Public Forums

This is indeed turning into a forgotten corner of the internet. I don't log into any other forums or facebook, so I don't know if those are more frequented. Although I wouldn't say I need much in the way of support (life with AS is going ok-ish), but I do feel comforted that this forum is here...should I need it.

I just feel for those that really need the support now as there just isn't much traffic on here at all.

I do read another adoption forum and that is quite lively. There are plenty of experienced adopters and prospective adopters and people who have recently had children placed. The difference is that you only have to register to join once. There is no tedious log in, as with the AUK forum. I know that several posters on the other forum have 'migrated' from AUK because of the difficulties here with log in and private messaging.

I was always a great fan of the AUK forum and used to post on Adoptive Revolutionary Front which was fun. I don't any more as there doesn't seem to be anyone here. What a shame that such a valuable resource is fading away and nobody appears to be listening.

Which forum is that Cat Lady? - any I’ve tried are quite sparsely used too (apart from Potato and I find Facebook difficult)

It's taken me months to be able to get logged back in! I've got out of the habit of reading the forums. I don't like using Facebook because of the lack of anonymity but this has been far too difficult to access!

Safia, the forum i was talking about is mumsnet adoption discussion forum. It used to be fairly quiet but has become busier in recent months. I don't, as a rule, like mumsnet much but the adoption forum I find ok.

I assume this a legal issue and leadership issue. AUK and Linkmaker have a contract and that probably says the forum is hosted by Linkmaker, so they can't just reverse to the original forum - at least not if not everyone is on board. Scott was trying hard and has left, that's very telling I think. However, like this this forum is useless to anyone, AUK and Linkmaker included, and its death just leaves a bitter taste in its former users' mouths. None of these changes were discussed with us and now most users have voted with their feet. We have lost an important resource and source of support and Linkmaker and AUK have suffered massive damage to their brand image. No winners anywhere and what for exactly? Very sad indeed!

I agree with Safia that many users seem to have migrated to Mumsnet. They are probably thrilled!

AUK: What are going to be your next steps? How are you going to try to reverse this situation? Who is in charge of the forum?

I'm glad that there is a forum that is lively out there, but I am aware that the adoption space on the mumsnet forum does have visitors who are birth parents and also adoptees. Not that that is a necessarily a problem, but I always felt this forum was a dedicated space for adoptive parents. Users were people who even if they were not exactly walking in the same shoes as us (perhaps because they were pre-placement) they had an appreciation of the issues we faced.

Chestnuttree - nice try with the questions directed to AUK - I actually wonder whether they will reply.......

Evening all,

Very sorry to read that people are still feeling this way. I want to reiterate that we are absolutely committed to making the forum as easy and enjoyable a resource as possible for all of you and we have taken on board all comments. It's right that our work with Link Maker is ongoing and we still have improvements to make. I realise progress hasn't been as quick as people would like but we hope to have some updates for you next week.

We have recently made a couple of videos with mumsnet which may well explain increased activity on its adoption forum.

You all rightly recognise that the forum has been an invaluable resource for so many over the years so please do keep posting and keep sharing your news, challenges, triumphs, and vital advice - don't forget there will undoubtedly be 'lurkers' out there who aren't posting but are still benefiting from all your experience.

We will be in touch again as soon as we have any updates to share with you.

LauraAUK, thank you for your posting.

However, to me it looks as if it the same business as usual. There will be changes, but we are not told which.

Either AUK doesn't understand what is happening here, AUK doesn't want to admit it or is not being honest. However, one thing is clear: AUK continues to make assumptions instead of asking its users. I had no idea about the videos with Mumsnet, I was looking for another forum that has more activity. That's how I came across Mumsnet.

Laura

you write that you are sorry that people STILL feel this way. I started a thread on 7 May in discussions. Really what has changed since then? Traffic has declined further, most of the old posters have gone. AUK keeps trotting out the same reply about 'developments' without ever saying what they are and when they will happen.

I don't suppose it was discussed at the conference?

Sadly I think the forum is probably finished, no amount of tinkering with log ins and emoticons is going to replace what has been lost - which is a community.

Same old, same old Laura! Nothing has changed, other than fewer people posting. I can’t see any evidence of anything improving .. its November now and posters have been complaining from the off.

What, in your opinion, is the reason for the boards being abandoned and what exactly are you planning to do? It’s all a bit of a wishy washy response tbh. Like the election campaign - lots of empty words

I think with respect Laura you are completely missing the point? The changes that were promised before as being worked on have not even materialised and these were simple technical matters to address - but this leaves out the fundamental questions that have been raised from the start and NEVER been addressed. If AUK had just wanted to shut down the boards it would have been more honest to say so - if they wanted to make improvements then they should have consulted users - if they were selling their facility to another organisation again just say so. Users could then understand what your thinking was and although the facility had been taken away they could adapt or find somewhere else. I don’t think you realise what a fantastic resource you once had - how vital this was for adopters at various stages - and how irreplaceable it was. Why has this issue - the most important issue to all of us - never had a response that made any sense?

"Very sorry to read that people are still feeling this way."

What gave you the impression that our feelings had changed? When did you ask?

"I want to reiterate that we are absolutely committed to making the forum as easy and enjoyable a resource as possible for all of you and we have taken on board all comments."

How have you taken the comments on board? What does that actually mean? You read posts and nod? What have you actually done about it, since it became clear that users were incredibly unhappy with the new boards?

"It's right that our work with Link Maker is ongoing and we still have improvements to make. I realise progress hasn't been as quick as people would like but we hope to have some updates for you next week."

Which progress? When will AUK realise that the project has tanked - and irrevocably so. We don't need progress, we need regress to how the boards were.

"We have recently made a couple of videos with mumsnet which may well explain increased activity on its adoption forum."

No, it doesn't. It has nothing to do with anything AUK has created ("videos"), but everything with what AUK has destroyed. Users are looking elsewhere and you know it.

"You all rightly recognise that the forum has been an invaluable resource for so many over the years so please do keep posting and keep sharing your news, challenges, triumphs, and vital advice - don't forget there will undoubtedly be 'lurkers' out there who aren't posting but are still benefiting from all your experience."

So I will just post monologues for lurkers from now on? Do you understand what this forum was?

"We will be in touch again as soon as we have any updates to share with you."

When will that be? What will it be? You are treating us all like children.

I've not been on here for several weeks now and I think its fair to say the forums have "Died a Death" rather than are dying....In the past week there are only 6 threads with any posts to them and only one of them is someone looking for support - and there are just two responses to their post.

I find myself deeply saddened by LauraAUK's response to this thread - once again I feel it shows a complete lack of interest/understanding by AUK and is just some platitudes...gone are the days when AUK was run by adopters for adopters a support...my perception is that its now an agency to promote adoption, funded by the government, to save them money....and the reality posted on the forums by more experienced adopters does not fit with that aim.

I see no point in staying here - I've long got my support elsewhere and there is no-one posting for support here

For me its time to move on to pastures new.

Best wishes to all I've connected with over the years and good luck with your journeys. If anyone wants to find me - I'm on Potato

Bop x

On a lighter note - reminds me of Dragons’ Den - “I’m out”

Without being cynical, maybe AUK indeed wanted this to happen. We all completely understand everybody’s frustrations except AUK but they say they are committed. Committed to what though?

Laura, many thanks for your reply but It is just simply unbelievable. Can’t AUK see? It is not a feeling. It is a fact. Reality. PEOPLE ARE NOT POSTING. They HAVE GONE! As in GONE, bye bye. Do the maths. See the dates on the posts, how many replies they get. Usual post are for practical issues not in-depth important stuff. That’s gone from the forum. Even if you fix what you believe is the problem, how are you going to get those adopters back?

There are families struggling out there hoping someone will have an ear, a word of advice, a light to guide inside the tunnel, a “forum cuddle”, a prayer, etc. They used to post. Prompt, amazing, full of wisdom replies followed. And that has all gone. How are you going to get them back?

Life can be (and indeed is) tough for some adoptive families. The forum was not here for us to enjoy it but to be a platform of support and companionship in this journey that only adopters understand. It is NOT the purpose and role of Mumsnet to do so.

I do think it is the role of AUK to facilitate this form of support for adoptive families but, do they think the same?

In 2016 I had great support from many users and sadly now 2019, I wonder where everyone has gone?

AUK please use me as an example.

Looks, like there is a little flurry of activity on here at the moment. So I thought I'd post - perhaps we can get some momentum going on this forum?

Long-time lurker and poster reporting for forum duty here! ?