Today marks the launch of National Adoption Week 2021, which aims to educate and inform people on the process of modern adoption today, with a rounded, honest, and inclusive portrayal of the journey. Showcasing the highs and lows and champion all the voices involved in the process that are often less heard. These include adopted children, adopted adults, adoptive parents, birth parents, and the adoption and social care workforce who work tirelessly to get children into loving permanent homes.
National Adoption Week brings issues and voices to the forefront in short films by illustrator and adoptive parent, Garry Parsons. The animated films features the life stories and real voices of six people who have had their lives changed by adoption – birth mother Anna*, single mum and adopter Sarah*, social worker Paula, 11-year-old Roman who was adopted age five, 19-year-old Tiegan who was adopted age four, and Sue who supported her daughter through the adoption process.
Watch Sarah’s story here:
Tiegan, age 19, who features in the short film below said: “Being adopted has been an incredibly positive experience for me. I love my adoptive mums and I have good relationships with many birth relatives, but it is important people don’t look at adoption with rose tinted glasses. Growing up would have been much easier for me if people had a better understanding of adoption and how this shaped me as a person.”
Howard Lovelady, head of One Adoption North and Humber said: “National Adoption Week is not only a chance to celebrate adoption and hear the voices of all those involved, including the wonderful work of our adoption teams across the region; it is also an opportunity to highlight adoption as an option for some of our most vulnerable children and support anyone considering adoption as a pathway to creating a family.
“We are always particularly keen to hear from people who could offer a safe and loving home to a group of brothers and sisters, a child with additional health needs or an older child, like Roman who features in this year’s film, who was adopted at five years old.”
In 2020/21, 186 people became adopters in 100 families in the North and Humber region.
A series of events offering insight, advice, and support to adopted adults, adopters, birth families and adoption professionals will be taking place from 18 October. To find out more about National Adoption Week, watch all six videos or to seek information or support, visit www.youcanadopt.co.uk/NAW
