The children who wait

The children..

There are estimated to be as many as 5,000 children of all ages, ethnicities and abilities in the UK who are waiting to find a new family.

Some have waited for years and are aged between 0 and 16 years. The majority who are placed are between 2-10 years.

Many of the children are from black and minority ethnic groups, some have disabilities, some have medical problems and they all have experienced difficulties in their early lives.

Brothers and sisters might need to be placed together.

There are many reasons why they can no longer live with their birth families - amongst them are abuse, neglect or family breakdown. Adoption Matters Northwest aims to find families to care for these children on a permanent basis so that they can develop, for the future, secure and stable family lives.

Most of the children placed for adoption are cared for by their local authority in foster homes prior to placement for adoption. The upheaval they have known in their lives is likely to make an impact on their general development and may also have an influence on their behaviour.

All children are different but they all need love and security. For adopted children this is particularly important as they have often not previously experienced this. They need fun-loving, energetic, flexible and positive parents who enjoy children and who will delight in their achievements.  

CASE STUDY: Download Andrew’s story

Adopting…

…a sibling group

Frequently, brother and sister groups are adopted together, but we also find families for a wide age range of children who are being placed individually.

In general, children who are under the age of two are part of a sibling group or have particular medical, developmental or background issues.

We often place single children or brothers and sisters together and have placed sibling groups of three, four and five together.

..a child with a disability

There's a particular need to find new homes for older children and those with disabilities.

Often children with a disability are overlooked by prospective adopters, so Adoption Matters Northwest is seeking families who can rise to the challenge of caring for a child with a disability.

The range of ability within this group of children varies greatly, some may have been physically disabled from birth, some may have moderate to severe learning difficulties. All have the potential to achieve and to bring their adopters an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and achievement.

They range from babies to teenagers. Some have been physically disabled from birth, others may have varying degrees of learning disability. They all share a real need for family life and the opportunity to fulfil their potential within a family.

The fact is that prospective adopters sometimes overlook the option of adopting a child with a special need. Often, it's because of a simple misunderstanding of what's really involved in caring for a child with a disability.

Parenting is a demanding business in any circumstances!

However, the rewards of watching disabled children develop, and experiencing them achieving their own goals and individual milestones, are very special. Could you make that difference and enjoy those moments?

CASE STUDY: click here to read Ben’s story

…a child from an ethnic minority

Many of the children awaiting adoption have ethnic and cultural needs. We are continually looking for families from black and ethnic groups who can meet these needs.

For further information about the children placed for adoption contact us

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