where are those prospectives getting their info and support? Clearly not here?

That is very true Donatella - so I wonder who they are for? Maybe they need to go back to square one and reassess and start from scratch / relaunch?

Hello everyone.

Like you all we too want the forums to return to healthier user levels.

You will note some of the development notes are being worked on and whilst it hasn’t been as fast as anyone would have liked the ‘like’ buttons are in development.

It is tricky to know where the prospective parents are hiding. My personal suspicion is that they are using social media, but that’s just my suspicion.

Your comments, as ever, are always actively passed on to colleagues, and I will ensure these are flagged again.

Best wishes

Scott

Hi Scott, I suspect too many are finding the log in process tedious and the inability to direct message frustrating; thus they are simply not bothering with it. There are many prospective adopters on another adoption forum which is much easier to access. Also a lot of experienced adopters who used to post on auk have gone to this forum as well. People are beginning to identify themselves as in 'I used to post on auk boards as xxxx'. I understand that things can't happen overnight, but it is sad to see the use of the auk forum gradually dwindling.

Sorry Scott but if you (and the rest of the team) think the like button will save this forum, I think you are sadly misguided.

I believe that what we have all been saying from say one of this forum is the irritating (at best)/excessive sign up and log in procedure and the effective lack of PMs are far bigger issues, but I hear no evidence that these are even on the radar for change?

Yes some people have gone to social media - but that is because this forum no longer meets the needs of its users....if you listen to your users, and the stuff they are asking for, then maybe it can recover - but the more time that passes the less likely, as people stop reading - there are currently not enough posts to create interest...

I feel sad that those coming up behind me will not get the support that kept us afloat through some of the trickiest times...from my perspective is now more about pushing people to adopt than supporting existing adopters and this forum is a symptom of that - but what is even more scary is that you are not even attracting new prospective adopters - those at the earliest stages are being put off as they are not yet able to get themselves verified....

These boards need a total rethink - teaming up with Linkmaker for technology isn't necessarily bad, but major changes are needed to make this work - and these need to be timely.

Please Scott and the rest of the AUK team - listen to your users.....

Quick barometer: In the last week, just ten threads have had any posts on them (including this one)...

For comparison - another adoption forum I contribute to, Potato, has had ten threads posted on in the past 4 hours...

And most responses are from the same few people trying to keep things going - the few who haven’t given up yet. Even when I post I think several times before doing so as it’s such a faff to log in

Morning everyone,

I'm really sad to see some of you have these significant ongoing concerns about the Forums. I want to be really clear that we are 100% committed to keeping our online forums, alongside growing our offline community, and we're taking your concerns very seriously. Plenty of chat in the office this morning about best next steps. Will get back to you with some thoughts on that.

Laura.