15 October 2018
This year’s annual adoption awareness week, run by Fostering & Adoption Jersey, will focus on dispelling the myths around adopting a child.
The campaign aims to highlight the need for Islanders to consider adoption and also to recruit more foster carers in Jersey. At the moment, there is a shortage of foster families needed to offer homes to local children coming into care especially teenagers, siblings and children with additional needs.
Fostering and Adoption is urging anyone who feels they may have the right skills to visit one of their pop-up information sites over the next week.
Group Director of Children’s Services, Susan Devlin, said: “Part of our adoption awareness week is to celebrate adopters and acknowledge the successes of adoption over recent years. We will always need adopters to be ready for different types of children, especially older children and siblings; however we also need foster carers so the campaign this year is about reaching out to everyone.
“This campaign aims to find homes for those children who desperately need them. During adoption awareness week the focus is on the adopter and who can adopt. It is worrying that so many people still believe there are blanket bans on who can adopt or foster.”
The campaign aims to highlight who can become adopters including these key messages:
- there's no upper age limit, you have to be 25 or over (unless you're adopting a relative)
- you can adopt if you're single
- disabilities won't stand in your way
- we welcome pets
- you don't have to be a homeowner
- your salary isn't a barrier
- you can adopt if you have children already
- you can adopt if you're lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
Emmy Lindsey, Manager of Fostering & Adoption Jersey, said: “We are very fortunate in Jersey to have many wonderful foster and adoptive parents, but there is still a real need for more people to come forward. This year’s theme is “Be the change you want to see” meaning each one of us can leave a stamp on this world by making our lives meaningful in a thousand ways and making the lives of others better than they ever thought possible.”
The team will be setting up a series of pop-up sites across the Island. Each of the sessions will run from 10am to 4pm, two over half-term, in an open and friendly location for the public to pop along for an informal chat and ask any questions they may have on either fostering or adoption.
- National Adoption Week – Les Quennevais Sports Centre – Saturday 20 October – 10am – 4pm
- National Adoption Week – Ransoms Garden Centre – Monday 29 October – 10am – 4pm
- National Adoption Week – Tamba Park – Wednesday 31 October – 10am - 4pm
In all events there will be Halloween themed arts and crafts to keep the children entertained while they provide the adults with the information that is needed.
gov.je