Two for joy – sibling groups available for adoption
Right now 25 children in Somersetare waiting to be adopted, these include three groups of two siblings that will be placed for adoption together.
Cllr John Osman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We often struggle to place siblings with parents who want to adopt because people are nervous about taking on too much responsibility, but the truth is the siblings often support and provide some stability to each other while they settle into their new family. Plus adopting two or more children is a bonus, parents will have a ready made family and you only have to go through the process once.
Cllr Osman continued: “At the Council we don’t want to separate sibling groups and will only do so if it is absolutely necessary for the safety of the children.
“I urge people who are thinking about adopting to consider giving brothers and sisters a loving and secure home.”
Mark and Lucy, from Somerset, adopted two boys, aged two and four.
Lucy spoke about the adoption: “It wasn’t an easy decision to adopt; there are a great many things that we needed to consider before embarking on the biggest journey of our lives. Could we cope, could we care for a child with a difficult past and could we cope with more than one?
“We phoned the adoption team to find out more and we decided to move forward with the process. During the assessment period we had to face many issues about our past and think about how we would handle situations that would face us. Our Social Worker supported and reassured us throughout the process.
“Once we were approved we were matched with our two boys and met with the foster carer to find out more about them. After two weeks of visits the boys came home with us. I don’t know how long I stayed watching them sleep that first night, I don’t know how much sleep I got at all, waiting for them to stir, waiting for the tears, the crying, the screaming, the shouting, the begging to go home, it was all in vain, we had none of it!
“Two years on and our boys still amaze us everyday. There is no doubt that adopting is tough and can test you and your relationship but the reward of a beautiful family makes it all worth it.”
To find out more information about adopting siblings visit www.adoptioninsomerset.org.ukor phone 0800 587 9900 for an information pack.
ENDS
For more information on the County Council’s adoption campaign, contact Julia Farrar, Communications Officer, on 01823 356618 or email: jfarrar@somerset.gov.uk
Notes to Editors:
- Please note the names and details of the adopters have been changed to protect their identity.
Have a question? There are lots of ways to get in touch... simply request a call-back, contact us on freephone 0800 587 9900 or email us at childrens@somerset.gov.uk.