Nottingham City Council’s Adoption Service needs families to come forward to adopt children age four and over.
A new push is being launched by the council as part of National Adoption Week which runs from 19 to 25 October.
The Adoption Service is currently finding homes for 57 Nottingham children and 22 of them are over four years of age. Experience has shown that these 22 children will be the hardest to find loving, permanent homes for.
Councillor David Mellen Portfolio Holder for Early Intervention and Early Years said: “It can take many months to find families for our children and an important part of this is matching the child or children to a suitable adoptive family. Nottingham City Council is very experienced in making sure this process works well, for children and their new families, but right now people who have the experience and ability to adopt older children or sibling groups are just in short supply.”
Over half of the children who are awaiting new adoptive homes are in sibling groups of two, three or more so their carers need to have space, energy and experience.
Some children have complex learning and physical needs and require people with specific skills to look after them however not every child over four needs specialist care; many just need a stable family environment.
As a result, some of the most vulnerable youngsters in Nottingham, those in need of care the most, are likely to wait the longest to be adopted.
Whilst you do have to be over 21 to adopt, your age or health doesn’t exclude you from adopting, although you do need to be fit enough to cope with the rigours of parenting.
Being disabled doesn’t exclude you either – in fact, experience of disability can sometimes be an advantage.
Adoptive parents can be single, married or unmarried and from any ethnic or religious background. It doesn’t matter if people are employed or on benefits, a homeowner or living in rented accommodation.
People from heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender communities are also encouraged to think about becoming adoptive parents.
National Adoption Week 2015 runs from 19 to 25 October 2015 so look out for posters in and around Nottingham and on social media during the week. If you’re ready to start your adoption journey with Nottingham City Council, call us on 0115 876 3335 or visit www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/adopt