B called
Stichting Adoptievoorzieningen (a foundation that works for the ministry of Justice to provide information to prospective adopters) this morning to get information on the three most urgent/obvious questions that we have at this stage, starting out with the application. We were really happy with the answers we got, and we can’t *wait* to get started!! Obviously :-)
1) We currently live in the province of Flevoland just north of Amsterdam. We don’t want to stay here as B’s work focus is south of Amsterdam. As the first step in the adoption process is to follow a course which is held at different locations across the country we needed to find out whether a move halfway through the course (or between application and start of the course, as we’re hoping to move the next 2-3 months) would be problematic, i.e. we would have to wait with applying until after we’ve moved.
No, it isn’t, as you can more or less freely choose at which location you follow the course. It’s possible to take the course in Amsterdam if that is most convenient for work/commute reasons, so that’s what we’re planning on doing. I didn’t know there were courses in AMS but this is excellent news as it means I can cut down the amount of time I need to take off from work for the course - it consists of 6 daytime sessions, about 3 hours each, over the course of 11 weeks. If it’s in Amsterdam, I’ll get away with minimum time off, especially as I’m flexible wrt shift times/shift swaps with colleagues.
2) What do we have to do to get into the versnelde procedure, the “speed-up procedure”?
It’s an automatic process as soon as we file the application as they check applicants’ DOB. Yay!
The counsellor B spoke to also put our minds at rest wrt the prospective reform of adoption law which will widen the age limits. I think it’s an overdue change but the work-around with the versnelde procedure works so much in our favour that I’d be floored if the law changed before we can apply … The change is nowhere close to being implemented, it’s probably not even going to pass parliament this year.
3) We had heard that the adoption course is sometimes held in English which I would prefer, of course :-) I wanted to know what we had to do to register for an English-language course, whether they were held at all the locations, equally frequently or whether choosing to follow the course in English might mean a delay because there are fewer slots. If so, would I be allowed to follow the regular course as I do understand Dutch pretty well by now, I can also read it almost fluently but I would have to ask for the privilege of asking questions in English.
Apparently, English courses are always available (this would *so* not happen in Germany!), there are no delays, and there are still slots available for the course starting this August in Amsterdam!!
The counsellor also reacted very positively to B’s statement that our plan was to adopt an older child or preferably siblings, special needs. “Oh, then it’s a really quick process!” I’m staying realistic but I’m of course thrilled to hear a comment like that! And B has been close to tears all day as it dawns on him how close we’re getting :-)
Now we only need to file the application … We’re planning on sending it off mid-week!
