Agencies across Merseyside are using National Adoption Week to appeal for families to step forward and help sibling groups.
Nugent Adoption works in partnership with local authority teams across Merseyside and the North West all year round.
They say that many of the children currently awaiting adoption in Liverpool are from the same family, meaning they often wait longer for a home.
Nugent believes that this week, which runs from October 15th to 21st, is the perfect time to think about whether you are able to give these children a loving home.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “We believe all children deserve the chance of a loving, permanent home through adoption wherever possible. Many children wait longer for a family if they are part of a sibling group, are over four years old, are from a Black & Minority Ethnic background, or have complex needs.”
Another agency that helps children find homes is Adoption in Merseyside (AIM). This new regional outlet works in Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral, bringing together the workforce from four local authorities.
Sandra Williams, Manager of Recruitment and Family Finding for AIM, says that there are multiple reasons why a sibling group would wait longer for a home and that this may be due to their additional needs.
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She told JMU Journalism: “Usually when adopters are coming forward to adopt, they would be seeking in the first instance to adopt one child. Part of our role is to encourage them to broaden that thinking.”
Ms Williams hopes that this week will encourage those who have been thinking about adoption on and off to seek more information.
She said: “People need to weigh up what is there for them, but adoption brings so much reward. There are challenges along the way, but knowing that you have an input of permanence in a child’s life is hugely significant.
“The nation needs to be reminded even if it is only on an annual basis.”
AIM places children out of the local area, but the support needed is achieved quicker when placing children in the Merseyside region.
Since AIM has been working collaboratively, it has approved 27 sets of adopters on top of what the local authorities had, and has completed 43 matches of children with adoptive families.
To find out more about adopting in Merseyside, visit the Child Welfare Information Gateway.