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#ChooseFamily and take your first step on your adoption journey

Posted on : 22 Oct 2021

#ChooseFamily and take your first step on your adoption journey

Caerphilly County Borough Council supports new #ChooseFamily adoption campaign.

The NEW campaign launched by the National Adoption Service for Wales hopes to encourage more people to adopt those children waiting the longest.

There are 119 children currently waiting to be adopted in Wales, with 29 of those children waiting for nine months or more.

For boys, sibling groups, children over three, and those with complex early histories, the wait to find a forever home can last a long time.

A new campaign launched during National Adoption Week (18th-23rd October) wants to change all that by debunking the myth that babies and girls are easier to adopt.

To open the hearts and minds of potential adopters to those children currently waiting to find a family, #ChooseFamily will hear from parents across Wales about the realities of adopting a child, regardless of their age, sex, or if they are part of a sibling group.

Caroline and Siobhan achieved something they had always dreamed of when they adopted a sibling group in 2017. The couple adopted through the South East Wales Adoption Service and adopted siblings aged three. Adoption is a positive word in their household especially as Caroline was adopted herself as a child.

Caroline said: “When the induction process was over and our children came home, they were so glad to be home with us. For us, it felt crazy and took us ages to get used to. Initially, we felt like we were babysitting someone else’s children, we still don’t know why but that’s just how it felt to us!

“Once we went swimming and our daughter came out the swimming pool and shouted “mum” and I was baffled! I looked around behind me and looked for my own mum, I really don’t know why but it was such a funny and beautiful moment. From that moment on, the kids were always comfortable with us and it became normal for them to call us mum.

“The kids had been used to moving around from place to place when they were babies and that is something that definitely stuck with them initially. We took them to a playdate and my daughter asked if she was coming back home with us. I explained that she’d be coming home with us tonight and every single night, I guess they weren’t used to the fact that they were with us now forever.

“Adoption is a positive word in our house and we do discuss it. If the kids ever have questions then they know they can ask us and we will always be transparent with them. I think it’s important that we don’t shy away from talking about adoption.

“The whole experience is different for everyone, I guess at the start we didn’t realise exactly how hard it would be. But it’s all worthwhile and by adopting an older child you can discuss things with them and overcome them. It’s rewarding because you can see their emotions whereas with a baby you wouldn’t get that.”

Suzanne Griffiths, Director of the National Adoption Service for Wales, said: “We know from research conducted within adoption services in Wales that myths in relation to age and gender continue to exist; some prospective adopters believe that younger children present with fewer issues and others feel that girls are easier to care for.

“This is not always the case as all children have different needs and experiences and often the quieter child can be harder to work with.

“Sometimes we know less about the experiences of a younger child whereas we might have more detailed knowledge where an older child is concerned. For these older children we are often in a better position to predict any future support needs should they require it.”

Cllr Shayne Cook, Cabinet Member for Social Care said “The future of many children depends on adults exploring adoption and taking the first step towards becoming an adoptive parent. We need to address misunderstandings and outdated views to ensure that nobody is discouraged from taking the first important step towards adopting a child.

Some of the biggest misconceptions around eligibility are that single people, older people, and those who are LGBTQ+ are not allowed to adopt, which is not the case.

To take your first step on your adoption journey go to the National Adoption Service website https://southeastwalesadoption.co.uk/contact-us or call (01495) 355766. Thank you“



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