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  • 2 Dec 2020 10:35 | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Whether you’re starting out on your adoption or fostering journey, or are several years into it, you’re encouraged to be open and honest. You need a strong relationship with your agency and social worker. But what if you’re struggling with your mental health? At New Family Social we usually hear from our members as that situation escalates. Before we wrote about depression we wanted to know how it affects our LGBT+ members. So we asked them.

    Nearly two in three of our LGBT+ Gold and Silver members who responded – 62 per cent – reported symptoms of depression relating to their adoption or fostering journey. This may shock you. When we asked our Bronze members – who are usually starting the process, or in Stage 1 – this rose to 63 per cent. However, the assessment process alone requires you to submit to an exposing evaluation. A significant proportion of LGBT+ people expect their sexual orientation or gender identity to be a barrier in their assessment. This can take a high mental toll from the outset. Earlier this year, 1 in 3 of our members – who were currently family-finding – said their sexual orientation was a barrier at that stage. For those LGBT+ people who’ve parented or cared for looked-after children for years, the recent pandemic brought its own challenges. Vulnerable children often need stability and certainty. These are two factors in short supply in 2020. With those factors absent, a child’s need for support can spiral and place a high burden on their adoptive parent or foster carer.

    Nearly 2 in 10 – 19 per cent – of our LGBT+ Gold and Silver members report receiving a diagnosis of depression relating to their adoption or fostering journey. Why this is so much lower is unclear. It’s possible that LGBT+ people feel the need to continue and not seek help. Why admit a problem when you've passed each previous challenge in your adoption or fostering assessment? Some will effectively manage their signs of depression without help. However, the disparity between the number of LGBT+ adopters and foster carers experiencing symptoms of depression and the number who receive a diagnosis is notable. And may be a cause for concern.

    Seeking help isn't a sign of weakness. The fear that asking for support will negatively affect your assessment can't stop you from accessing support. Not seeking help because your agency is unresponsive will not resolve your situation. Stepping back from parenting if your partner seems closer to your child will only exacerbate the situation.

    Sometimes talking to other adopters or foster carers will help. Others in the same situation may bring a perspective you need. If your sexual orientation or gender identity is being treated as a barrier, then talking to other LGBT+ people can help. Your GP can help you access talking therapies or medication if those are what you need. Ultimately, your ability to meet the needs of your child is paramount. If your mental health suffers you should know you aren't alone. Help is available and your situation will improve. Whether you reach out to other LGBT+ adopters or foster carers, New Family Social or your agency you can manage your mental health better with their support.


    Further information:

    There's some useful information from the NHS online 

    Contact the Samaritans if you need to speak to someone urgently 

  • 9 Nov 2020 15:01 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    If you're LGBT+ in the UK, you can adopt or foster. In fact 1 in 7 adoptions in England in 2019 were to same-sex couples.

    You may not know where to find out more, particularly in these days of lockdowns and pandemic. New Family Social's online information sessions will help you understand the assessment and approval processes you'll go through if you take these journeys.

    To attend these webinars you just need to register for free as a Bronze member. Then, once you've logged in all the information on forthcoming seminars will appear in your 'Upcoming Events' list on the homepage.

    Our next introduction to adoption and fostering for LGBT+ people is on 11 November.


  • 2 Nov 2020 15:03 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    One man's spent a fortune fighting LGBT+ adoption.  Donate to support LGBT+ families now and we'll let him know how much he's helped us raise. Thanks Richard!

    Help us stick it to prejudice. The kind shouted out by those who oppose 1 in 7 adoptions in England being to same-sex couples.

    If you didn't hear this morning, it emerged today that a former magistrate, will head to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday 3 November. Richard Page was removed from the bench in 2016 after saying on television that it was better that children were adopted by a mother and a father than by same-sex couples.  

    All of his subsequent employment and appeal tribunals were rejected. But another's about to start. In the four years since his sacking Page and his well-funded supporters have consistently tried to undermine LGBT+ adopters. They argue it isn't homophobic to oppose same-sex couples adopting. After four years of legal wrangling that remains their message. 

    Help us send them one back. If you can spare £40 you can help us support an LGBT+ adopter or foster carer for a year. We'll provide them with advice, access to events and put them in touch with others who are successfully parenting.

    We'll also tell Richard Page and his supporters how much their dogged commitment to prejudice has raised for LGBT+ adoptive and foster families. That seems fair. Because sometimes it's good to stick your tongue out in the face of discrimination.

    Text THANKSDICK 10 to 70085 to donate £10. Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message. Or give through https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing


  • 7 Sep 2020 08:22 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    1 in 7 adoptions in England in 2019 were to same-sex couples. Record numbers of LGBT+ people now foster and adopt - and all of them will need additional support at some time. Adoption & Support Week for LGBT+ families is a new campaign - backed by the State of the System survey - to support these families, whether they are new parents or have parented for many years. Throughout the week  - which starts 7 September - New Family Social will highlight support for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers, share stories from LGBT+ people already parenting or caring and make recommendations for those agencies that support them.

    Read State of the System (2020):


    The summary - available to read without a membership

    The full report - exclusively for our Gold and Silver LGBT+ members and our Orange members, working for a member agency




    You can also see a dedicated webinar on State of the System on our YouTube channel



    Across the week:

    7 September - polling of our LGBT+ adopter members shows that in the last year 4 in 10 of those in England has their post adoption interventions and support funded by the Adoption Support Fund.


    8 September - 1 in 7 LGBT+ people currently in the adoption assessment process say their sexual orientation has been a barrier in their journey.


    9 September - 1 in 13 LGBT+ people who apply to adopt or foster are single.


    10 September - 1 in 4 LGBT+ adoptive parents asked their agency for support in the last three months.


    11 September - 7 in 10 LGBT+ adopters and foster carers know how many adoptions in England were to same-sex couples in 2019.


  • 20 Aug 2020 10:40 | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Deciding to foster or adopt is a big decision no matter when you make it.

    If you’re here, you’re considering if now’s the right time for you to foster or adopt.

    Becoming a parent or carer to an adopted or fostered child is a fulfilling experience. Not only do you get to meet a wonderful new person, you get to help them grow and develop. You can teach them to bake, ride a bike and reach their full potential.



    There’s been big changes over the years for prospective foster carers and adopters. The biggest recently is the coronavirus pandemic.

    During the pandemic, The Guardian reported a shortfall of 25,000 foster carers in 2021. One fifth of foster carers exit the system every year, leaving agencies scrambling for replacements. Projected numbers say there’ll be a significant deficit of carers by 2026.

    Lockdown also compromised child protection. Less interaction with different people lead to the breaking down of safeguarding. Children in the UK referred to fostering services increased by 37 per cent during that time. There’s a shortage of foster carers and increasingly difficult circumstances for looked-after children.



    Agencies – across the UK – always seek families who want to start the approval process. The need for more adoption and fostering applicants usually outnumbers the number of people who apply and receive approval. This means there’s always children who need carers. Our member agencies want LGBT+ people to come forward. They recognise the resilience and strength that LGBT+ people bring to caring and parenting.

    At New Family Social, we support a diverse range of people with all sorts of orientations and identities. We’re here to support you through the entirety of your adoption or fostering journey.

    During the pandemic, most agencies held online-only training. At the time of writing, applicants experience a combination of face-to-face and virtual events, depending on the agency they select.

    New Family Social offers face-to-face and virtual events across the UK. From chatty coffee mornings to informative intro webinars.

    Contact us if you identify as LGBT+ and:

    • You’re still deciding whether fostering or adoption is right for you
    • You’ve questions about the assessment process
    • You need any support if you’ve fostered or adopted children

    Find out even more and gain exclusive access to articles and events by joining us.


  • 15 Aug 2020 10:33 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Perhaps the hardest thing to do when considering building your family through adoption or fostering is making that first call.

    How will I be spoken to, will the agency want me, will they consider me because my gender or orientation is "this"?

    The fact is that all of our member agencies in NFS are actively looking for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers. There are children who need safe, loving and stable families waiting right now in the care system and you could be the adult that offers them a place in the world.

    The process to becoming approved to foster or adopt in the UK is thorough to ensure the child's safety and because of this the UK has one of the most open and diverse adoption and fostering systems in the world.

    The broad criteria to adopt/foster is as follows:

    • Over 21
    • Must have lived in the UK for at least a year before starting the application process
    • Must be a UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain
    • Your relationship status can be :
      • single
      • married
      • in a civil partnership
      • an unmarried couple
    Additional Considerations

    You can be cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, gender fluid, lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual or a combination of same. You might prefer other terminology/identities and as long as you are open your agency should be able to accommodate you.  You will need to comfortable about how you identify, as the assessment will cover your ability to provide for a child and part of that means that you should "happy in your own skin", as one of our agencies nicely put it.


    If you have recently (within the last year) been through a major event or change in your life (bereavement, relationship breakdown or relocation) then the agency will likely want you to have had a period of time to process and accommodate that change before starting or restarting the process.

    What you don't need to be or have :

    • you do not have to be a British citizen to adopt or foster a child
    • there is no upper age limit but the agencies will be looking to ensure that you can look after the child until they are at least 18 years old
    • you do not need to pay for adoptions or fostering 
    • you do not need to have a garden but access to outside space (park / playground)


    Pets

    It is a myth that if you have a pet then you won't be allowed to adopt or foster.  What you will need to be able to do is to demonstrate that the pet is safe to be around, well looked-after and child-friendly.

    We are trying to put your mind at rest that you will be welcomed at one of our member agencies. Some of our agencies won't have experienced every situation or orientation or gender-variance but should be willing to go through the journey with you.

    If you have a question or want a chat, just give us a call and we will try our best to help.

    IMPORTANT NFS FACT : We are a charity.  We get by on donations and member subscriptions. We are not financially rewarded or compensated by introducing an LGBT+ individual or couple to an agency, or when a member gets approved, or when a child or children are placed with a family. We do it to support our members in building their families and also the hope that more children find loving, happy homes to thrive in.


  • 28 Jul 2020 09:06 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    1 in 12 adoptions in Scotland in 2019 were to same-sex couples. Recently published data by National Records Scotland shows that 41 adoptions in the country took place to same-sex couples, out of 472 adoptions in total. The previous year there were 28 adoptions in Scotland to same-sex couples out of 471. This is both the highest number of adoptions to same-sex couples in Scotland on record and the best proportion of adoptions to LGBT+ people in Scotland on record.

    James Lawrence, New Family Social's Head of Communications & Engagement, said: 'It's fantastic news that both more LGBT+ people are stepping forward and successfully adopting and that adoption agencies in Scotland are seeking out the widest possible pool of potential parents. In every adoption the needs of the child are paramount and there's a proven track record across Scotland, England and Wales of LGBT+ people parenting through adoption and fostering.'

    New Family Social's members can log in to access more information and historical data

  • 22 Jul 2020 13:41 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    LGBT+ adopters and foster carers provide an invaluable resource, parenting some of our country’s most vulnerable children. A new campaign – Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ families – aims to provide more and better peer and agency assistance to those adopters and foster carers playing these key roles.

    The campaign will run from 14-18 September and is the first to specifically develop support for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers. It will exclusively target New Family Social’s LGBT+ adopter and foster carer members, with bespoke articles and information on the charity’s new website. It will be backed by a social media campaign and targeted advertising. The results of New Family Social’s LGBT+ members’ 2020 survey also form part of the campaign.

    James Lawrence, Head of Communications & Engagement at New Family Social, said: ‘LGBT+ adopters and foster carers need and deserve practical and easily available resources to help them parent in a range of scenarios. Adoption & Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ families will do just that, in a secure and confidential space. As 1 in 7 adoptions in England in 2019 were to same-sex couples, the need for enhanced, tailored support for LGBT+ people parenting looked-after children continues to grow.’

    The charity leading the campaign, New Family Social, is also responsible for the annual LGBT+ Adoption & Fostering Week that encourages more LGBT+ people to explore both parenting routes. Since that recruitment campaign’s inception the proportion of LGBT+ people adopting has consistently increased to its current record levels.


  • 20 Jul 2020 11:01 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    State of the system 2020 - New Family Social's research into the experiences of LGBT+ adopters and foster carers in the UK - is now open to members who have a Gold or Silver membership. 

    James Lawrence, Head of Communications and Engagement at the charity said: 'LGBT+ people now form a key pool of adopters and foster carers to care for our country's most vulnerable children. How the adoption and fostering assessment and support processes treat these crucial parents helps determine how successful these placements are. Our understanding of the system will also help agencies to continue and increase their recruitment of applicants who identify as lesbian, gay, bi or trans.'

    New Family Social's LGBT+ adopter and foster carer members  - who have a Gold or Silver membership - can take part in the survey by logging in to the site.

  • 8 Jul 2020 08:58 | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Welcoming the ruling against Cornerstone fostering agency, James Lawrence, New Family Social's Head of Communications and Engagement said: 'In every fostering case the needs of the child must be paramount.

    'This ruling reinforces that and allows foster carers to be sourced from the widest possible pool of potential parents.'




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