Thinking about adoption?

Have you thought about starting a family through adoption? People come to adoption via many different routes and from a whole variety of backgrounds of ethnicity, sexuality, being single or in a couple, financial… which is just what we welcome for our diverse group of children currently awaiting a family.

Myths still abound when it comes to being eligible to adopt, with many people thinking they can’t for various reasons. Meaning the question still persists, ‘can I though…really?’ Sadly, once told they need specific experience requirements, many mistakenly fear they won’t have the time or financial assets available to meet all the obligations. In addition, many people coming to consider adoption have no idea of what’s actually involved or how to get the information they need, without blindly committing to an application process. All too often prospective adopters find that when researching options and opportunities, they’re faced with little information about the support available to help navigate their overall adoption journey.

However, we are on a mission to inform anyone interested in adoption that there are a wide variety of easily accessible options out there available to you to help you meet requirements, and that what you might assume to be an ‘I can’t’ is in reality an ‘I can’!

To dispel these myths and offer a transparent, open information point which could help you to decide if adoption is right for you, we at Buckinghamshire County Council’s Adoption Service have launched Adoption Ready – a simple online tool to help you feel completely informed and prepared to take the next steps before you begin your adoption journey.

Adoption Ready provides clear, honest and practical feedback in a format that reflects the needs and concerns of anyone considering adopting a child. By following a simple set of Q&As, Adoption Ready will allow you to check your current eligibility and create an individual plan with practical advice on next steps to preparing to adopt as well as links to further information.

With the rate of children in the UK looked after by local authorities on the rise, coupled with decreasing numbers of children eventually adopted, it’s more important than ever that we support those who can make a difference through choosing to adopt.

Adoption Ready will help parents looking to give a child a home take their first steps on their journey.

You can adopt. And here’s how you can make a start.