A couple who adopted three boys have shared an emotional glimpse into their family life and how proud they are of their boys' "phenomenal" development.
Phil and Chris, who chose not to disclose their surname, were invited to a celebratory court hearing on Thursday to mark the final milestone of their adoption journey.
Their children - Nathaniel, 10, and biological siblings Charlie, six, and Oliver, eight - live with them at their home in Wirral, Merseyside.
The couple, both aged 40, have shared their story with Adoption in Merseyside to help others considering adoption and to dispel misconceptions about the process, Liverpool Echo reports.
They also shared how proud they are of the boys' "phenomenal" development.
Phil recalled watching the inseparable boys "walk[ing] around holding hands, cuddling" on their way to and from school.
Some of the children have disabilities and had "problems and issues" on paper.
But Phil said seeing them exceed expectations is "brilliant" and makes him feel "kind of warm and fuzzy".
Phil said: "Our first adoption journey started in 2011 and we decided that we wanted to adopt rather than do anything like surrogacy.
"Predominately we wanted to take a child that may not have had a good start in life and give them that loving and warm home.
"I come from a family of four boys and I always grew up with a great sibling bond with my little brothers, and my partner Chris, he's got a sister so we said that would be what we wanted to do."
After initially exploring their options in 2011, Phil and Chris decided to put their plans on hold for a few years and officially started their adoption journey in 2013.
Phil described the start of the adoption process as a real "eye opener" due to the amount of information that you are required to provide about your relationship and you as an individual.
In terms of the misconceptions people often have about adoption, Phil said: "You can adopt if you're single, you can adopt if you don't own your own home, you can adopt if you're a same sex couple, and sometimes there is that view that there is going to be discrimination when it's not there.
"We've never experienced any discrimination whatsoever in that area at all and I think it's that misconception."
Phil and Chris first welcomed their son Nathaniel into their home in 2014 and he was formerly adopted the following year.
Phil said: "After we had our first, the second time around we decided we wanted a sibling for him.
"There were probably less children available to be adopted at the time and we saw his profile on a website called Link Maker - it's a closed down system which is to help try and find matches for children.
"We noticed he was in our local area, we wanted always to have a child in the local area, mainly because again it's taking a child who may not have had a good time and start in life but it could have given them a loving family.
"And then we found out he had a brother as well and they were in placement together at foster care."
Phil said they started making enquiries about why the siblings were not down to be adopted together and discovered "a lot of it was because [Oliver] has got significant needs, so disabilities."
Phil said: "Our eldest child has got disabilities as well and we said we don't really want to see them be separated, can we maybe explore the option of adopting him as well."
Charlie, aged six, was introduced into the couple's home in June 2018 and his brother Oliver, aged eight, moved in in the September on a foster to adopt basis.
The first day Oliver met the couple's older son Nathaniel, Phil said: "We walked down to school and they held hands all the way back up the road, back into the house and didn't stop holding hands at all and that was the first day.
"Then when he had to go back home to the foster carer he was really upset but that's just part of instructions. And then now, they walk around holding hands, cuddling and they just won't leave each other.
"They also want their own space as well, so if they want the space elsewhere then they'll go off into another room and they all have different kinds of hobbies.
"They do argue, they're typical siblings as well. If someone has got a toy that the other one wants they will argue."
Phil said: "I think it's been an amazing experience that's the best I can say, seeing the development of all the children in the different areas has been phenomenal.
"I think when sometimes you see on paper this child and it's got all these problems and issues but then suddenly actually they're meeting and exceeding those expectations it's just brilliant, it makes you feel kind of warm and fuzzy."
For anyone who is looking into adoption, Phil said he would recommend going to an information evening and asking as many questions as possible.
