A man sat on a train with his adoptive daughter.

Adoption East Midlands and Nottinghamshire County Council are proud to support the nationwide campaign #NationalAdoptionWeek.

To mark National Adoption Week, a new film from You Can Adopt features adoptive families on board a train, reflecting on their journeys and the people who’ve been there along the way.

The campaign shows adopters that they are not alone by highlighting the ‘village’ that makes every journey unique - from social workers and foster carers, to birth families and grandparents. 

New adoption data shows there has been a 22% increase in the number of children with a plan for adoption not yet matched with an adoptive family, alongside a fall in the number of adopters coming forward. 

Each year, Adoption East Midlands needs to find permanent homes for approximately 150 children. If you, or someone you know, is thinking about adopting, enquiring with Adoption East Midlands’ dedicated team is the first step to what could be a life-changing journey.

For anyone considering growing their family, Adoption East Midlands has professional adoption support teams who can offer a wide range of support throughout the child’s journey through to adulthood and after.

Laura and Becky, a couple from the LGBT community, who have adopted children through Adoption East Midlands, spoke about their experience and said: “We’ve had a lot of support from Adoption East Midlands and used a variety of the resources they offer, including child psychologists and sensory occupational therapists. All the referrals and appointments were also made very quickly, and we didn’t have to wait very long at all.

“Sometimes adoption can feel quite daunting and complicated, but Adoption East Midlands guides you through it, step-by-step and at your own pace. They make it feel possible for anybody and really do tailor the support to your needs, whatever the circumstances are”.

Shelagh Mitchell, Group Manager at Adoption East Midlands, said: “Adoption East Midlands is once again very proud to be supporting National Adoption Week, to help shine a light on adoption journeys and the important people who help along the way.

“No two adoption journeys are ever the same and, here at Adoption East Midlands, our dedicated team of social workers and family workers are committed to ensuring families receive the tailored support they need.

“It’s true - there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family and the new adoption data supports this. If you can provide a loving and stable home for a child, you can adopt.

“Please do get in touch or attend one of our upcoming information events and start your journey with Adoption East Midlands today. Our friendly team are more than happy to help and answer any questions that you may have. We would love to hear from you”.

Nottinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Councillor Tracey Taylor, said: “Raising the profile of modern adoption and the different journeys there are, this National Adoption Week, is crucial to helping find permanent loving homes for the increasing number of children in need of them.

“If you are considering growing your family through adoption, I would encourage you to get in touch with the Adoption East Midlands team or attend their next information event for an informal chat and to answer any questions you may have about beginning this life-changing journey”.

If you wish to consider adopting, call 0115 804 4567 or visit adoptioneastmidlands.org.uk 

Or join our upcoming online information event on Wednesday 13 November from 6pm- 8pm. All future event details can be found on our events page.