The national adoption information service for England
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NEW RESEARCH SHOWS RELIGIOUS PEOPLE MOST LIKELY IN
ENGLAND TO ADOPT, BUT ARE HELD BACK BY ADOPTION
MYTHS SAY FIRST4ADOPTION AND HOME FOR GOOD
More than half (55% or over 2 million people) in England who say they are ‘certain’ or ‘very
likely’ to adopt a child describe themselves as ‘actively practising a religion’, according to
research* carried out on behalf of the Department for Education and published today by
national adoption information service First4Adoption. There are more than 4,600 children in
England currently waiting to be adopted and although the rate of adoptions has risen 15%**
recently, many more adopters are needed. However, many religious people don’t come
forward to adopt because of myths about who can adopt, claim First4Adoption and Home
for Good – a church-based campaign to promote adoption and fostering.
The new research has been published to mark the launch of a dedicated adoption
information line for faith communities on 0300 222 5950 by First4Adoption and Home for
Good, to coincide with the first ever National Adoption Sunday held in UK churches today.
The research shows that actively-religious people who are very likely to adopt are aware of
the emotional benefits that adoption brings to a child in need and that by adopting they are
giving something back to the community.
However, First4Adoption and Home for Good are concerned that many religiously-active
people are held back from adopting because they mistakenly believe that they are not able
to adopt. As well as many believing the common adoption myths about not being able to
adopt if you are over 40, single/unmarried, or already have children, actively-religious
people also often wrongly believe that their faith will prevent them being approved to adopt
say the two organisations.
Now, First4Adoption and Home for Good have joined forces to encourage more people from
faith communities to consider adopting. First4Adoption, on behalf of Home for Good, will
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provide a dedicated telephone information service for people from all faith communities to
speak to friendly advisors who can give them all the information they need about adopting.
Gemma Gordon-Johnson, Head of Service at First4Adoption, said she was delighted to be
working with partners Home for Good to encourage more people from faith communities to
come forward: “This Adoption Sunday, I urge people from all faith communities to consider
whether they could offer a loving home to the many children who need one and to give our
friendly advisors a call on 0300 222 5950 to find out more.”
Adoptive parent and foster carer Dr Krish Kandiah, a Director at the Evangelical Alliance and
one of the leaders of the Home for Good campaign, commented: “We are very pleased to
be working with First4Adoption, as it will provide those considering adoption with easy
access to essential information. Through our network of 15,000 churches we can offer a
fantastic route for finding and supporting adoptive parents. Working with First4Adoption
builds on the work we are already doing with adoption agencies to encourage more people
to consider adopting one of the many children who need a loving family.”
Other interesting research highlights from this group of actively-religious people who are
‘certain’ or ‘very likely’ to adopt are:
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the majority are men (52%)
one-third (33%) are aged 35-54 years, including one in ten (12%) aged 45-54 years
around two-thirds are married/in a civil partnership (61%) but 34% are single.
If you have a question about whether you can apply to adopt, or if you want to know where
to begin the adoption process, call the dedicated First4Adoption/Home for Good info line on
0300 222 5950 or visit www.first4Adoption.org.uk or www.homeforgood.org.uk
For media enquiries, please contact: Catherine Dowdney, Communications Advisor at
First4Adoption, on 07904 850 611 or catherine@First4Adoption.org.uk; or Home for Good
on 0207 520 3853 or t.ally@eauk.org
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Notes to Editors
*The research was conducted by Kindred and Work Research on behalf of the Department for Education. The
research findings are based on the responses given in an online survey of 4,948 adults aged 20-64 years old and
living in England that was carried out between 30th November and 5th December 2012, plus 18 in-depth, faceto-face interviews with adults aged 20-64 years old living in England that was carried out during November
2012. Respondents were drawn from a highly diverse sample pool including adults from all regions of England,
people from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds as well as people with differing relationship
statuses.
**Statistics published by the Department for Education in September 2013 show that adoption rates in England
have risen 15% (3,980 children were adopted between April 2012 and March 2013, up from 3,470 the previous
year). This is higher than in any year since 1992, when comparable records began.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption
First4Adoption
First4Adoption is the national adoption information service for anyone interested in adopting a child in
England. Callers to the service can speak to friendly trained advisors to get information about adopting a child from their suitability to apply to become an adoptive parent to how to begin the adoption process. The service
can also put callers in touch with adoption agencies in their area.
First4Adoption is run by the charities Coram Children's Legal Centre, Coram and Adoption UK. We are funded
and supported by the Department for Education. Our dedicated information line for faith communities on 0300
222 5950 and our general adoption information line on 0300 222 0022 are both open from 10am-6pm,
Monday-Friday or visit www.first4adoption.org.uk
Home for Good
Home for Good is a nationwide initiative, spearheaded by three well-respected mainstream Christian
organisations in the UK: Care for the Family (careforthefamily.org.uk), the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory
Service (ccpas.co.uk) and the Evangelical Alliance (eauk.org). Together they have a connection with
approximately 15,000 churches.
Adoption Sunday (3rd November 2013)
On 3 November, churches from Plymouth to Aberdeen, Ballymoney to Lowestoft will be taking part in the first
National Adoption Sunday. At the beginning of National Adoption Week, church-goers will be challenged to
consider if fostering and adoption might be for them. This year, Home for Good will present the current need
for more foster carers and adoptive families – particularly for hard-to-place children – to over 50,000 people in
churches, conferences and festivals. www.homeforgood.org.uk
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