In Cumbria 23 children are waiting for loving adoptive parents right now as Cumbria County Council prepares to hold its latest information event in Carlisle this week for people interested in adopting:
Wednesday 31 October at 6pm – Crown and Mitre Hotel, 4 English Street, Carlisle, CA3 8HZ (car park CA3 8HB) – Event to be held in the Drawing Room.
Nationally the need for adoptive families is greater than ever and as more children come into the care system and wait for an adoptive family, the number of available adoptive families is falling.
Cumbria is no different and the number of children in need of a forever family is outnumbering those offering to provide one. Figures provided by Adoption Match show that in the North West, children waiting to be adopted outnumber adopters by nearly 3 to 1.
Councillor Anne Burn, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “These are children in Cumbria who have had some of the toughest starts in life and they deserve to be loved and cared for.
“We hope this latest campaign will attract more people to consider adopting and give them the confidence to contact us. Our adoption team are incredibly supportive and on hand to make sure adoptive parents are as prepared as they can be, something which was reflected by Ofsted in a recent inspection.
“I’d encourage anyone thinking about adopting or starting a family to come to this week’s information event and to find out more.”
People who are interested in adopting but unable to make the event can also visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/adoption and find plenty of useful information and additional ways to get in touch.
Children who need adopters come from a variety of different backgrounds and some may be in sibling groups or have disabilities or other special needs. What the children all have in common is that they have had unsettled and sometimes traumatic experiences and need the love and care that adoptive parents can bring to their young lives.
Contrary to many of the myths which surround adoption, the council will consider adopters regardless of age, marital status, gender, sexuality, disability or employment status and in most cases the process takes 6-12 months.
Richard, recently adopted with Cumbria County Council and said: “It’s 2 years ago this month that we first enquired about adopting, we went to an information evening and started the process from there.
“The whole process was incredibly positive, it’s not as scary or intrusive as people might think and we had the support of council social workers, fosters carers and other adopters throughout. We even had a break in the middle to get married.
“We now have a son and made some close friends along the way who we’re delighted will remain in our lives.
“We’ve created our family through adoption, it’s been life changing and all the work is so worth it.”
For many, adopting a child is a huge decision but the council’s experienced adoption team will be on hand at every step to support people throughout the process and beyond. Information events offer a great opportunity for people to meet the council’s adoption professionals, enjoy a cuppa and to find out more about the children waiting, the process and the support available.
