| What to expect when you're adopting, Dr Ian Palmer, Vermilion, London, 2009 | |
|---|---|
| Relevance to Ireland |   |
| The UK system is not the Irish one, but it is getting closer. | |
| Relevance to 'pink adoptions' | |
| He made clear that for him adoptions is mostly a man/woman concern, even if he acknowledges extensively the existence and validity of single adoptions and LGBT couple's adoptions. There is a very odd passage (page 114) where he puts on the same plan announcing to your parents that you are gay and shoplifting, and assimilates questions in this area by the social worker to a 'shock tactic'. The overall feeling is one of condescension and political correctness that is not quite under control. | |
| Accessibility | |
| Maybe a bit too condescending, but you will not get lost. Bored maybe, but not lost. | |
| Rigor |  |
| He lost me when he said 'As they say, what does not kill you makes you stronger.' Or when he insist that the questions of the assessment are 'nothing personal' and are just a way for the social worker to discharge themselves of responsibility. How can that be 'the best interest' of the child? It is symptomatic of the general feel of the book: full of generalizations without real insight or real practicality. Most headings sound like they will help you with a specific issue, but it boils down to: 'the issues exist, be aware of it, expect the issue, find yourself ways to be prepared and seek help if you cannot manage.' If anything it allows to structure your thoughts around your motivations and some of the main steps you will go through. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Not top of my list, but it has it's good moments. You can just read the paragraph headings and seek help from other books, websites, professionals... because that is the core message of the book. It should be called 'When to expect you will need help.' I would also recommend you read the adoption framework in Ireland first, so you do not get confused with the UK situation. | |
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