Wanted: 24 families to adopt children

POTENTIAL parents flocked from as far as Lancaster and Cheshire to get information on adopting youngsters in need of a loving home.

Oldham Adoption Service was one of the agencies taking part in the recent information day in Manchester in a bid to reach out to more people.

More than 60 people attended and were eager to find out more, making the most of the opportunity to chat to adoption workers and hear adopters’ experiences at first hand.

A special cake, bearing the words “Do something amazing — adopt a child…or 2 …or 3”, was provided to mark National Adoption Week and was enjoyed by all who attended.

The Oldham service is looking for 24 new families for children currently in its care and wants to attract people who may not have considered themselves to be eligible, such as single people, unmarried couples and people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

All are welcome as the service is seeking to find families for children who have to wait the longest, including groups of brothers and sisters who need to stay together, children with special needs and children from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Most of the children who need new families are over the age of four, but all have in common the need for a secure and stable family.

Across the North-West there are 604 children waiting for new families, including 323 single children, 216 sibling groups of two, 53 in groups of three and 12 in groups of four.

Oldham Council cabinet member for children, young people and families, Councillor Kay Knox, said: “We were delighted to welcome so many people to the event and sincerely hope that this will be the first step towards becoming an adoptive parent and making a real difference to the lives of some of the children who wait.”

Anyone who missed the event but would still like to find out more about adoption, can contact Oldham Adoption Service on 0161-770 6605. Alternatively, visit www.oldham.gov.uk/adoption.