AUDIO: Western Trust urgently appeal for adoptive parents

by Gráinne Connolly

The Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) is urgently appealing for new adoptive parents to come forward, as the number of children who require forever homes with families is continuing to grow. 

Across the Trust area there are children of all ages who may never be able to live with their birth parents, and there's also an ongoing shortage of adoptive parents where the child will live for the rest of their childhood in their 'forever homes'.

The Western Trust is eager to invite a range of people in the community to the information sessions to consider offering a child a loving, nurturing home 'to grow up in'. 

Information events have been organised on Friday 22 September 2017, at 10.30am in the Tara Centre, Omagh and 11am in Strabane Enterprise Centre. 

Q Radio spoke to an adoptive parent living in the Western Trust area (who wishes to remain anonymous), and they said adoption was one of the best things they've ever done. 

This woman, along with her partner has been an adoptive parent for over a year and a half for a child who was almost 3 when he was adopted. 

She says the experience is extremely rewarding and would encourage people to attend the information sessions: 

Pat Armstrong, Western Trust Head of Adoption, Foster Care Services and Family Support is encouraging members of the public to attend the information events. 

He said: 

"Many adoptive parents have found taking this first step the hardest and these sessions will provide people with general information about the process and children available for adoption. 

"Adoption and Permanency Social Workers will be on hand to answer any individual questions people may have about adoption. 

Pat added:

"The world of adoption is changing and for some children, temporary care is needed until it is possible for them to be returned to their families, however, there is a growing number of children unfortunately that are unable to live with their birth families. 

"Adoption is a challenging but very rewarding route to becoming a parent. For children unable to return to their families, adoption provides them with a sense of belonging and a family for life.

“In addition to seeking a range of adoptive parents for children, the Trust is also looking to recruit concurrent carers as part of a regional project ‘Home on Time (HOT)’.

"This is an innovative concurrent care scheme which aims to speed up the process for young looked after children to either return home to their parents or to be adopted by their carers.

"This project has been running for a year and has proven very successful in achieving permanency for young children in a timely way.”
 

For more information about adoption you can contact the Western Trust Adoption Team: 

Limavady, Londonderry and Strabane area: Roisin Lynch, Social Work Manager Adoption T: (028) 7131 4226 or email: roisin.lynch@westerntrust.hscni.net

Omagh and Fermanagh area: Anita Birney, Social Work Manager Adoption T: (028) 8283 5114 or email: anita.birney@westerntrust.hscni.net