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Lots of depends really! Age of child? Length of time with you? Ability to cope with what he may perceive as another moveHow well he's settledAnd last but not least the ability of sws to obtain a passport which isn't easy. You won't be able to do that prior to ao.

I would echo what Donatella has said. Many adopted children struggle with going away in the early stages of placement and some even when they are more settled. I decided not to go away this year because of LO. My LO was placed end of last year. It is only now that I think LO would cope and we are going to try and do a short break. And, my LO has been relatively easy so far. I have heard two different adoptive families speak about how they took they LOs away at around the 6 month point and how within hours they had to come home again because their LOs were so distressed. It was as if they thought they might be being left with yet another family!!! Although to balance out this, there are, of course, some children who would cope very well. I think the age of the child and ability to communicate might make a big difference. The stories I am commenting on were all children under 3.Best wishes,Minnie x

And depending on the age of the child think very carefully about the villa with pool option. We've done that now for 4 years, since my youngest was 3 and safe in a pool.I really would hesitate to have such easy access to a pool for a mobile, non swimmer. You won't relax - particularly given that you won't, at that stage, know the child very well.When ours were younger we found a villa with a shared, and secure, pool was a far safer option.

well the short answer is yes, with SW permission take a child abroad before AO. I did. But he had been home a year and we had a number of short breaks before that and already had a passport.However, I really wouldnt book anything at all at the moment.At this point you know nothing about this child. Your SW may well have a child in mind but with panel in January, lots of things could happen before then, Indeed, you might not even agree to the match. You dont know how this child will settle, on a practical point getting a passport wont be top of SWs to do list.This child may cope, but they may not. You dont have to go abroad and there are always last minute bookings if you feel that the child will cope.

I wouldnt bother op i was a foster carer for 7 years looked after children rarley have there passport as it usually requires the birth parents signature and as a form of contral its usually with held This is a massive issue espically with teens as this is usually there only form of ID In the 7 years i fostered we never had one child whom had a passport and one child we tried 8 times to get mum to sighn the passport form to no avail Also i would not take a child you hardly know a broad this is one of many adjustments you will have to make as a parent not going on hoilday when you want also sw may not nessiarly agree I think try a domestic hoilday cornwell that sort of thing then if things go belly up you can come home

I like planning holidays too very much but one thing I have immediately learnt with the adoption approval process is that you can't plan anything for sure and have to be flexible. In March we lost an already booked and paid for skiing holiday because it then clashed with the prep course... and now, awaiting panel next month, we take life day by day. My advice is to enjoy planning your next year holidays (we have lots of travel plans too - as something to look forward to and distract ourselves in case adoption takes too long -, but don't book anything that cannot be refunded: too many unknown.

We made the mistake of booking a holiday for this summer based in my SWs plan to place in Feb. in the end it was the end of May before LO arrived. Luckily we were able to get a passport fast tracked and went but it was a nightmare. Insurance companies won't insure or cancellation based on not getting a passport so we would have lost the whole lot. The passport arrived 3 days before we were due to travel!Fortunately, I have an older child who was very excited about going on holiday and who is flexible enough to cope with routine changes so we were fine, but I know lots of people who couldn't possibly contemplate a holiday for a year or more.

Wow thanks for your advice everyone.The pool advice was a good point - luckily we were going to book one with a shared pool and therefore it is much safer.I think you are right that we shouldn't book anything just yet and it would be a real pain to lose the deposit.I think we will book something in the UK.