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December 2, 2019 23:30

Hi, we are interested in adopting a child due to the fact I have not been able to get pregnant. My husband has an 8 Yr old from a previous relationship who we have half the week.

I filled in the form on our councils website and someone called me today about it. I have read that the only convictions that are an automatic no are ones with children and serious sexual assault.

My husband has a conviction for assault that was classed a domestic violence at the time of the offence, however it was not but the police proceeded with the case anyway. He was not sent to prison or anything but has completed a course called building better relationships via probation, passed blood and hair samples for alcohol. and his child stays with us half the week after a long drawn out cafcass process during this time. Social services have no concerns and everything is fine but this blot on his record.

What is the likelihood of us being accepted as adopters? We would be crushed if we applied and then got turned away because of this.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Edited 17/02/2021

PaintedLady December 3, 2019 06:54

Hi Purple Lobster

Any sort of assault convictions are obviously frowned upon. I wouldn’t be able to say whether you would immediately get turned away. I’ve had driving convictions and I got put under a lot of scrutiny about it. The only things I can say is that a DBS check is one of the first checks they do so you would not have gone too far through the process before finding out the agency’s opinions on the assault convictions. Be honest from the start and talk to the agency about it beforehand. They will be able to tell you straight away whether it is something they may accept. They might ask for the story behind it or may just refuse you from the start. I wouldn’t be able to tell you. But be prepared for a no from the agency.

Edited 17/02/2021

Safia December 3, 2019 08:55

I agree that you must be open and honest from the start - believe in yourselves but not to the point of arrogance - you have your husband’s child half the week so there is confidence there. Also remember that he had to go through a process to get that to happen so you have been through something similar before. It may take a long time before you know if you’ve been accepted - yes there’s an initial meeting where you will know if you’ve been accepted to be assessed - but then there’s a long process afterwards when lots of aspects of your life will be scrutinised. But don’t give up - listen to what’s being said / asked with an open mind and be willing to consider any changes they may suggest (not agreeing outright necessarily but thinking it through) It might be worth too your husband identifying what he learned from the course and what he had been through before so he can present it as a positive learning experience

Edited 17/02/2021

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Interested in adoption but question about convictions.

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