LGBT+ people urged not to rule themselves out of adoption

Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans communities are being invited to find out about adopting a child through One Adoption West Yorkshire.

The regional adoption agency is challenging the misconception that only heterosexual people can adopt, by supporting this year’s awareness-raising week (1-7 March), which is organised by national charity New Family Social.

It wants to remind LGBT+ people from across the region who are thinking about adopting as a way to build their family, that they should not rule themselves out and can find out more at an adoption information event which take place regularly online.

In fact, since its launch in 2017, one in five adoptions approved by the agency were to members of the LGBT+ community.

However, many people still think they wouldn’t be allowed to adopt because of their gender or sexuality.

This is why One Adoption West Yorkshire is urging people not to rule themselves out – there are lots of children in local authority care, whose lives could be transformed by an LGBT+ adopter.

‘Adoption is life changing for children,’ said head of agency at One Adoption West Yorkshire, Sarah Johal.

‘What matters is that you can offer love, stability and security for a child who may not have had the greatest start in life. We welcome applications from people of any sexuality, race or religion, married or single, who can open their hearts and their homes to children in our region.

‘We have put a lot of changes in place over the past year to make sure we can keep adoptions moving forward during the pandemic including moving all of our information events and training online, keeping face to face visits to a minimum and establishing COVID safe measures for any home visits.  This has meant we have been able to keep delays for children and adopters to a minimum.’

One Adoption West Yorkshire regularly hosts information events which are an opportunity for people to come along and talk to friendly professional staff and experienced adopters to find out more about adoption, the assessment process, the children One Adoption is currently looking for homes for and what it is like to adopt a child, from people who have already adopted.

The online events planned for March will take place on Saturday 6 March at 10am and Thursday 16 March at 6pm both via Zoom.

Anyone interested in finding out about adopting or to book a place on an information event can check out the One Adoption website www.oneadoption.co.uk or call the advice line on 0113 378 3535.

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