The region’s leading adoption specialist is calling for more families and individuals from Manchester to become adopters to prevent the break up of sibling groups.
Parenting on Female First
Brothers and sisters longing to be adopted together are now more likely than ever to be separated because of a desperate shortage of adoptive parents willing to make a home for more than one child.
Nearly half the children currently in care across the UK are part of a sibling group and yet, according to The Adoption Register Annual Report, just 36% of adopters were prepared to adopt two children, with only 3% willing to adopt three or more.
Tracey, a North West adoptive mum of three siblings through Adoption Matters, explained: “We never expected to adopt three children but after we adopted our two eldest, the opportunity arose to adopt their baby brother and there was no way we could even consider separating them from one another. Now we have three wonderful, happy children with a strong, loving and supportive bond.”
Norman Goodwin, chief executive of Adoption Matters, an agency with a proven record of placing siblings, explained: “Placing brothers and sisters has always been something that we have been good at. Fifty percent of all our placements have been sibling groups, something many other agencies find difficult to achieve.”
Norman said: “While we’ve seen a huge increase in sibling groups entering the adoption system, we haven’t had enough adopters coming forward to keep pace with the increase. The need is now greater than ever and I would ask all those who are considering becoming adoptive parents, or who have thought about it in the past, to come and talk to us.”
Norman continued: “Sibling relationships are so important. For sibling groups waiting years in care in the hope of being chosen for adoption, the relationship is often their only constant in a life filled with uncertainty. Without more adopters, the only future for these children will be separation or being left in permanent care.”
Norman added: “Many people feel that adopting more than one child could be a struggle but, like Tracey, opening up your heart to a sibling group provides a ready made family that can support each other and fill a gap that one child may not do. With our training and post adoption support, we are able to guide all our adopters at every stage, just like Tracey.”
For more about AMNW and/or the adoption process please visit www.adoptionmattersnw.org