Dual heritage family of two, mother and her daughter, hugging each other with a lot of love.

Amelia’s Story

Stories

Amelia, a single adopter of British and Jamaican heritage, become a mother to Mia through adoption at the age of 38-years-old. This is their adoption story…

Amelia always knew she wanted children, but also knew she wanted to adopt one day. After attending an Information Event, Amelia decided to begin her adoption journey.

Amelia recalls: “There are so many children out there who need loving homes, so I decided to learn a bit more about adoption. At the Information Event I learned about the adoption process and the support available from Adopt Birmingham and it felt like the right time for me.”

Of course, it hasn't always been easy. There have been plenty of tears and tantrums along the way – from both of us!
Amelia

The Adoption Process

“The adoption process was both challenging and rewarding,” Amelia shares. “It was slightly daunting at times going through the process on my own, but the support and training I received through the process was invaluable. The preparation training was a great introduction to parenting an adopted child and it gave me the opportunity to meet others going through the same journey. I was pleasantly surprised to see I wasn’t the only single adopter in my training group!”

“The process to adopt with Adopt Birmingham was very clear and my social worker was great at communicating each Stage and went at a pace that suited me. We had a lot of conversations about my experiences, why adoption is important to me, and my expectations.”

Matching

“I didn’t have a picture in mind of the child I wanted, but I knew that adopting siblings would be too much for me on my own – I was open to adopting a second child in the future. When I first read little Mia’s profile, I instantly fell in love. She was 18 months old and of British and Caribbean heritage, just like me. I knew we were the perfect match.”

“I’ll never forget the day of our adoption meeting, Mia was shy and hesitant at first, understandably, but the more I saw her and the more time we spent together she warmed up to me. Over the following months, as Mia settled into her new home with me, we developed an unbreakable bond.”

“Of course, it hasn’t always been easy. There have been plenty of tears and tantrums along the way – from both of us! As an adoptive parent, it’s crucial to stay focused on providing consistent love and support. With time, patience, and a lot of love, Mia has blossomed into a happy, playful four-year-old who loves drawing and playing at the park.”

“Adopting Mia was the best decision I’ve ever made. She has brought so much joy and purpose to mine and my family’s life. My parents helped me so much throughout the journey and they have fallen in love with Mia as much as me. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to be part of Mia’s life.”