Local Adoption charity opens its doors in Somerset to urge potential adopters to come forward

Family-for-children-logoSpecialist adoption agency and charity Families for Children are pleased to announce the opening of their new adoption service based in Somerset.

Families for Children’s Somerset office will be opening next Tuesday 28th April in Taunton. The charity has been working across Devon, Cornwall and Dorset for over 20 years and have now expanded their services into Somerset for the first time. It is hoped that by having an office based locally in Taunton they will be able to provide support for new adopters from the area at a very local level.

The charity have stated they are particularly looking for those who may consider adopting a sibling group, older child or a child with disabilities.

The service is being headed up by new Adoption Practice Manager, Jakki Parsons, who along with her team of social workers hope that having a local office will ensure the charity’s vital work both in placing vulnerable children with new adoptive families in Somerset and their adoption support continues.

Jakki, who has over 15 years’ experience in adoption, says “I am pleased to have joined Families for Children to head up their new office in Somerset. I feel it is essential that we can offer both our assessment and adoption support services on the doorstep and that we become part of the community.

We have been approving and supporting adopters from the Westcountry for over 20 years from our offices in Devon and Dorset so the move to Taunton will enable us to offer a more localised, specialist service including information events and training for any potential adopters from Somerset more frequently.

As a specialist adoption agency and charity we like to develop personal relationships both with adopters and supporters that last a lifetime and hope we can emanate the success we have had elsewhere in the region here in Somerset.”

The move into Somerset has been part funded by a Government expansion grant for voluntary adoption agencies and also from charitable legacies left to the charity last year.

Every year Families for Children has to raise over £300,000 to maintain their adoption support services. This money is used to be able to support all the children who they place from all over the UK with families in Devon, Dorset Cornwall and Somerset.

Without these funds the agency simply would not exist and these children would face a lengthy wait in Local Authority care. Families for Children pride themselves and specialise in being able to offer adoption support services for as long as it is needed. The children they place are often very vulnerable and have experienced extreme trauma in their early lives.

Katey McDonald, Families for Children says; “We hope that the new centre in Taunton will help raise local awareness and dispel some of the myths surrounding adoption and encourage families to come forward. Families for Children are also keen to let people know that they do have a choice when considering adoption with both the Local Authority and Families for Children operating locally.

Whist the adoption process is broadly similar in both organisations, Families for Children have an excellent adoption support team that can support and advise the family and child for the rest of their lives, if needs be.

The agency can’t stress enough that we are specialists in adoption and we have a team of dedicated and committed social workers to guide potential adopters through the assessment process, matching with a child and on adoption support should it be required.”

Families for Children will be holding their first information morning from their new offices on Saturday 2nd May from 10am to 12 noon.

To find out more or to book an appointment please phone 01278 227027 or visit www.familiesforchildren.org.uk