Voluntary adoption agencies across the UK have joined forces to find more adoptive parents for children with additional needs who are waiting for a family.
Children with additional needs wait an average of 11 months longer* in care than their peers and voluntary adoption agencies are urgently looking for people who can offer them a permanent and loving home.
Information and support network for adopting families
Kent based Diagrama Fostering and Adoption is among 21 voluntary adoption agencies from all over the UK who have together created a guide for people considering adoption containing helpful information and advice from parents who have already adopted children with additional needs.
Kate Patel, head of fostering and adoption at Diagrama said “It may sound daunting for people thinking about adoption to consider a child with additional needs but our adoptive parents who have done so say it is incredibly rewarding. It gives a child the chance to flourish and to grow up with the love and security that every child deserves”.
“All children can have additional needs at times. These could be to do with their development, learning, communication, behaviour or emotional wellbeing. There are also children with physical disabilities.”
“Many of the thousands of children waiting in care who have additional needs, wait nearly a year longer than other children. We want to change that.”
“We are excited to be part of this project sharing first hand, heartfelt experience and advice from families who have already done this incredible thing of adopting a child with additional needs. If you live in Kent, Surrey, Sussex or South London and would like to explore adopting, please do get in touch.”
Voluntary adoption agencies are specialists in finding families for children who wait the longest in care. They work in partnership with regional adoption agencies and local authorities to find families for children waiting for a permanent home.
Voluntary adoption agencies are independent, not-for-profit organisations who have intensive services to provide families with vital support both when the children are placed and into the future.
Satwinder Sandhu, chief executive of the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies which represents voluntary adoption agencies across the country said, “We are so grateful to the adoptive parents who have contributed to this new Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies advice guide to share their personal experiences of the reality of adopting a child with additional needs.”
“What is clear from their advice is that there may be challenges but they are far outweighed by pride, joy and love. And so prospective adopters should not rule themselves out of being able to achieve the same in their own families.”
“The voluntary adoption sector are specialists in finding families for children who wait the longest to be adopted and being there for them with bespoke, lifelong packages of support.”
Download a copy of the advice guide at www.diagramaadoption.org.uk/sites/default/files/cvaa_adopting_a_child_with_additional_needs_guide.pdf
To find out more about adopting with Diagrama visit www.diagramaadoption.org.uk
* The latest data shows in 2022/2023, there were 2110 children waiting to be adopted from care https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/
About Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies
Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies is a membership organisation. It was founded in 1993 to represent the interests of voluntary adoption agencies
Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies vision is for adopted children, young people and adults to lead happy fulfilling lives in loving families supported by a strong voluntary adoption sector. Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies’ role in achieving this vision is to champion and support VAAs in their life-changing work. We are wholly committed to adopter choice and the vital contribution of a thriving voluntary adoption agency sector, able to provide the best possible support for birth and adoptive families in their lifelong adoption journeys.
About Diagrama Adoption
Diagrama Adoption is an independent, not-for-profit agency, dedicated to finding loving families who can offer a permanent home for children across South London, Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.
The Diagrama agency is small enough to offer a personalised and friendly adoption experience while benefitting from the expertise and security that comes with being part of the larger Diagrama charitable foundation.
Diagrama welcomes all adoption enquires regardless of age, faith, sexuality, ethnicity or whether you are single or a couple.
To find out more contact www.diagramaadoption.org.uk
X: @diagramaUKKids
FB: @Diagramafosteringadoption
About Diagrama Foundation
Diagrama Foundation is a Kent based charity that supports vulnerable children, young people, and adults to live their best life.
Diagrama has a Supported Living Service across Bromley, three homes for adults with learning disabilities in Orpington, an 8 bed care home for adults with learning disabilities in West Sussex a fifty-bed care home for the elderly with nursing and dementia needs in Essex, and a fostering and adoption service in the southeast.
- The Supported Living Service, cares for 35 adults with learning disabilities, in nine homes across Bromley helping them to develop skills and confidence to live in their own house either on their own or with others.
- At Cabrini House in Orpington the charity promotes the development of core skills for 23 adults with learning disabilities so that they can lead independent lives integrated within their community.
- Duckyls Farm in West Sussex, a care home for eight residents with learning disabilities, joined the charity care provider in February 2023.
- The team at their nursing and dementia care home, Edensor Care Centre in Clacton on Sea, support vulnerable residents to live life to the full.
- Diagrama’s adoption and fostering service cares for children in South London, Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.
Many vulnerable children and adults don’t get the support they need to develop their true potential, but the Diagrama team know that when someone has time and belief invested in them, they come alive, because that investment has made them feel valued and worthy.
X @diagramauk
Facebook @diagramafoundation
Instagram @diagrama.foundation
LinkedIn @diagrama-foundation
This article has been adapted from a press release.
