A word from...... James Lawrence, Head of Communications & Engagement

Adoption and fostering change lives – both for the children and young people involved and the adoptive parents and foster carers. That’s why the transformation features heavily in this year’s LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week campaign. With podcasts and videos released throughout the week there’s plenty of material for you to devour, all featuring real-life stories from LGBTQ+ people in the UK.

New Family Social’s podcast – Adoption, Fostering & Tea – is a rich resource of stories from people across our community. From those taking their first steps along their adoption and fostering journeys to veteran adoptive parents and carers, there’s something there to inspire and reassure you.

If you’re worried that you’ll be the first LGBTQ+ person in your area to apply to adopt or foster, it’s understandable. But you won’t be the first. Government statistics show that in England in 2024, 1 in 5 adoptions were to people in same-gender relationships. In Wales and Northern Ireland it stood at 1 in 6. Scotland’s figures are collected and published slightly differently, but these show that 1 in 8 adoptions in 2023 in the country were to same-gender couples. Unfortunately there’s no comparable data for fostering – a situation that New Family Social has long campaigned for change on.

Once again this campaign we’re joined by adoption and foster care agencies from across the UK. All are keen to hear from LGBTQ+ potential applicants. While there’s some regional differences – some areas may stagger their adoption recruitment – no matter where you live there’s a consistent need for fostering applicants. In just a few months from your initial enquiry, you could be well on the road to profoundly changing your life in 2025.