Are you Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender & Would Like to Adopt or Foster?

Posted on 6th March 2015 by Zoe

LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week 2015

This week (March 2nd – 8th) celebrates LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Adoption and Fostering Week. The week long campaign was pioneered by New Family Social (a group set up by LGBT carers) in order to raise awareness and understanding of LGBT families and to demonstrate the diversity of people who can and do foster. Zoe O’Donohoe, Lorimer Marketing Manager, states “It is a well supported campaign providing much needed platforms with which people from the LGBT community can talk about their experiences as foster carers with a clear objective to dispel the fears and misconceptions people may have surrounding the subject of fostering as LGBT carers”.

 

A Step in the Right Direction

Massive in-roads have been made already to drag the care system into the 21st century. Until 2005, those recognising themselves as LGBT could only foster or adopt as single individuals. The Adoption and Children Act which was implemented in 2005 has now given LGBT couples the same legal rights as straight adoptive/foster parents.

Although there have been huge steps forward, there are still children and young people waiting for the right family to come forward to provide them with a safe, secure, comforting home. LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week aims to support and inspire potential carers to come forward irrelevant of their sexual orientation.

Last year, Srabani Sen,chief executive of the British Association of Adoption and Fostering wrote:

“With over 90,000 children in care across the UK; there has never been a greater need for more adopters and foster carers… members of the LGBT community make fantastic parents, helping children to flourish. Hopefully this campaign will inspire people to give a vulnerable child or children a safe, secure and loving home.”

Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson – who grew up with over 80 fostered brothers and sisters, including two adopted brothers supports LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week, adding:

“We still need more people from all walks to come forward and adopt…Having grown up with over 80 fostered brothers and sisters, I know that what matters in adoptive and foster parenting is not what type of people they are but their ability to open up their hearts and their homes to children in need – whether straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.”

 

If you would like to find out more about becoming a foster carer with Lorimer then we would love to hear from you. You can submit your details on the form at the top right of this page and we will call you back or alternatively contact us on (freephone) 0800 038 7799