IWD: LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week
- Helen Clarke
- Mar 2
- 2 min read
MCRJourno
A North West charity for adoption and fostering are celebrating LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week on International Women's Day.
Blackburn-based children’s charity and voluntary adoption agency, Adoption Matters, and its sister not-for-profit fostering service, Foster Care Matters are throwing their weight behind the campaigning week.
In England, there are 83,630 looked-after children with many requiring a foster home as well as 2,710 children waiting for their adoptive home.
Karen Palfreyman, Foster Care Matters Fostering Service Manager said: "Sexuality isn’t an important factor when it comes to fostering or adopting, but what is important is that you have the commitment, resilience, stability and love to provide to children."
LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week is led by New Family Social, the UK’s peer-support charity for LGBTQ+ adopters, foster carers and special guardians, and the week runs from 3rd March - 9th March with International Women's Day on the eight.
Last year one in five adoptions in the country were to same-gender couples although the actual number of adoptions to these couples fell from the previous year.
Adoption Matters CEO, Susy White, has emphasised the charities support of the campaign, saying: "We know from experience that people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community come forward to adoption and fostering with a real enthusiasm."
It is reported that last year nearly 30% of approved adopters for the charity identified as LGBTQ+.
Foster Care Matters will be hosting an online information event on Tuesday 4th March 6:30pm - there will also be an adoption information session hosted by Adoption Matters on International Women's Day, 8th March at 10am.
More details can be found at the below links: