Adoption England have worked on a new You Can Adopt campaign which aims to inspire more people to take the first step towards growing their family through adoption. The campaign highlights that although the path may not always be smooth, the rewards of giving a child a loving, stable home are unparalleled.

This comes at an unprecedented time where there is an urgent need for more adopters to come forward, amidst a concerning rise in the number of children struggling to find their forever home. For nearly half of the children (46 per cent) needing adoption, it takes over 18 months to find their forever home.

Sarah Johal MBE, National Adoption Strategic Lead for Adoption England, said:

“Every child deserves a loving, permanent home, so it’s concerning to see that, for the first time in recent years, the number of children in need of a permanent home is now greater than those registered to adopt. In many parts of the country this is having a very real and unprecedented impact on the numbers of children able to find their forever family. We’re encouraging anyone considering adoption to take the first step in their journey – don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ time. Like all parenting, adoption is not always easy and there will be bumps in the road, but there is lots of support available – including, emotional and therapeutic. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about growing their family to just take that first step.”