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  • 11 Nov 2021 15:17 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    As part of Fyne Times' Diversity Issue, New Family Social was invited to pen a double paged-spread on legal and social progress for LGBT+ equality over the past twenty years.

    Read the piece online



  • 22 Oct 2021 09:24 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Across England there's a huge shortfall of parent and child foster carers with Kent based charity Diagrama currently receiving twice as many referrals as two years ago

    The charity is concerned that with the number of referrals for parent and child foster placements at an unprecedented level, it urgently needs to fill this shortfall by finding and training new carers for this rewarding role.

    Parent and child fostering provides a helping hand to vulnerable parents to develop and learn the key skills needed to raise their child. A parent and child foster placement is provided for mothers and or fathers who are unable to look after their child or children by themselves. The parent or parents and their child or children move in with their appointed parent and child foster carer to gain the practical skills and support needed to help them develop their childcare skills.

    In some cases where there are serious concerns regarding either the parenting of the child or the parent's ability to safeguard the child, and our foster carers can provide them with the practical skills and support needed to help them develop their childcare skills.

    The age of the parents and children can vary, and they may need placements for various reasons including domestic abuse, trauma, or substance misuse. Families may be in the court system and the parent and child foster carer will contribute to the assessment of the family through written daily notes.

    Margaret Gardiner from Diagrama, said, 'Parent and child placements are varied and are often not a straight teaching or assessment placement but a mixture of both. The Diagrama team recognises the complexity and diversity of this type of placement and know the importance of recruiting skilled and experienced professionals as parent and child foster carers. You can be assured that the team will give you expert support throughout every stage of your fostering care. We're currently experiencing a twofold increase in demand and are very interested in talking with previous foster carers, social workers, teachers, midwives, police officers and health officers who are particularly well-suited and may have the skills we need for parent and child fostering.'

    If you're interested in learning more about parent and child fostering, visit the Diagrama website. 


  • 20 Oct 2021 15:07 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    What experiences are approved adopters having with regional adoption agencies? A new report published today - 20 October - by the Department for Education makes interesting reading.

    Read the report online

  • 18 Oct 2021 15:55 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    To mark National Adoption Week in the UK  - 18-24 October - New Family Social will hold an introductory webinar to adoption for LGBT+ potential applicants.

    The webinar - on 20 October - is free to attend and LGBT+ people can book onto it via the website




  • 24 Sep 2021 05:50 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Following public nominations and a judging panel Adoption Matters and Caritas Care today (24 September) receive commended agency status for 2021 by New Family Social’s LGBT+ adopter and foster carer members. The announcement comes at the close of the charity’s Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ parents.

    Some 130 nominations and testimonials for agencies and social workers were received from LGBT+ people at different stages of the adoption and fostering process.

    The two commended agencies received the highest numbers of nominations and the most compelling evidence from LGBT+ adopters and foster carers.

    Armed forces charity SSAFA was awarded a Rising Star commendation. This was in recognition of powerful feedback from LGBT+ families who adopted with its support.

    Adoption NoW’s Elaine Baxter receives the ‘Above & Beyond Social Worker 2021’ commendation. Tesni Toulliou from Adopt London South is the 2021 ‘Making A Real Difference Social Worker’. CCS Adoption’s Andrea M receives the ‘Social Worker Allyship Commendation 2021’.

    Tor Docherty, chief executive of New Family Social said: ‘Record numbers of LGBT+ people now adopt and foster in the UK. Selecting the right agency to go on your parenting journey is key for any LGBT+ potential applicant. We’re thrilled that so many LGBT+ people shared praise for a broad range of agencies and social workers. If you’re LGBT+ and considering adoption or fostering the experiences of others in your position will hopefully help inform your choices.’


    New Family Social members’ commended agency 2021 – Adoption Matters

    Norman Goodwin, CBE, Adoption Matters Chief Executive said: ‘We’re honoured to be a New Family Social Commended Agency, especially as we were nominated by our own families. Vulnerable children need families who are resilient, empathic and who’ll advocate for them at every stage in their lives .Our experience has shown us that our LGBT+ families have these qualities in abundance.’

    New Family Social’s nominating members said: ‘[Adoption Matters is] so child centred, very supportive and really really had our back through complications’


    New Family Social members’ commended agency 2021 – Caritas Care

    Susan Swarbrick, CEO at Caritas Care said: ‘We’re so pleased and continue to give out our message that EVERYONE is welcome at Caritas Care. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive charity and have LGBT+ Social Workers within our teams. We ensure that each team member has undertaken training on all aspects of their work and promotes equal opportunities at all times for everyone we work with.’

    New Family Social’s nominating members said: ‘[Caritas Care] should be marked as the Gold standard for other agencies.’


    New Family Social members’ ‘Rising Star’ Agency commendation 2021 - SSAFA

    Jill Farrelly, Head of Adoption at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said: ‘SSAFA champions equality and diversity, with our adoption service welcoming applications from the whole of the serving military community. The team’s Social Workers and Adoption Panel members have specialist training in LGBT+ adoption. We’re very proud of our record in recruiting and supporting LGBT+ adopters with over 40 per cent of our approvals being same sex couples in 2020.’

    New Family Social’s nominating members praised SSAFA for ‘[its] ongoing openness to learn and improve around sexual orientation, gender identity and promoting inclusivity’


    New Family Social members’ ‘Above & Beyond Social Worker 2021’ – Elaine Baxter, Adoption NoW

    Watch Elaine Baxter’s acceptance speech on YouTube 

    New Family Social’s nominating members said: ’[Elaine] stayed with us until our next social worker was identified and kept in contact throughout. Even now she still checks in’


    New Family Social members’ ‘Making a Difference Social Worker 2021’ – Tesni Tolliou, Adopt London South

    Tesni Tolliou from Adopt London said: ‘I’m very honoured and humbled at being selected for just doing the job that I love. To be someone that our families can turn to and rely on is a real privilege.’

    New Family Social’s nominating members said: ‘[Tesni] really 'gets' us and understands our kids and what they need. She’s super efficient at researching, applying for and arranging the support we’re looking for. We feel really lucky to have her as our allocated contact for post adoption support.’


    New Family Social members’ ‘Allyship Award 2021’ – Andrea M, CCS Adoption

    Speaking of receiving the Allyship Award Commendation, Andrea M said: ‘I’m hugely thankful to have been recognised in this way. It’s a real privilege to do the work that I do and for families to allow me to be alongside them in such life changing times. I continue to be in awe of the families I work with, their strength and resilience, in particular in the last 18 months and hope to continue to be part of their world for many years to come”.

    New Family Social’s nominating members said: ‘[Andrea] values the differences we bring as a same-sex couple, and the specific experiences we had that would help us support our son through relatable struggles (dealing with prejudice, proactive and positive advocacy, anticipating barriers to equity).’


    For more information visit

    Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ parents 



  • 31 Aug 2021 10:09 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ parents will return from 20 September, 2021. The campaign is led by New Family Social, the UK's charity for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers.

    James Lawrence, New Family Social's Head of Communications & Engagement said: 'Adoption and fostering are both parenting journeys. Every parent needs support at some point, but LGBT+ adopters and foster carers can face unique challenges. This campaign will focus on education and contact - two of the most frequently raised issues by our LGBT+ adopter and foster carer members.'

    The campaign will include specifically curated content for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers, the results of New Family Social's annual poll of its members and support from adoption and fostering agencies across the UK.


    Among those agencies we know that'll take part in 2021....

    If you're LGBT+ and considering going on your adoption or fostering journey with an agency not on the list below, you may want to ask it why it's not backing a campaign about supporting LGBT+ adopters or foster carers. All of the agencies listed offer dedicated support to their LGBT+ adopters and foster carers through their membership of New Family Social.

    Adopt Coast to Coast RAA 

    Adoption Counts

    Adopt South RAA

    Adopt South West

    Adopt Thames Valley 

    Adopters for Adoption

    Adoption Central England RAA (ACE) 

    Adoption Focus 

    Adoption in Merseyside

    Adoption Matters 

    Adoption Mid & West Wales

    Adoption Now 

    Adoption South East 

    Adoption Tees Valley RAA 

    Adoption Wes

    Adoption@Heart

    Adoptionplus 

    Alpha Plus Fostering 

    Arc Adoption NE 

    Barnardo's

    Birmingham Children's Trust

    Bradford City Metropolitan District Council Fostering

    Brighton & Hove City Council Fostering

    Buckinghamshire Council

    Cambridgeshire Council 

    Caritas Care

    CCS Adoption

    Central Bedfordshire Council 

    Childcare Bureau Worcester 

    Compass Fostering

    Cornwall Adoption Agency

    Devon Council Fostering

    Diagrama Adoption

    Family Adoption Links

    Family Futures 

    Leicester City Council Fostering

    Leicestershire Council Adoption

    Lincolnshire County Council

    London Borough of Camden Fostering Team

    London Borough of Southwark Fostering Team

    National Fostering Group

    Northamptonshire Children’s Trust

    One Adoption North & Humber RAA 

    PACT

    Scottish Adoption

    Southampton City Council Fostering

    St Francis' Children's Society

    Surrey County Council  Fostering

    Together for Adoption

    Vale, Valleys & Cardiff Regional Adoption Collaborative 

    Western Bay Adoption Service 

    Yorkshire Adoption Agency





    Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ parents - campaign page 

    Read about the 2020 campaign


    https://www.fosteringindevon.org.uk/
  • 26 Jul 2021 15:30 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The government today published a new strategy for adoption services across England.

    Read online


  • 21 Jul 2021 09:15 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The government today published the national strategy for autistic children, young people and adults - 2021 to 2026.

    Read it online

  • 18 Jun 2021 09:21 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    It seems fitting this month, to alert you all to the new pop-up Virgin Radio station, Pride UK. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT+) station broadcasts a mixture of music and LGBT+ relevant programmes. It'll run right over the summer, from now until late September. It airs pieces often close to us. It'll discuss trans-equality, gay adoption, and being bisexual in 2021. There's content for our wider friendship network too. The station aims to help families understand issues affecting LGBT+ people.

    The diverse programming includes music, documentaries and interviews. It was developed to raise awareness and reduce social inequality. LBGT+ hosts and guests will create on-air spaces to discuss issues faced by LGBT+ people.

    The station's collaborating with Pride events right across the UK. Programmes will cover live events where possible, and virtual events too. This helps us all to support and enjoy these events. Childcare responsibilities or covid restrictions won't be a barrier to the station.

    There are lots of ways you can listen in:

    · You can listen online 

    · You can listen on the Virgin Radio App, which is free to download

    · You can ask Alexa or Google Home device to 'play Virgin Radio Pride UK'

    There's also permanent LGBT+ stations you can check out, like Gaydio UK. They play lots of music and also have podcasts. These podcasts cover topics including fostering and an interview with same-sex adopters. Yvonne and Natalia discuss their adoption approval and matching process as they await the arrival of their children.

    · You can listen to the station live at gaydio.co.uk

    · You can catch up on its podcasting online 

    We all know how important self-care is. It can be to difficult achieve at times. ‘Attending’ a Pride event - listening to an article -can form part of your self-care for the day. Allow yourself five minutes out of your busy day to listen, laugh, and relax.

    However you and your family choose to celebrate, have a happy Pride month.

  • 19 May 2021 11:05 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The Fostering Network wants the whole fostering community, from foster carers to fostering services and care experienced children and young people, from fundraisers to campaigners, and everyone in between who cares about the lives of children in care to step up and tell the world #WhyWeCare.

    Charity Diagrama is delighted to be part of Foster Care Fortnight. It is encouraging people who may like to explore the idea of fostering to think about contacting them to find out more about this rewarding career.

    Margaret Gardiner, Fostering and Adoption Team Manager, Diagrama, said:

    'One of the side effects of the pandemic is that Diagrama is receiving more referrals than ever for children needing safe and secure placements. We need to increase the number of children we can support and are looking to train new foster carers across London and the south east to help with this demand. If you are interested in finding out if fostering might be the right career choice for you, please do contact us or sign up for an online information event.'

    Find out if fostering might be the career for you, at a Diagrama online information event.



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