Buckinghamshire Council celebrates LGBT+ Adoption and Fostering Week

It’s LGBT+ Adoption and Fostering Week this week (from 1 March) and Buckinghamshire Council is using this campaign to highlight the fact that there are no barriers to fostering or adopting with us.

Tom and David* are a gay couple fostering a young baby through Buckinghamshire Council, with a view of adopting the little boy (a process called Early Permanence, where adopters foster a child first). As part of LGBT+ Adoption and Fostering week, they’ve shared their story and want people to know about their positive experience:

“Don’t be worried about what people might think or about being judged by social workers, we haven’t had any of that. The process for us has been quite smooth, we’ve got a really good social worker. She’s always there for anything we need and is a great support for us.” 

Buckinghamshire Council needs people from all kinds of backgrounds to come forward as foster carers or adopters to care for children who need a loving and safe home. We’re really proud that we’ve already worked with a number of LGBT+ adopters and foster carers and we want to use this campaign to remind everyone that as long as you have a spare room and the ability to provide a safe and caring environment then we welcome your interest in fostering or adopting through us.

LGBT+ adopters and carers are uniquely placed to help children to navigate their identities as Tom and David say:

“LGBT people have a lot of experiences that will help them as adopters. They are used to hardship, they may have faced judgement growing up, and be used to having people make inappropriate comments, so they have a strength from things they have been through.”

Mark Shaw is Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Buckinghamshire Council. He said:

“Our door is open to anyone who is considering fostering or adopting and that is absolutely the case for anyone who is LGBT+. You can foster or adopt regardless of age, gender, sexuality and marital status.  We need as wide a pool of foster carers and adopters as possible so we can match children with the right home for them, especially older children, sibling groups and children with additional needs. We celebrate diversity at Buckinghamshire Council so please, start your journey today and start it with us – the rewards are huge, and you’ll join a friendly and welcoming community too.”

*names changed to protect identities