Midlands Adoption Week

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Adoption Matters is supporting the first Midlands Adoption Week running from Monday 12^th February, to highlight the need for more adoptive parents for children from the region.

Adoption Matters, the only adoption service in the UK rated Outstanding by Ofsted 5 times in a row, covers the areas of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Telford & Wrekin and Stoke-on-Trent, will be holding drop-in adoption information events during the week:

Monday 12^th February, 12:30-2:15pm Venue: The Cut Conference Centre, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, 193 Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6AH.

Thursday 15 February, 1:30-3:30pm Venue: The Dudson Centre, Hope Street, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, ST1 5DD

The adoption drop-in events will be friendly, informal, and a chance to meet members of their local teams, have a cuppa, and a chat all about adoption.

The Midlands-wide campaign sees both Regional Adoption Agencies and Voluntary Adoption Agencies working side by side to raise awareness of the needs for adopters for children from a variety of background and ages right here in this region.

The awareness-raising campaign will work to break down some of the misconceptions about who can adopt such as:

You can be single, living with a partner, married or divorced
You can from any ethnicity or religious background
You can identify as LGBTQ+
You can be a homeowner or live in rented accommodation
You can be employed, unemployed or retired
You can be starting your family or growing your family.

The latest data shows that in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Stoke-on-Trent:

95 children are waiting for an adoptive home
– 63 of these children have been waiting for 3 months or more
– 36 of these children have been waiting to be placed for adoption for 18 months or more since entering care

Data Source: Source: https://coram-i.org.uk/resource/local-level-asg-data-q2-2023-2024/

Adoption Matters CEO comments:

Adoption Matters Chief Executive, Susy White commented:

“We are delighted to take part in the first Midlands Adoption Week. It’s great that agencies in the Midlands are joining forces to work together to find families for the children waiting across the region – children are at the heart of all we do and we hope this campaign will help encourage more individuals, couples and families to think about adoption”.