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Day 306

It had been a few weeks since Bill and June last spoke to Helen, but Day 306 was about to become a day they would never forget. Helen told them about Sprout. They were four months old and had been in foster care since just a few days old. Their story was one that Bill and June felt comfortable with, and they were immediately excited about meeting them and possibly moving forward.

Helen was hoping Sprout could be placed with Bill and June under an early permanence placement due to their age. However, timing worked against them: a court hearing confirming a placement order for Sprout was made before an early permanence placement could be arranged. In its way, Bill and June understood that this was a positive development. Because Sprout’s placement order had been granted, the plan for adoption was now confirmed, removing the risks associated with early permanence.

Unfortunately, this also meant that the traditional adoption process would need to be followed, which would be slower. It was likely to be another two to three months before Sprout would be able to move in with them.

As you might expect, they were both very excited to meet Sprout and welcome them into their family. Waiting for the next steps was probably the most impatient they felt throughout the entire process. At this stage, they only had one low-quality photograph of Sprout and were hoping to be connected to their foster carer soon.