Preston adoption charity on how 63 children are needing a home

Adopter pushes her daughter on a swing. Pic: Adoption North West

Caritas Care, a Preston-based adoption charity are working with other agencies to raise awareness of the need for adopters across the North West.

Regional and Voluntary Adoption Agencies are promoting people who are thinking about adopting to consider children over the age of three, through the ‘Growing Families Together’ campaign.

Across Lancashire and Blackpool, at the end of 2023, 63 children were waiting to be adopted, with 28 of those being children over the age of three.

The latest data for the whole of the North West shows 318 children were waiting for an adoptive home, with 134 of these children being aged three years and above.

The campaign aims to share stories from real-life adopters who have welcomed children aged three and above into their lives.

Rachel and Owen adopted their little boy at three and a half years old, they said: “He was a bit older which meant he came with a little personality.

“He told us what he liked and what he didn’t like, so we didn’t have to keep guessing like you would with a baby, he was able to explain what he wanted and how he felt.”

Rachel and Owen’s story via YouTube.

Children aged three and above often wait the longest for an adoptive family, along with children with additional needs, those in brother and sister groups and children from global majority backgrounds.

Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead from Adoption England, said: “The latest figures collected from our colleagues in Regional Adoption Agencies across the North West show that 42% were over the age of three years old.

“We know that children of this age often wait longer than younger children to find an adoptive family. It’s great that agencies in the North West are working together to raise awareness about the joys children of this age can bring into your life.

“It would be wonderful to see more individuals, couples and families thinking of opening their hearts and homes to these children”.

The campaign also aims to challenge common misconceptions and encourage more individuals, couples and families to adopt.

For more information and more video interviews with adopters, you can visit Adoption North West’s website.

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