Hertfordshire County Council supports new campaign to encourage more people to consider adoption

Hertfordshire County Council is supporting a new nationwide campaign, #YouCanAdopt, to dispel myths around who is eligible to adopt and encourage more people to consider adoption.

The number of adoptions in England has fallen by a third in four years but almost 3,000 children in England are still waiting to find their new family, in Hertfordshire there are 22 children who are in need of an adoptive family.

Research shows that many adults have considered adoption, or would consider adopting in the future, but only 27 per cent believed they would be eligible to in the East of England.

A new emotive film featuring adoptive families has been released as part of campaign alongside a podcast series featuring a number of famous voices talking about adoption.

A coalition of national, regional and voluntary adoption agencies across the country, supported by the Department for Education (DfE), have joined forces to launch a nationwide recruitment campaign to raise awareness of adoption.

Hertfordshire County Council is taking part in the #YouCanAdopt campaign that launched on Wednesday, September 16, to dispel myths around who is eligible to adopt and highlight that, especially during the COVID pandemic, there are still children out there who are looking for their new family.

Earlier this year, a new report revealed that 39 per cent of adults in the East of England have considered adoption or would consider adoption in future.

But, 60 per cent do not feel they know much about the adoption process and this lack of knowledge may contribute to many people not taking the important first step.

With 35 per cent of people admitting they do not know if they are eligible to adopt and 39 per cent thinking they wouldn’t be able to, the new campaign wants to increase the number of people taking the first steps towards adopting a child.

To help people realise adoption could be something for them, the #YouCanAdopt campaign aims to break down barriers and misconceptions about who is eligible to adopt.

Some of the biggest misconceptions around eligibility are that single people, older people, and those who are LGBTQ+ are not allowed to adopt, which is not the case.

The campaign also hopes to encourage potential adoptive parents to consider adopting children who wait longer, such as older children, sibling groups and those with complex health needs or a disability.

Nadine*, a mum of six, said: “Our adoption journey began six years ago when we first met our daughter. We already had five biological children, but we had room in our hearts and knew we had the opportunity to offer another child a loving home.

"Our adopted daughter was born with a chromosome deletion and had complex medical needs. We initially cared for her as foster parents but it felt quite different as soon as we met her. I can’t put my finger on it, but I just knew we were the right match for her.

"We were told that she may never walk or talk but she has managed both. We knew that on paper her needs could possibly discourage potential adoptive families, but when you meet her everyone finds her so endearing and an engaging little girl.

"People should not be put off adopting a child with additional needs. You need to meet the child because paperwork can never fully represent them.

“Initially we were unsure if we would be eligible to become her adoptive parents because we are a white British family and she is British Bangladeshi.

"However, you can adopt across ethnic backgrounds if you are a good match on everything else. In our case the most important matching criteria was that we were able to meet her medical needs.”

To help shine a light on the diverse range of families who have and can adopt, a new emotive film has been released featuring singer Sinitta and TV vocal coaches Carrie and David Grant alongside other families who are joining in encouraging others to consider adoption.

A survey of adults who have already adopted showed that collectively, more than two thirds (66 per cent) of people said a loving home and to be able to provide stability are the two most important things a person needs before adopting a child.

Almost half (44 per cent) of people said their adopted child felt like part of the family within just a month and of the respondents that had biological children as well as an adopted child, three quarters (75 per cent) reported a strong relationship between the siblings.

Nadine added: “Adoption has completely enriched our family’s life. There are so many special memories but one that stands out for us all is when we were on a family holiday playing in the swimming pool.

"She couldn’t speak at the time but had begun to learn to sign. As we were playing she turned to us and signed family, a sign she had never used before, and we all just burst into tears.

“I don’t think you need any particular skills to adopt, you just need energy, patience and be open minded to what the possibilities are.”

Councillor Teresa Heritage, deputy leader of Hertfordshire County Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “The future of many children depends on adults exploring adoption and taking the first step towards becoming an adoptive parent.

"We need to address misunderstandings and outdated views to ensure that nobody is discouraged from taking the first important step towards adopting a child.

"Some people assume that because of their age or marital status they won’t be able to adopt, but that is simply not true, adoption is a choice for people who want to become a parent.”

If you are interested in finding out more about adoption visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/adoption.

*Name changed to protect identity.