Helen and Andrew’s Story

Andrew and Helen started their adoption journey after being told they wouldn’t be able to have children naturally.

Helen already had a son, so they had to consider his wishes before progressing.

Helen and Andrew adopted twin girls

He was over 18 so he was involved in lots of the meetings and even attended the training.

The couple had to take a few months away from the process due to a close family member passing away. But, even with this break, their journey took around 14 months.

Andrew mentioned, “the process was very intrusive, I struggled with it at first. They wanted to find out about your childhood and explain about your life history. Helen found it a lot easier than I did”.

“We thought the preparation training was useful. There was lots of information about what to expect when adopting. They explained about the different scenarios that could happen due to the trauma that the children have experienced”.

Andrew and Helen originally wanted to adopt one child. However, their social worker said they would be a great match for twin girls, and they agreed.

“I thought the transition between foster care and our home was fantastic. It was very well structured, and I felt reassured. The support was great, and we could really understand how this was going to work without the girls feeling too overwhelmed.

The girls have grown into their own, they have flourished. The girls enjoy separate activities such as ballet and horse riding but their shared experienced of adoption will always be part of their life history which the family embrace.

Helen and Andrew have used therapeutic parenting techniques to ensure the girls have a secure and safe base.

Helen and Andrew say “it’s been the hardest but most magical thing we have ever done. Parenting isn’t easy, but we work together to ensure the girls are our priority and they feel safe”.

If you want more information on adoption, request an information pack today.