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Better for babies and young children

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Lancashire County Council is asking people to think about growing their family through adoption.

A special event will be held at County Hall to help people find out about adoption and the process involved.

The information evening will be held on Wednesday 16 November at County Hall, on Fishergate, Preston, from 6pm to 7:30pm. There’s no need to book – you can just turn up, but early arrival is recommended so that the presentation can start promptly. People attending the information evening are also asked to stay for the whole session.

Free parking is available on the Arthur Street car park, next to County Hall. The Pitt Street entrance is accessible for disabled visitors.

The council is focussing on two different types of adoption, so that more babies and young children can go to live with their permanent family quicker.

Concurrent Placements place babies and young children, aged up to two, with foster carers who may go on to give them a permanent home.

The Fostering-for-Adoption scheme is for children where there is no realistic prospect of a return to their birth family.

County Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said: “We’re looking for people from all backgrounds to offer a permanent home and family to children who are not able to live with their birth family.

“What matters to us are your personal qualities and that you are able to provide a loving home where you can support and look after a child throughout their childhood and beyond.

“More children in Lancashire are benefiting from an earlier start in life with their adoptive families thanks to these programmes.

“Sometimes babies come into our care at birth or soon after, and they’re looked after by foster carers, while we work with their parents to see if they can go home.

“If this isn’t possible, the court process can take many months, and after that the baby usually has to move again, to their adoptive parents.”

Concurrent Placements place a baby or child straight away with their prospective adopters, who are also approved as foster carers, while the birth family is assessed and the court makes a decision.

Councillor Tomlinson said: “Concurrent placements mean that there’s a degree of uncertainty for the adopters, because there is always a chance the child might go home.

“If the adults can take on this uncertainty, the baby will have the chance of a more secure start in life. If they are adopted, they’ll have been with their adoptive family for much longer.”

Foster-for-Adoption carers are approved as temporary foster carers, but are prepared to adopt the child – if it is eventually decided that they can’t return to their birth family.

These Fostering-for-Adoption arrangements can give children continuous care in the home that they may settle in permanently, rather than spending months with other foster carers first. They also give the added benefit of allowing them to bond with their new family at an earlier age.

Fostering-for-Adoption has been encouraged by the government over the last two years, across the country, as part of reforms to speed up the adoption process.

Seven children adopted in Lancashire over the past year (April 2015 to March 2016) were placed successfully under the Concurrent Placements scheme, and six through Fostering-for-Adoption scheme.

To adopt, you must be over 21 and live in Lancashire or close by, whatever your race, gender, sexuality, living arrangements, age or employment status.

More information about the information evening and the adoption process is available online at www.lancashire.gov.uk/adoption or call the adoption team for an informal chat on 0800 195 1183.

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