Archive Council News

07.11.06

National Adoption Week 6-12 November 2006

Wrexham County Borough Council is calling on people to take the first step towards adopting a child. Permanent families are particularly needed for older children and sibling groups of two and three children.

The appeal comes at the start of the tenth National Adoption Week – a UK-wide campaign organised by the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF). The campaign aims to help find families for up to 4,000 children across the UK waiting for loving and permanent homes.

Janet Jones, Senior Practitioner from Wrexham Adoption Service, is calling on people from the Wrexham area who may have considered adoption or long-term fostering to phone up and find out more. Janet says:

“We know many people would like to offer a loving and permanent home to a child or children, but never take the next step. This may be because they think the process is too gruelling or because they’re single or over 40 and think they’ll automatically be turned down.

“In reality, we need people from across the community to come forward. It is true that the process is rigorous, however, we welcome applications from single people and unmarried couples and there is currently no upper age limit. More than nine out of ten people who go through the assessment are approved to adopt.

“We want to remind people that we particularly need families who would welcome older children and or sibling groups of two or three children into their homes.”

Mary Romaine, BAAF Cymru Director, says:

“In Wales we regularly struggle to find adoptive families for sibling groups of three and, as a result, brothers and sisters are sometimes split up against their wishes when ideally they should have the opportunity to grow up together”

Anyone interested in finding out more about adoption can call The Adoption Service in Wrexham on 01978 267202 or visit our website www.wrexham.gov.uk/adoption