Adopting siblings can make a great family life together

James Rands and his partner wanted a family and, as a same-sex couple, “adoption was the obvious route to go down”. They welcomed two sisters and then their brother into their lives and, despite having more children than they initially envisaged, have never been happier.
Ad Feature by Adopt South
Published 31st Mar 2022, 12:39 BST
Our adoption journey: We've never been happierOur adoption journey: We've never been happier
Our adoption journey: We've never been happier

“I am a massive advocate for siblings to be adopted together,” says James. “It is the connection they have with each other and that continuity – they had a life before us, and that life was together.”

For a child on their own everything changes when they go into care or are adopted, but James’ children still “had each other”.

In January 2013, James and his partner began the adoption process and by the October they were approved as a couple for a child or children under the age of four. James explains: “We got a phone call literally a few days after to say they had two little girls they had been thinking about in connection with us.” One was seven months old and the other 19 months.

It was a gradual process and a number of introductions were made in the foster carers’ home, where the girls were living. James adds: “On the first day, I remember my eldest daughter pushed past the other people in the room and came up to us. I crouched down and she threw a muslin cloth over my head and we started playing peek-a-boo. It was lovely because it was led by her.”

Subsequent visits saw the couple feeding the girls, changing nappies and putting them down for a nap. Then, the eldest fell over, jumped up and went straight to James. “At that point the foster carer said they needed to start stepping back.”

Then, two- and-half years ago, they had a “call out of the blue” to say the girls’ birth family had a six-month-old son and would they consider adopting again. James says: “As much as we thought we had completed our family, we ended up having the lovely opportunity of doing it again.”

All Adopt South children have a Life Story Book with pre-adoption photographs, which allows adoptive parents to talk to children about their whole life.

The assessment process is thorough and helped James and his partner understand what they would need to do. They have enjoyed a lot of support from Adopt South, as well as from other adopters.

Rachel Reynolds, Head of Adopt South says: “Adopt South is committed to supporting adoptive parent(s) throughout their journey whenever they need it. We are here to help children thrive and be happy as they grow up.”

To find out more and see how you could adopt, visit www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/adoptsouth