LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week

LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week returns from 6 March, 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This annual campaign, led by New Family Social is to encourage more LGBT people to explore fostering and adoption. In 2016 it reached over 19 million people. The week brings together adoption and foster care services across the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire Fostering Service will be holding an information evening for anyone to find out more about fostering on Tuesday 28 March at Beaufort Park Hotel, Mold at 7pm. Email fostering@flintshire.gov.uk to register to attend. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fostering and Adoption teams will also be at the Diversity Festival in Mold in May, as part of the Flintshire County Council stand. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Record numbers of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people now adopt and foster in the UK but with over 5,000 children in care in Wales alone, there is still a real need for more LGBT people to consider adoption or fostering. There are around 200 looked-after children in Flintshire and Flintshire’s fostering team is calling for local people to consider fostering with their local council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor Christine Jones, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Most of children requiring foster care are over age 10. We are ideally looking for singles, couples and families who have experience of working with young people or whose own children have grown up and left home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In our experience, we’ve had wonderful LGBT foster carers and they have exactly the skills that we look for. We believe that everyone has something different to offer a child or young person in care, and we welcome anyone to contact us to find out more.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​