Shining a Light on Adoption Journeys: National Adoption Week 2024

This National Adoption Week (21 to 27 October 2024) Shropshire Council are proud to support the You Can Adopt campaign to celebrate and highlight the amazing journeys and benefits adoption brings.

As part of the weekly campaign, the council is urging potential adopters to consider becoming parents to sibling groups, more boys, and considering children who will benefit from early permanence placements.

National Adoption Week 2024 logo

This year’s campaign celebrates the diverse and unique journeys of adoptive families across the country and highlights the important people and experiences that shape each adoption story, emphasizing the message that adoptive families come in all shapes and sizes.

Sara and Stu – You Can Adopt Campaign – Photo credit: James Robinson

Adoption journeys are as varied and unique as the families themselves. Each journey is made special by the people who play a part along the way.

A multitude of people contribute to the lifelong adoption journey, including adoptive parents, birth families, foster carers, social workers, friends, and extended family members.

By sharing the stories of adoptive families during National Adoption Week, the campaign aims to enhance understanding of modern adoption and show that the path to a family is not always traditional.

Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Cabinet member for children and Education said:

“National Adoption Week is an essential time to reflect on the incredible journeys of adoptive families and the crucial role they play in our communities.”

“We are committed to supporting and raising awareness for the need for adopters willing to embrace sibling groups, prospective adopters for boys as well as girls, and those open to early permanence placements. Every child deserves a loving, supportive home, and together we can make that a reality.

“By spotlighting the unique and ongoing journeys of adoptive families, National Adoption Week 2024 aspires to foster greater awareness and understanding of what modern adoption entails.

“Join us in celebrating the extraordinary stories that define the path to family.”

New Consumer Survey Results

To coincide with the launch of National Adoption Week, You Can Adopt has released new survey data from 2,000 adults, reinforcing the campaign’s messages:

• 65% of Brits believe there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family.
• 48% of Brits have a ‘chosen family,’ and 42% come from a ‘non-traditional’ family structure.
• 87% think it is important to teach children that families come in all shapes and sizes, yet 50% were not taught this during their upbringing.
• Only 37% feel that ‘blood’ is an important factor in defining a family.
• 42% of the public consider themselves part of a non-traditional family, such as blended, extended, adoptive, or single-parent families.

For further information about adopting in Shropshire visit Together4Children at Together 4 Children – For adoption, for family… we’re Together4Children

Together4Children is the Regional Adoption Agency; with Shropshire Council, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Telford & Wrekin Council all working together for children. The innovate partnership works across the region to find homes for children in care who require a permanent family through adoption and aims to offer a greater level of support to adopters and adopted children.

For more information about the You Can Adopt campaign visit National Adoption Week | You Can Adopt

Further information

About the You Can Adopt campaign

The You Can Adopt campaign raises awareness of modern adoption and showcases the diversity of adoptive families today, showing that the journey to a family is not always a traditional one.

This is reflected in new data commissioned for National Adoption Week, which shows 65 per cent of Brits say there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family and 42 per cent come from a ‘nontraditional’ family structure.

The campaign will show adopters that they are not alone by highlighting the people who play a significant role in each family’s lifelong journey and makes each experience unique – from foster carers and social workers to birth families and the adoption community.

This comes as the latest data from England shows there has been a 22 per cent increase in the number of children with a plan for adoption not yet matched with an adoptive family.

There are now more children yet to be placed with a family, than there are approved adopters waiting to be matched with a child. With fewer potential adopters coming forward (believed to be a result of the cost-of-living crisis), children of all ages are facing delays of over 18 months to find their forever home