Too old at 4?
It’s been an exciting 18 months since we launched the agency in 2014 with more than 16,000 hits to our website from right across England. The team are working hard to ensure that we’re providing the right information, guidance, visits, training, assessments, matching and support to all those interested in adopting with us.
National Adoption Week (NAW) is on 19th—25th October in which this year’s theme is ‘Too old at 4′, we have the opportunity to highlight the urgent need for potential adopters to come forward to adopt children of all ages particularly for those age 4 plus, with disabilities or sibling groups and offer these children what they need: a secure loving family.
Recent reports based on information from the National Adoption Register show that there’s currently a nationwide shortage of adopters for children who have been waiting for an adoptive home for over 18 months and reveal that the average age of children waiting to be placed in adoptive families is just 4 years old. Many of the children waiting have additional needs or are sibling groups who need to be placed together. All are from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds. However, those from black minority ethnic families and children with disabilities often wait the longest to find families.
Vivien Slyfield, Head of Service says “We’ve successfully approved a diverse range of adopters so far and placed a number of children with new families and are committed to increasing the numbers of adopters for children and achieve successful outcomes for both the children and those wishing to adopt. It’s been heart-warming to share the journey of our adopters throughout the assessment process and beyond panel and we’re delighted for those who now have a child placed or are currently being matched”.
“We’re in regular contact with Local Authorities across the country discussing the children they currently have waiting for a family to ensure we find the right matches for our adopters. We’re also offering them our expertise in regionalising adoption and providing information on how we can deliver comprehensive adoption support”.
If you wish to find out if adoption is right for you please call us on 0800 5877 791, email contactus@adoptersfrodadoption or fill in our contact form