Number of children waiting to be adopted outnumber adopters by 3 to 1

In England, the number of children waiting outnumber adopters by 3 to 1, latest figures show.

Leading Adoption charity Adoption Matters is supporting a national campaign appealing for more people to consider adopting as the numbers of children waiting outweighs adopters by 3 to 1.

Adoption Matters, which last year placed 57 children with adoptive families, is taking part in the annual National Adoption Week which runs from 15^th to 21st October by hosting a number of adoption information evenings and live chat sessions to encourage more people to consider adoption.

This year the campaign, organised by First4Adoption, is focusing on the adopter as well as highlighting the stark contrast in the number of children waiting as opposed to adopters coming forward. These new figures released by First4Adoption reveal that children waiting across England outnumber adopters waiting by 3 to 1, this statistic is the same for all areas we recruit families from Northwest, Yorkshire, Stoke & Staffordshire and the North East.

Adoption Matters is supporting the national campaign by renewing its call for people to think about adoption and to look at what attributes make a good adopter with their ‘Top 10 Tips to be a fabulous adopter’ which was compiled using real adopter tips and blogs.

Norman Goodwin, CBE, Chief Executive of Adoption Matters, who has been shortlisted as a finalist in The Gareth Marr Award for Lifetime Achievement at this year’s National Adoption Week Awards, said:

“We hope that the week looks to dispel some of the myths that still surround who can and can’t adopt and also raise awareness of the urgent need for more adopters to come forward.  As our Top 10 Tips will show, you do not have to be perfect to adopt, what matters most is you have the time, commitment and love to offer children a stable and loving home.  We encourage enquiries from adopters from all walks of life, ages, sexuality, employment, faiths and those who may have no faith”.

The agency also has lots of real adopter stories on their website here.

As part of its support for National Adoption Week, staff from Adoption Matters will also be hosting information evenings in Chester, Warrington, Hale, Blackburn, Leeds and Stoke and hosting Live Chat sessions on their website on 15 & 19 October 7-9pm.

To download a no obligation adoption information pack, click here for full details of all events click: www.adoptionmatters.org/events