Torfaen council backs LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week

Today (Monday 7th March) marks the start of LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week, a national campaign run by New Family Social. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The campaign aims to find more families for children by making the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community aware of the benefits and reality of adoption and fostering. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The theme this year is ‘Pride in our families’, celebrating the successes of LGBT adoptive parents and foster carers, and attracting new LGBT potential parents to find out more about their routes to parenthood. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Torfaen council are backing the campaign by asking residents of the borough who are part of the LGBT community to consider fostering or adoption. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The executive member for health, social care and well-being, councillor Richard Clark commented: “I am proud to announce that Torfaen council will be supporting LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The awareness week is an opportunity to promote the diversity of people who can foster or adopt. We need more people from the LGBT community to come forward and help our looked after children who are in need of a stable home environment.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The South East Wales Adoption Service (SEWAS) is provided by Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Caerphilly and Newport local authorities, and provides adoption services across the boroughs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Team Manager for Adoption Recruitment and Assessment, Robert Pook commented: “We have seen a significant increase in the number of LGBT adopters over the past two years; we are working extremely hard to break down common misconceptions that members of the LGBT community are not eligible to adopt.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are holding an information afternoon in April and welcome along anyone who has ever thought about adoption. These sessions are extremely informal and are a great opportunity to meet members of the team and ask any questions you may have.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

SEWAS’s information afternoon will be held on April 2nd, from 2pm – 4pm at SEWAS offices (2nd Floor, Block B, Mamhilad House, Mamhilad Park Estate, Mamhilad, Pontypool, NP4 0HZ). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you are interested in fostering, please visit www.torfaen.gov.uk/fostering ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you would like to find out more about adoption or the upcoming information afternoon, please contact SEWAS on 01495 355766. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​