Big Adoption Day – Wednesday, January 15, 2025
In-person and online events to be held across the UK for potential adoptive parents to find out what’s involved
According to leading charity Adoption Matters, there are currently some 3,500 children in the UK waiting for adoption. There are many reasons why children are no longer able to live with their birth families or extended family. They need secure, safe and permanent homes.
Photo by Ben White
There are also reasons why some children wait longer to find an adoptive family than others. The charity reports that a child being more than four years-old, part of sibling group or having additional needs can all be factors. Data shows that, sadly, children from Black, Asian and other ethnic backgrounds can also wait longer in the system.
To tackle this, voluntary adoption agencies across the UK – including Adoption Matters – are taking part in the Big Adoption Day 2025. Events will be held in-person and online for potential adoptive parents to find out more what’s involved and about the positives of growing their families through adoption.
Many of these events are listed on the Consortium for Voluntary Adoption Agencies website. For example, CSS Adoption is hosting an in-person event between 6pm and 7.30pm in Bristol. The charity Coram is hosting an information session in London a few days later, on January 22, and is also working in partnership with the National Theatre – whose current production, Ballet Shoes, tells the story of three adopted sisters.
Another charity, PACT, is hosting in-person events at its offices in Brighton, Reading, London and Milton Keynes, as well as offering online sessions.
This year, Adoption Matters is hosting events online, open to anyone in the regions that the charity covers: the North West, North East, Yorkshire & the Humber, Stoke, Staffordshire, Shropshire and North Wales. The events will be hosted by experienced members of the charity’s enquiry team alongside a social worker.
These events involve a presentation on adoption and the charity’s work – which has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted – as well as a talk through the adoption process and ongoing support. There is also an opportunity for attendees to ask questions. Depending on the number of questions asked, each event lasts between an hour and 90 minutes.
- Register for an online adoption event on the Adoptive Matters website. Instructions for joining the session will be sent two to three days before the event.
Susy White, CEO of Adoption Matters, says: ‘We are proud to support another Big Adoption Day this year which will help raise awareness of adoption and the need for more people to consider starting or growing their family through adoption. This comes at a time when it’s needed the most – with over 3,580 children in England waiting right now for their own forever family.’
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