Concurrency adoption – the way forward?

But there are enormous advantages to joining the scheme as well: ‘There aren’t that many babies available for adoption in the UK. Concurrency appeals to people keen to take on a very young child,’ says Gill.

She adds the warning that the babies are nearly always born to mothers who are either drink or drug-addicted. For instance, a baby exposed to heroin in the womb needs to spend six weeks being detoxed on methadone – adoptive parents are encouraged to start up the relationship in hospital. Babies exposed to cocaine are extremely irritable, and foetal alcohol syndrome has unpredictable effects. It is impossible to know what neurological damage and behavioural problems lie in the future. There are exceptions. Perfectly healthy girls have been known to love the attention they receive when pregnant, but are unable to cope with the babies.

As one potential adoptive mother who turned the option down pointed out, you have to be a brave and special person to contemplate losing the baby you hoped to adopt. If this does happen, there is nothing to prevent you from being offered another baby under the scheme, as you will have proved yourself capable. Generally, concurrency babies have a 60-80% chance of being adopted, so the odds are in the adoptive parents’ favour. In the Manchester concurrency project, only one child out of 11 placed with potential adopters was returned to its birth family.

During the assessment period, the birth family has contact with the baby, up to three times a week, during which time they’re encouraged to learn parenting skills. More contact would be disruptive and would put too much pressure on the young baby. Treatment and counselling for problems with alcohol and drugs are also provided. No one is left in any doubt that the conclusion of the process will be adoption, unless the birth parents can make the enormous changes necessary to bring up a child.

Concurrency adoption is the last chance saloon for the birth family – but definitely five-star

‘There is so much hope for these babies,’ says Gill. ‘Having been adopted at such a young age, their life chances are maximised and they often go on to exceed all expectations.’