14 November 2022
Adoption Week Scotland - looking to the past, present and future
Adoption Week Scotland begins today (Monday) with Aberdeenshire Council highlighting its support to a dedicated team that not only match families with children but provides continued support to adopters, adoptees and birth parents.
The theme this year is connection with past, present, and future family, something Aberdeenshire Council takes to heart.
Adoption Service Team Manager Carol Reilly said: “Adoption isn’t as simple as a family welcoming a child into their lives – it is a complex and sensitive process that affects adopters, adoptees, and birth parents in different ways.
“Our priority is to find families for our most vulnerable children who cannot grow up in their family of origin and help ensure that they keep connected to all the important people in their lives.
“We know the importance of growing up knowing your story and owning every part of your journey through life. This is the foundation of feeling worthy of love and belonging, something we all deserve, and this is at the heart of what we do.”
Over the course of 2021/22, eight adoptive parents were approved. On average, around 14 children each year require adoptive families.
The adoption team encourages potential adopters to keep an open mind and to not reduce opportunities to offer a child a home by being specific, such as gender and narrow age preferences.
Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee Cllr Gillian Owen said: “Working with us means you will only ever have to work with one dedicated team, and I encourage anyone considering adoption to get in touch.
“Providing children and young people with a safe, nurturing home and a sense of belonging is so important and our adoption team do a wonderful job. I am so pleased to see so much positive feedback from families.”
Throughout the week, the team will be highlighting adoption stories, providing links to online workshops, and inviting people to meet those working in the adoption team through Facebook posts at www.facebook.com/Adoptandfosteraberdeenshire
ECS Committee vice chair Cllr Anne Simpson added: “Every child is important and at Aberdeenshire Council we offer a seamless and experienced passage to adoption because for us, just one child waiting for an adoptive family is too many.
“There is much that prospective families need to consider and I hope this week will help anyone considering adoption because there is nothing more rewarding than offering a safe, loving, permanent home to a child.”
For more information about other online events taking place nationally as part of Adoption Week, visit https://www.adoption.scot/adoption-week
If you are considering adopting in Aberdeenshire or for more information, visit www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/children/adoption email Adoption@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or call 01467 532800.