Adoption is a life fulfilling opportunity to provide a home for a child who needs the care, support, love and encouragement that can only be offered through a permanent home.
Adoption Central England (ACE), a progressive regional adoption agency, is a great place for anyone considering adoption to start the process and receive friendly advice, guidance and essential support at each step along the way.
ACE is the regional adoption agency covering Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry and is currently looking to place around 60 children with new families.
ACE is the regional adoption agency covering Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry and is currently looking to place around 60 children with new families.
Established in 2018 ACE was one of the earliest regional services to come together to improve opportunities for children through adoption and is celebrating its 7th anniversary this month.
The service not only prepares and assesses people who are wishing to adopt, it also recognises that importance of offering longer term support to adoptive families. ACE recognises that adopting a child who has been in the care of a local authority is not going always going to be plain sailing, which is why longer-term support is available through its experienced and therapeutically trained team.
Since 2018 more than 580 adoptive families have been approved by the ACE with more than 720 children having the benefit of a secure family life and upbringing through adoption as a result.
Brenda Vincent, Head of Adoption Central England explains that people from all sections of the community can be considered for adoption. It doesn’t matter what race, religion or sexuality potential adopters are, or whether they are married or single, in or out of work.
Brenda said:
“We need many more people to come forward who plenty of patience, humour and energy who can meet the different and diverse needs of those children who are desperately waiting to join their new families. You will receive a professional service and will be well supported as you go through the process, not only learning a lot about yourselves but also how you can meet the lifetime needs of a child who is waiting. Many adopters have commented on the thoroughness of process but recognise the necessity of this as they prepare themselves for family life through adoption.”
Councillor Ivan Powell, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, added:
“Over the past seven years the work of ACE has helped create many new families through successfully placing children with adopters who really appreciate their needs and can provide them with special care and support.“If adoption is something that you’ve thought about then please get in touch with the team at ACE for a chat. It’s important for ACE to have more adoptive families for the children who need them. We also encourage our adoptive families to consider more than one child so that brothers and sisters can stay together.”
Currently there is a national shortage of adoptive parents, due in part to financial considerations and the uncertainty that this may involve for people. Whilst it might never seem like the right time to make the first call, ACE would urge anyone who is thinking about it to visit the ACE website or call 0300 369 0556.