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Adoption Central England (ACE), the regional adoption agency for Coventry, Herefordshire, Solihull, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire has found Foster for Adoption placements for more than 100 children

Fostering for Adoption is a process where a baby or young child who is looked after by the local authority is placed with a family approved and prepared to go on to adopt them should the court decide adoption is in their best interests. The scheme allows the local authority to place babies and young children in their permanent homes at a very early stage, reducing the number of potential moves a child may have. This is best for children both in the short and longer term as they can start forming attachments to their prospective adoptive parents sooner and this is positive for their overall development. It also means that the adoptive family can get to know their child much sooner and experience many more firsts with them.  

Max* and Carol*, adoptive parents, along with the backing and enthusiasm of their three birth children, adopted Amy* a few months after being temporarily approved as her foster carers under this scheme in 2021. They said: 

“It was our wish to adopt a child at the youngest age possible and in doing so, offer stability in their life from the earliest opportunity. 

We discovered so much more about the (Fostering to Adopt) process during the ACE training days and we understood clearly that we could help by being willing to take a small but real risk that we may come to love a child who would later be removed to be reunited with their birth family. 

One day in early 2021, the phone rang! We were told everything about a four-week-old little girl who needed a family. We knew immediately that that we could offer her a loving home. A week later, we were called to a virtual meeting in which we were offered the opportunity of caring for the baby, which we were delighted to accept, and a plan was made to visit her over the course of a few days before bringing her home 

During the visits, we were able to cuddle the baby, introduce her to our other children, bathe and feed her and generally absorb her routine so that we could make the transition as smooth and reassuring as possible. We left a baby blanket and cuddly toy with her that we had cuddled at home so that the smells of our home and family were safe and familiar. We sent recordings of each member of our family singing nursery rhymes or reading stories so that the baby could get used to our voices. 

The day that our baby girl came home was memorable and special. It was lovely to see the joy that it brought to our children. Our little dog instinctively became her protector and slept quietly downstairs at the foot of her Moses basket. 

In the following months we went through the process of matching panel and court hearings, culminating in the Final Hearing, the day that our daughter received her Adoption Order, and officially and legally became part of our family, a day to celebrate and remember always. 

Our daughter is a happy and smiley little girl, full of joy and curiosity. She is securely attached to all our family members and life is good! We will always celebrate her story with her and she will know how special she truly is.” 

Leader of Warwickshire County Councillor, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, added: 

“It is such an amazing achievement to have found safe and loving homes for so many children. Fostering for Adoption is not only likely to be beneficial for the child, but it can also prove very suitable for many adoptive families who may not have considered this route.” 

The Foster for Adoption scheme also offers reassurances to the birth parents, as they will know that the adoptive family will know their child well and is well looked after by people, they are familiar with before the adoption proceeds.  

Sarah*, a birth parent commented:

“It’s a lot better for the child so they don’t have to move. I would suggest for any child fostering for adoption would be better.” 

ACE is particularly interested in exploring this route for older children who may have been in care for a prolonged period already. If you are considering adopting an older child, this is a great way to provide them that stability as soon as possible.  

ACE offers a wide range of support to adoptive parents under this scheme throughout the process. A newly launched online support group is available, and ACE offers ongoing support to all their adoptive parents from social activities, a quarterly Newsletters and an extensive range of therapeutic services. Further support may also be available from local health, education and children’s services, depending on the child’s and the family’s needs. 

Fostering for Adoption won’t be the right route for every prospective adoptive family, but people interested in adoption considering this will need to be emotionally   resilient, flexible and be able to accept a child sometimes at short notice. Most importantly they will need to understand that what they are providing is the best possible care for a child whilst their future is being decided.  

To find out more, visit Adoption Central England – Fostering for Adoption or call 0300 369 0556. 

Published: 23rd May 2022

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