John Bird, The Big Issue and adoptions

Posted by Francesca on Apr 7, 2011 in Blog | 0 comments Last week I was invited to the launch of the Parliamentary Friends of The Big Issue. The Big Issue was started by John Bird as a way of getting homeless people back into work and into society. The event itself was low key however John made one of his inspiring speeches in which he spoke of the poverty trap, made worse by our current benefit system. It was this handout culture that prompted him,...
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The couple who adopted abroad

Posted by Francesca on Mar 28, 2011 in Blog | 1 comment This interview with Francesca about her adoption experience appeared in The Times magazine on 19 March. Author and adoption campaigner Francesca Polini, 41, and her husband, Rick, adopted their children, Gaia, 2, and Luca, 3 months, from Mexico after being turned down by their local authority for being “too white”. “My husband and I have always had an unconventional relationship, but travelling...
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My chat with Tim Loughton

Posted by Francesca on Mar 15, 2011 in Blog | 1 comment A week ago I spoke to Tim Loughton, the Minister for Children. Tim is very approachable and very grounded. Moreover he’s done a great deal of fact finding about adoption, going out to meet the people concerned rather than just relying on second hand facts. (Other MPs please take note). All of this made for a good conversation, during which Tim told me about his aim to make the UK adoption system...
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It’s here!

Posted by Francesca on Mar 7, 2011 in Blog | 1 comment Today is very exciting for me. I’ve just received the first copies of my book Mexican Takeaway. Opening the box has released a whole wave of feelings. Anticipation of course, but also relief, excitement, pride and a little bit of sadness as I recalled what it was that made me write the book in the first place. I don’t think either Rick my husband or I will ever forget the uncertainty, the...
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Tim Loughton

Posted by Francesca on Feb 27, 2011 in Blog | 0 comments Since I began Adoption With Humanity I’ve found myself connecting to a whole range of people who have a deep interest in improving the system. One of these is children’s minister Tim Loughton. Tim has impressed me with his grasp of the situation and his willingness to listen to those who have first hand experience of the adoption process as it currently stands. I’ve been in email contact trying...
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Adoption guidelines on race distract from system that is itself is suffering from neglect

Posted by Francesca on Feb 21, 2011 in Blog | 1 comment Not much time passes these days without the Cameron government giving prominence to the importance of the family. The relative speed with which they have addressed the need to change the guidelines on interracial adoption is certainly to be welcomed. Black and mixed race children wait three times longer than white children to be adopted. For too long social workers in the UK have been...
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