National service
#YouCanAdopt is a nationwide adopter recruitment campaign which aims to raise awareness of adoption and bust myths around who is eligible.
Siblings make up almost half of all adopted children
Having a brother or sister who has been there all along can help adopted children to feel safe, settle quickly into their new home and provides them with ongoing companionship, mutual leaning and emotional support throughout their lives.
We need adoptive parents who can offer permanent, loving homes for groups of brothers and sisters of varying sizes and ages, many of which have been waiting 18 months or longer to find a home.
Many of these children have been through difficult experiences and for some, have been the only constants in each other’s lives. Separating brothers and sisters because an adoptive family cannot be found, can cause further anxiety and loss for children who have already had a very difficult start in life.
Our priority will always be to find homes for children together, however for some children, finding homes separately may give them the best opportunity to form a relationship with their adoptive parents and recover from the impact of early maltreatment. In these circumstances, the building of brother and sister relationships will still remain a priority.
Adopted children can sometimes bring their own challenges so adopting a family group could feel daunting but there is support available. There is a range of adoption support services available including; support groups, training, workshops and more specialized therapy.
For many potential parents, the biggest worry about adopting more than one child together is that they don’t have a big enough house or enough money. You do have to seriously consider what this will mean for you as a family, but there is practical and possibly financial support available. Financial support may include:
We spoke with three sets of adoptive parents, to see how their families grew...
What made you decide to adopt a family group?
What are the practical challenges and support you received?
What advice do you have for those considering adopting brothers and sisters?