What I Wish Everyone Knew

Expert / 25 July, 2024 / Christina Walter

Children of all ages are in need of adoption across the country, but there’s been a worrying decline in the number of prospective parents coming forward to adopt – something experts believe may be linked to the cost-of-living crisis, as well as myths and misconceptions about the process.

We spoke to Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead for Adoption England, about what might be behind people’s worries about adopting, her advice for those thinking about growing their family, and how the new You Can Adopt campaign – The Journey – is helping to find forever homes for children in England.

Why is there a decline in adoption rates?

Firstly, more children are moving to live with their extended family if they cannot safely live with their birth parents so there are fewer children nationally being adopted – which is positive for children. However, more recently, there have been fewer adopters coming forward, with many people anecdotally citing the cost-of-living crisis.

Like any new parents, in the context of people feeling the squeeze, many prospective adopters worry about their ability to cope, and this affects their confidence to start the adoption process – with many now holding back or pausing until they have found the ‘perfect’ time and ‘right’ circumstances to start a family. However, for a child in need of a permanent home, the perfect time is now.

What is the Journey campaign about by You Can Adopt?

As part of my work for Adoption England, I have been supporting You Can Adopt and its new campaign, The Journey, which aims to inspire people to take the first step towards growing their family through adoption. This year, the focus of the campaign has been around the ‘journey’ to parenting and adoption – authentically highlighting the ups and downs of parenting to show that while the path may not always be smooth, the joys of being a parent and the rewards of giving a child a loving, stable home are unparalleled.

As part of the campaign, adopters from all walks of life have shared their own experiences in a short film, highlighting that like all family trips, adoption is an experience that’s full of adventure, challenges, chaos and conversation – and love.

Who can adopt?

A common question that we get across our regional and voluntary agencies is ‘Do you have to fit certain criteria to adopt’, and the answer is no. There are lots of misconceptions about who can adopt that may stop people from coming forward – for example, I still hear of people believing that those who are single, slightly older or people in same-sex relationships are not eligible to adopt, and this is absolutely not true.

You can be single, you can live in rented accommodation, you can have pets at home, you don’t need to own a car, you could be an empty nester – I could go on.

Adoption is open to everyone. In fact, the only three requirements to adopt are being at least 21 years old, habitually resident in the UK and having no specified serious criminal offences.

The most important thing is that you’re able to provide a loving, stable and permanent home for a child who may have already experienced much upheaval in their life and are open to learning and accessing support.

What are the other common misconceptions about adoption?

People often tell me that they worry they won’t be the ‘perfect’ candidate to adopt, citing issues from their own personal life that they worry will affect their application, but this couldn’t be further from the truth – and can sometimes even be beneficial to your case.

There is also a misconception that the adoption process takes years, which is not the case.

Becoming approved as an adopter typically takes around 6 months. So, starting that journey today, for example, by simply going to the You Can Adopt website to find an agency, could change your life completely by this time next year.

How has adoption changed over the years?

Modern adoption is completely different to the stereotypes, which often come from different eras. I’ve been working in adoption services for 35 years and have seen so many developments including the need to be open with children about their birth family and reasons they came to be adopted – enabling adopted people to form a positive sense of identity and belonging.

A lot of work has gone into making the process smoother for our families in recent years too.

There have been significant changes to legislation around the adoption process, including that becoming approved as an adopter should take just 6 months, and should include preparation, support and the availability of helpful resources. This really opened up the level of therapeutic, practical and financial support for adoptive parents, including the development of an adoption support fund and additional educational support for children with the pupil premium.

What does it cost to adopt?

Interestingly, another key question I often get asked is how much the process is going to cost. Like any parenting, raising a child does come with its expenses, but there are no charges made by the adoption agency throughout the process of becoming an approved domestic adopter in England. This is however different for international adoption.

What support is there for those who adopt?

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and it really does – people you speak to along your journey if it’s friends, colleagues or family members or other adopters you meet at support groups or adoption agencies, they become your village, your support network.

I’d also point out that advice, support groups, educational support in schools and therapeutic support can all be accessed through your adoption agency. In some circumstances, financial and housing support may be available.

What would you say to someone at the beginning of their adoption journey?

Many adopters say that just like all parenting – there is no ‘perfect’ time to start your adoption journey, mentioning they never felt truly prepared to be a parent, until their child made them one.

The key thing here is making the first step – do a little research, read or listen to stories from previous adopters, pick up the phone or just visit You Can Adopt’s website to find an agency. Once you’ve taken that first step, the journey that awaits you will be life-changing.

If you are interested in finding out more about adoption, visit youcanadopt.co.uk/thejourney.

Article written by Sarah Johal from Adoption England.

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