Bucks celebrates the role of LGBT+ people in adoption and fostering

With 1 in 7 adoptions in England in 2019 to same-sex couples, the role of LGBT+ people in adoption and fostering has never been greater.  Buckinghamshire County Council is joining with other agencies across Britain to celebrate LGBT+  Adoption & Fostering Week (2-8 March), and taking the opportunity to remind potential adopters or foster families a person’s identity or lifestyle are not a bar to consideration in the adoption or fostering process, whether that’s racial heritage, gender, age, sexual orientation or religious/philosophical beliefs. With an average of 20 children from different backgrounds entering care in Bucks on a monthly basis, diversity is important in those that come forward to adopt or foster.

Warren Whyte, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “LGBT  Adoption & Fostering Week is an ideal time to emphasise the commitment of our adoption and fostering services to being fully inclusive. If you’ve ever thought about adoption or fostering, only to rule yourself out due to some aspect of your identity or lifestyle, then I’d ask you to reconsider – it’s very likely that the assumptions you made were wrong.

“Both the adoption and fostering services have regular information sessions where you can discuss things with the team, and for adoption, you can start with our new Adoption Readiness Checker web tool. It lets you investigate exactly what’s expected of you when you become an adoptive parent – it’s all about giving a child a new start in life, it’s not about judging your identity or lifestyle choices.”

Try the readiness checker here: www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/care-for-children-and-families/adoption/adopting-a-child