Adoption England is running a year-long You Can Adopt campaign, The Journey, which aims to inspire people to take the first step towards growing their family and to dispel myths around modern adoption.

This National Adoption Week, new campaign materials have been released  to showcase the diverse journeys of adoption, as well as the people who support families along the way – from foster carers and social workers to birth families and the wider adoption community.

This launch coincides with new data showing a 22 per cent increase in the number of children with an adoption plan who have not yet been matched with a family in England, compared to last year. Currently, there are 780 more children awaiting placement than there are approved adopters available. With fewer potential adopters coming forward, almost half (47 per cent) of all children are facing delays of more than 18 months before being placed with a family.

Janet Daby, Minister for Children and Families at the Department for Education, said:
"Adoption is a life-changing experience for both the child and carers. The value of being loved completely and unconditionally is the foundation for achievement that all children need. We deeply encourage everyone from all walks of life and a diverse range of backgrounds to consider adopting to be the difference for children."

Sarah Johal MBE, National Adoption Strategic Lead for Adoption England, said:
“With the number of children needing adoption increasing and a decline in those coming forward, it’s crucial during National Adoption Week to raise the profile of modern adoption. We hope to show that adoptive families are not alone; they have a community of support around them – from social workers and foster carers to others who have walked the same path. Some are there for the whole journey, others just for one small part, and of course birth families remain an important part of a child’s identity throughout their life. But each of these people plays an important part in the lifelong nature of the adoption journey that makes each family’s experience unique.”