Could you Be the Change for a child waiting to be adopted this year?

At any one time, Buckinghamshire has more than 25 children waiting to be adopted. Unfortunately, some children wait longer than others to be adopted. We are especially looking for adopters for:

• Older children (aged 5 and over)
• Children with more complex needs
• Brothers and sisters
• Children from Black & Minority Ethnic backgrounds

Anita Cranmer, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “Our Be the Change campaign, which we are launching this month, asks those who may be contemplating adoption whether this is the year that they make it happen. With so many children in Buckinghamshire looking for a safe and loving home, we want to encourage those people to come forward and be the changing force in a child’s life.”

For those thinking about adoption, finding out more about the process and your suitability couldn’t be easier. Buckinghamshire’s unique Adoption Readiness Checker gives practical advice and creates a personalised plan to prepare people to take the next step in their adoption journey. For people who are considering adoption but are unsure of where to start, the checker acts as a quick way to learn more about the process, find out how they can prepare, and provides links to practical next steps.

Anita continued: “We need adopters for many of the children currently in our care, but we have a particular need for those who can enrich the cultural and ethnic heritage of the children they care for and support them as they grow. Children like Alisha and Aran (see case study below) want nothing more than a safe and happy home where they can grow up together feeling loved and secure.

“I would say to anyone who has thought about adopting in the past but hasn’t yet put their thoughts into action, get in touch with us today. Find out more about the children who are looking for homes and how the process works. Just by picking up the phone or logging onto our website you are already making a change that could transform a child’s life.”

For more information on adoption visit our Adoption site.

Alisha and Aran are aged eight and two. Sadly, the brother and sister were removed from their parents due to experiencing neglect.

Alisha is described as full of joy and brings happiness to those around her. She loves the outdoors and has a skill for football! Alisha also enjoys board games, reading and building Lego, as well as playing with her younger brother, Aran.

Aran is a bubbly little two-year-old boy who is always smiling and enjoys lots of cuddles. Aran enjoys going on the slide at the park and jumping in puddles. He enjoys music and will dance to songs!

Alisha and Aran are of Dual Heritage – their mother is White British and their father is British Pakistani. Their parents observe both celebrations of the Christian faith such as Easter and Christmas and the festivals of the Muslim faith, such as Eid and Ramadan. We are looking for adopters for Alisha and Aran who can meet the children’s religious and cultural needs and allow them the opportunity to explore these as they get older.

Alisha and Aran need adopters who can nurture them in a stable environment. Most importantly, we need adopters who can enable Alisha and Aran to continue living together as they grow up.