I made a decision which completely transformed my life in ways I never imagined
A woman from Merseyside said one single decision has completely transformed her world ‘in ways I never imagined’. Brittany said adopting her daughter is the best thing she’s ever done, and is speaking out about her experience to encourage more people to consider adoption, and provide a safe, loving home for children in need.
According to research compiled by ‘You Can Adopt’ there has been a decline in the number of people coming forward to adopt, with approximately 2,940 children in the UK, currently in need of a forever home. Adopters are required for all children, but the greatest need is for brother and sister groups, older children, those with additional needs and children from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Additionally, while over 83,000 children are in care overall in England, only a specific, smaller group has a plan for adoption, with a high need for families for older children, sibling groups, and children with disabilities.
Some of the obstacles to finding these homes, according to Adoption in Merseyside, are prevailing misconceptions around who is eligible to adopt, with an assumption that only ‘perfect’ people would be considered for roles as adoptive parents.
However, Adoption in Merseyside (AiM), the agency which helped support Brittany through the adoption process, are working hard to dispel misconceptions around adoption, and hope it will encourage more people like Brittany to become adopters.
Head of Service for AiM Judith Russ told the LDRS: “We pride ourselves on providing dedicated, ongoing support to adopters throughout their journey.
“Many people initially feel they may not be ‘suitable’ to adopt for a variety of reasons, but after speaking with us, they often realise this isn’t the case. There are many children waiting for their future families, each with different needs, but what matters most is that they are offered love, stability, and a safe home.
“We encourage anyone considering adoption to visit our website, learn more, and not rule themselves out before having a conversation with us.”
These sentiments were shared by Judith’s colleague, Roberta Micci who also wanted to dispel some myths associated with adoption, including those around the eligibility criteria. Roberta said: “We understand that the adoption process can feel daunting, and many people worry that they need to be ‘perfect’ to become adoptive parents, but that simply isn’t true.
“Our adoptive families come from all walks of life, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, single people, and those with physical or mental health conditions.”
When you speak to people like Brittany, the rewards of adoption are crystal clear, she said: “The training [provided by AiM] helped me truly understand the importance of birth family contact and how vital it is to keep my little girl’s story alive as she grows.
“My little girl has taught me so much about myself. She’s shown me that the small things don’t matter – what matters is that she feels safe, loved, and healthy.
“I can’t imagine life without her. Our little family is perfect, and watching her grow and develop is the most incredible thing.”
Brittany encourages anyone considering adoption to take that first step and find out more, adding: “Parenthood is challenging, but having a strong support network makes all the difference. Adoption has changed my life in ways I never imagined.”
The LDRS previously reported on the case of Natalia who was worried her mental health condition would be an obstacle to starting a family through adoption. She told us at the time: “I have bipolar disorder which I’m very open about and mentioned it during the process.
“I was a little worried about how my mental health condition would be perceived. But, I didn’t need to worry. Our social worker supported me and we were honest and open throughout.”
You Can Adopt is a nationwide adopter recruitment campaign supported by the Department for Education. On the subject of mental health, the campaign states: “Many people have short periods of stress, depression or anxiety in their lives and whilst there would need to be discussion about how this has been managed this is unlikely to prevent you adopting a child. Some people have longer term mental health conditions which are well controlled with medication.”
Commenting specifically on the support offered to parents and those looking to adopt, Roberta added: “AiM host monthly information sessions that explain the adoption process and the support available throughout the journey.
“These sessions also give you the opportunity to ask questions in a relaxed, welcoming environment. We encourage anyone who is curious about adoption to come along and find out more.”