Voluntary adoption agencies across the UK have come together with a joint mission to stop brothers and sisters who are waiting in care from being separated when adopted.
Almost half of children currently waiting in care* are part of a family group and voluntary adoption agencies (VAAs) are looking for people who can offer them a permanent and loving home.
Diagrama Adoption and Fostering is among 23 VAAs from all over the UK who have together created a guide (www.diagramaadoption.org.uk/sites/default/files/cvaa_sibling_advice_guide.pdf) for people considering adoption containing helpful information and advice from parents who have already adopted sibling groups.
Kate Patel, Head of Adoption and Fostering, Diagrama Foundation said, “The impact on children in care who are separated from their brothers and sisters can be huge. It is vitally important that a permanent family is secured for them, however if this means they are separated from their siblings when they have already experienced a difficult start in life, then this can be really challenging.
“Yet so few people feel equipped or able to consider adopting a sibling group of two, three, or even four children.
“We are excited to be part of this project sharing first hand, heartfelt experience and advice from families who have already done this incredible thing of adopting a sibling pair or group.”
VAAs are specialists in finding families for children who wait the longest in care. They work in partnership with local authorities to find families for children waiting for a permanent home.
VAAs are independent, not-for-profit organisations who have intensive services to provide families with vital support both when the children are placed and into the future.
Maggie Jones, Chief Executive, Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (CVAA) which represents VAAs across the country said, “Brother and sisters who are adopted together are often the only constant thing in each other’s lives in times of huge upheaval, loss and trauma.
“The voluntary adoption sector are specialists in finding families for sibling groups and being there for them with bespoke packages of support for as long as it’s needed.”
To find out more about Diagrama Adoption visit www.diagramaadoption.org.uk and to find your nearest Voluntary Adoption Agency visit https://cvaa.org.uk/agency-finder/
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Notes to Editors
*There are currently 2,030 children waiting to be adopted in England and 890 of those are in a family group. 520 children who are part of a sibling group have been waiting for 18 months or more to find a home.
About Diagrama Foundation Adoption
Diagrama Adoption is an independent, not-for-profit adoption agency, dedicated to finding loving families who can offer a permanent home for children in need of adoption across South London, Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.
The Diagrama agency is small enough to offer a personalised and friendly adoption experience while benefitting from the expertise and security that comes with being part of the larger Diagrama charitable foundation.
Diagrama Adoption welcomes all adoption enquires regardless of age, faith, sexuality, ethnicity or whether you are single or a couple.
About Diagrama Foundation
Diagrama Foundation is a Kent based charity that supports vulnerable children, young people, and adults to live their best life.
Diagrama has a Supported Living Service across Bromley, three homes for adults with learning disabilities in Orpington, an eight-bed care home for adults with learning disabilities in West Sussex a fifty-bed care home for the elderly with nursing and dementia needs in Essex, and a fostering and adoption service in the southeast.
- The Supported Living Service, cares for 35 adults with learning disabilities, in nine homes across Bromley helping them to develop skills and confidence to live in their own house either on their own or with others.
- At Cabrini House in Orpington the charity promotes the development of core skills for 23 adults with learning disabilities so that they can lead independent lives integrated within their community.
- Duckyls Farm in West Sussex, a care home for eight residents with learning disabilities, joined the charity care provider in February 2023.
- The team at their nursing and dementia care home, Edensor Care Centre in Clacton on Sea, support vulnerable residents to live life to the full.
- Diagrama’s adoption and fostering service cares for children in South London, Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.
Many vulnerable children and adults don’t get the support they need to develop their true potential, but the Diagrama team know that when someone has time and belief invested in them, they come alive, because that investment has made them feel valued and worthy.
