Petra and Rick's adoption story

Petra* was in her early twenties when she first decided she wanted to adopt. She'd read Jackie Kay's memoir, Red Dust Road, about finding her birth parents, and found it really inspiring.
"My partner Rick* and I have been together since we were eighteen. We weren't thinking about having children back then, but we always knew we wanted a family of our own. And reading Jackie's book, I knew I wanted to adopt one day."

When they were ready to start a family, the couple discovered they had fertility issues. "We started IVF but the process was not good for my mental health and as we already knew we wanted to adopt, we made the big decision to end fertility treatment. Choosing adoption felt empowering and proactive. There are children out there desperately in need a home and we could give them one."
Petra and Rick felt they were on the right path. "We had to wait six months after IVF before we could apply. This was to enable us to grieve the process, to be in the right state of mind and be confident we weren't rushing into the decision."

The couple were invited to Norfolk County Council's adoption information event to learn more about the adoption process. "It was a really informative, warm and open event. We were both really keen to learn and absorb as much as possible."

The adoption process is in depth and looks at all aspects of a prospective adopter's life. "From the moment we started, the council has been brilliant. Our social worker was incredible - she's changed our lives. It was like having someone holding your hand every step of the way!"

Petra and Rick adopted two siblings in autumn 2021. "We dreamed and hoped for this for many years. We desperately wanted a family and the children needed secure and stable parents. It's a mutual thing - they need us, we need them and now we've found each other."

The children had experienced trauma in their early lives and had been taken into foster care. "When they first arrived, one of our children was completely shut down to the world. She was unable to walk, sit up or crawl. But after a short time with our nurture and guidance from a physiotherapist she was able to sit up unaided and now she runs like the wind - there's no stopping her!"

The couple learned a lot about trauma and ways to support their children during adoption training. "There's also the post-adoption support team and the Adoption Support Fund where we can access therapies and a wide range of support to ensure we can continue to get the help our children need to thrive."

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality