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01244 390 938
As the Chair of Adoption Matters, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and as someone who was adopted myself, LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week is a campaign that is deeply personal to me.
Many LGBTQ+ people grow up without seeing families like ours reflected back to us. That can quietly plant doubts – about whether we’re “meant” to be parents, whether we’ll be welcomed, or whether our lives are too complicated, imperfect, or unconventional to be a good fit for adoption or fostering.
I was adopted and had a truly fabulous childhood. Not because my family was perfect, or because adoption is always simple, but because there were adults who were committed, loving, and willing to learn along the way.
Adoption and fostering brings its own challenges and that’s why good support matters. Agencies like Adoption Matters and Foster Care Matters exist to walk alongside people through that journey. What children need most isn’t perfection – it’s stability, care, and someone who keeps showing up with love.
We’re used to navigating difference, to finding our own way of belonging, and to creating homes rooted in intention, not assumption. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I also know that many of us are already experts in building families that don’t follow a neat template.
If you’ve ever felt that starting a family might not be “for people like you”, I’d gently encourage you to question that story. There’s no perfect time. But there is a real need, right now, for people with compassion, resilience and love to step forward.
Sometimes the first step is simply finding out more.
Jamie Bennet is Adoption Matters Board of Trustees Chairperson. Jamie was adopted through Adoption Matters as a baby and also accessed our adopted adult support service to find out more information about his birth family.
Thinking about adoption? Reach out – we would love to chat to you.
