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These children are waiting – why are you?

March 22, 2021

Today, St. Francis’ Children’s Society has joined forces with other Voluntary Adoption Agencies (VAAs) in the UK to ask potential adopters to think about the children who wait longest in care before being adopted.

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. VAAs are asking potential adopters to consider whether they could put the needs of these children first, as they embark on their adoption journeys.

According to the latest data, as at 30th September 2020, 2,030 children had a placement order (PO) and were waiting to be matched with a family.  Just over 65% of these children (1,320) were either in sibling groups, aged 5 or over, had additional needs or were from black, Asian or other ethnic backgrounds.

52% of all the children with a PO had been waiting more than 18 months to be matched, but this figure increases when you look at children who were either in sibling groups, aged 5 or over, had additional needs or were from black, Asian or other ethnic backgrounds. Of these children (1,320), just over 60% (800) had been waiting over 18 months to be matched with a family.

VAAs are urging potential adopters to consider whether they could offer love, security and reassurance to these children, and end their wait for permanent, loving families. These children are waiting – why are you?

VAAs like St. Francis’ Children’s Society have a wealth of experience in adoption and we offer a friendly, professional service when supporting you through the adoption process and beyond. We welcome all kinds of families for all kinds of children, regardless of age, race, cultural background, religion, marital status or sexual orientation.

If you’re thinking about adoption, we ask you to consider the children who wait longest, and how they too deserve a family they can call their own.

 

Please keep an eye on our social media pages over the coming weeks – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn – and help us spread the message using the hashtags #ChildrenWhoWait, #AdopterChoice, #VoluntaryAdoptionAgencies and #YouCanAdopt.

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