You Can Adopt campaign launches in London

Adoption agencies across the country, including Adopt London, have joined forces to launch a nationwide recruitment campaign to raise awareness of adoption.

In the UK, there are almost 3,000 children who are in need of an adoptive family and the number of adoptions in England has fallen by a third in four years.

In response, the new #YouCanAdopt campaign aims to bust myths around who is eligible to adopt and explore what the adoption process involves, as well as highlight that, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still children out there who are looking for their new family.

The #YouCanAdopt campaign, which is supported by the Department for Education (DfE), also aims to target potential parents from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, as these children traditionally wait longer to be matched with a new adoptive family. The campaign aims to encourage potential adoptive parents to also consider adopting older children, sibling groups and those with complex health needs or a disability.

To help shine a light on the diverse range of families who have and can adopt, a new film has been released, featuring singer Sinitta and TV vocal coaches Carrie and David Grant, alongside other families who are joining in encouraging others to consider adoption.

In the film, the adoptive families recite a poem written by comedienne, writer and adoptee Joy Carter, which brings to life the stories of each of the families: the highs, lows and realities of adoption. The film also dispels some key misconceptions about adoption using a recurrent theme – you can adopt. 

Earlier this year, a new report revealed that 65% of adults in London have considered adoption or would consider adoption in future. But, despite this, 48% of adults do not feel they know much about the adoption process - and this lack of knowledge may contribute to many people not taking the important first step.

With 29% of people admitting they do not know if they are eligible to adopt and 27% thinking they wouldn’t be able to, the new campaign aims to increase the number of people taking the first steps towards adopting a child.

Some of the biggest misconceptions around eligibility are that single people, older people, and those who are LGBTQ+ are not allowed to adopt, which is not the case.

The adoption process is now simpler and quicker than it used to be and there is a lot more support available with over three quarters of adoptive parents finding the support and resources helpful.

Sinitta, singer and mum of two, said:

“I always knew I wanted children and I tried everything from IVF to surrogacy to have them. All of those journeys led to heartbreak, except adoption. The feeling of finally becoming a mother was almost indescribable. It was everything I wanted and more.”

Carrie Grant, vocal coach, TV presenter and mum of four, said:

“Our adoption journey began over eight years ago when we adopted our son, Nathan. We already had three biological children, but we had room in our hearts and knew we had the opportunity to offer another child a loving home. Adopting our son wasn’t an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do and a fantastic thing to do. He’s a Grant now, every bit as much as his sisters. I’d encourage anyone thinking about adoption to take the first step and find out more. It’s been such an incredible journey for our family.”

Find out more:

• Visit youcanadopt.co.uk and begin your journey towards growing your family
• Follow #YouCanAdopt on social media
• Adopt London