Adoption - again

I have no advice, but it would be worth seeing a solicitor to see if they can help.

Have you tried speaking to your DDs social worker? We have adopted 8 (all from different families)and in 6 of the children the grandparents were consulted to see if they could offer support. Please seek legal advice.

If there'd been abject cruelty, neglect and/or abuse any appeal will fall on deaf ears and unless you have a good solicitor who specialises in family breakdowns and children in care then the future looks grim.

There has to be a very strong case against the judge's decision in order to overturn the adoption process.

It sounds as if the hearing last week was for a Placement order application, these are frequently heard and decided by the courts at the same time as care order applications. At this point, Children’s Services will have decided through their assessments that adoption is in the child’s best interest.

I assume that your daughter had legal advice throughout this period of assessment and court hearings? It is her solicitor who should be giving her advice now.

Once a placement order has been made, a parent would need to demonstrate that there had been a significant change of circumstances before being allowed to contest an adoption order application, and I think it is very rare for this to be granted by the courts.

It's a little surprising that the social worker has not already been in touch with you at an earlier stage. The court, at some point, will have asked whether there is anybody else who needs to be heard in the matter and you should at least write a letter to your grandchild and ask for it to be lodged in their adoption record so that they can see it when they are older.

Several solicitors will do an initial consultation for nothing (my DH once had such a consultation on the phone about a work-related issue), but it does sound as if you have been left out of the process and it might be worth talking to a social worker if your daughter can give you the name. They might also need your daughter's permission.

It's a long time since I had any involvement in such matters, but I had the impression grandparents views are always noted, even if they cannot be complied with for legal reasons.

If a Family Court has approved a match between a child in care and prospective adopters, there will have been a lengthy process to consider what is in the best interests of the child.
Prior to care proceedings, local authorities are expected to have conducted assessments, offered any support identified in the assessment process, to help the parent make any changes found to be necessary.
If when the application for an interim care order is considered that hasn't happened (say because its an emergency application following serious incident), the Judge will ensure the assessment process takes place.
The child's parent(s) will be legally represented. The child will be repressed by an experienced solicitor chosen by the court appointed Children's Guardian.
If a child is to be removed from his/her parents before or at the start of care proceedings, the social worker has to ask the birth parents if there are any family members who can care for the child. Grandparents or usually the first people to be considered along with aunts and uncles.
It is rare for an adoption plan that has been approved by a Judge to be appealed. Your daughter will have been given advice by her solicitor throughout the proceedings. It sounds as though you haven't been actively involved?