LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week: 6th-12th March
Adopting or fostering a child can be an exciting experience, but if you are LGBTQ+, you may be worried that this isn’t something you can do yourself. This is not the case, as long as you can provide a loving home then you can adopt or foster a child. In fact, in 2022, almost a quarter of approved adopters were part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Adoption
Adoption in Merseyside (AiM) provides a full adoption service for people wanting to grow their family. A regional adoption agency covering four local authorities including Wirral, they help children find loving families across Merseyside.
As part of the process, they offer free membership for New Family Social, a support network which allows adoptive parents to connect with over 5,000 adopters across the UK within the LGBTQ+ community. They also have experience with LGBTQ+ adoption, helping people like Kathryn and Lisa who have been a couple for 17 years.
Lisa said:
The process was very thorough, but we had lots of support. The training course was interesting, and it made us reflect on our own childhoods, our relationships, and how we would parent in the future. It took just over 12 months, and we now have a beautiful little boy. We adore our little family and we are still able to get support if needed.
If you could consider growing your family, visit adoptioninmerseyside.co.uk and request an information pack.
Fostering
If fostering is something you’re interested in the dedicated team at Wirral Council helps to match children who need loving, local foster homes with local people who can provide this support.
It's a myth that you can't foster if you're LGBTQ+. All that matters if that you can provide a safe, secure, and caring environment for a child. Jamie and Kevin moved to Wirral a few years ago and decided to foster and now care for two teenage boys.
Jamie said:
The biggest learning point about fostering for us was finding out that, yes, we can do it! There are challenges but we’ve learned that the opportunities to make a difference have made a big and positive impact on us all.
The number of children who need support in Wirral is rising and we are urging people with room in their home and their heart to get in touch. Email fosteringadmin@wirral.gov.uk, call 0151 666 4616, or visit wirralfostering.org for more information.
