A group of Voluntary Adoption Agencies from across the UK have joined forces to encourage potential adopters to adopting children who wait the longest.
Brothers and sisters who need to stay together, children aged 4 and over, children with additional needs and children of a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and religions wait the longest for adoptive families through no fault of their own. Voluntary Adoption Agencies like IAC have a wealth of experience in adoption and offer friendly, outstanding services in supporting prospective adopters through the adoption process and beyond.
The 13 campaign partners are therefore asking anyone thinking about adoption to consider the group of children featured in our campaign, who all deserve a family they can call their own.
Our CEO, Satwinder Sandhu said: "Too many children continue to wait too long, because not enough of us see the child behind the picture or reports. How can a child, who is already vulnerable, be considered too old at 4? Children who need adoption have already experienced separation, loss and trauma. It is not good enough that they are now, in their hundreds, having their legal plans for a new family changed because prospective adopters want younger children, or those who are not considered to have great support needs. All children and families affected by adoption need support, and the voluntary sector adoption agencies have delivered on this for many many years between us, which is why so many of us are judged to be outstanding by Ofsted. Foster care is amazing but outcomes for care leavers are still not good enough. Children need real permanence and a sense of belonging and adoption is still a way to achieve this."
Whilst this campaign is focussed on children in the UK, IAC knows that the issues transcend geographical borders, so our message to those considering adopting from abroad is the same. Please consider the children who wait the longest, because that is where the greatest impact will be felt, and you truly will be part of transforming a child's life. Anyone only considering adopting in the UK can find their nearest Voluntary Adoption Agency here.
The first of four short films is available here and released today to mark the start of the campaign which runs beyond Easter 2021 and also includes National Siblings Day on 10th April.
For more information about adopting from abroad please see our Advice Line pages.