A recent report has shown that there are more than twice as many children in England waiting for adoptive families than there are adopters.
The latest statistics reveal there are currently 4,140 children in England with a plan for adoption and 1,700 families approved to adopt.
The figures from the Adoption & Special Guardianship Leadership Board (ASGLB) which was established in 2014 to provide leadership to the adoption system and drive improvements in performance, also reveals that of the children awaiting adoption:
– 28% are aged over five
– 4% have a disability
– 20% are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background
– 57% are in sibling groups
Children who are (BAME), older, part of a sibling group, or have special needs are always harder to find families for, so there is an urgent need for prospective adopters who can meet their needs.
Sue Armstrong Brown, chief executive of Adoption UK told HAREFIELD RADIO “We’ve known for some time that more parents are needed to provide homes for children who are deemed to be harder to place.
Adopted children are among the most complex and vulnerable in society as they have often suffered serious neglect or abuse in their early lives.
But adoption can have an transformative effect on these children and the testimony of adoptive parents is proof that you can successfully parent children who are deemed harder to place, if the right support is in place.”
Isabelle adopted her son Nathanial, originally from Uganda, when he was three, before welcoming MG, then aged three months, into her family home. Isabelle is of Sri Lankan heritage, while Nathanial, now 13, is black; and MG, now three, is of mixed race heritage. In addition, she was adopted herself by white British parents when she was three-months old. She told HAREFIELD RADIO that she would “absolutely encourage” members of the BAME community to adopt.
She said: “I was welcomed with open arms when I approached my local authority. Adoption can be hard, no doubt about it, but it’s so, so rewarding.”
People who want to take the first step to adoption can start by visiting the Adoption UK website.
