#YouCanAdopt: National campaign to find more adoptive families

On Wednesday 16 September, a new national adoption recruitment campaign launched to raise awareness of adoption and bust myths about who is eligible to adopt. The goal of the #YouCanAdopt campaign is to increase the number of people taking the first steps towards adopting children who cannot safely live with their birth families.

Many different kinds of parents and children begin a journey together through adoption: single people, LGBT+ people, people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds… The chances are, if you want to, #YouCanAdopt. In particular, agencies are keen to recruit more adopters from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, as children from these communities often wait longer to be adopted.

This national campaign is being delivered by voluntary adoption agencies, regional adoption agencies, and other organisations such as Adoption UK, all supported by the Department for Education. 

The campaign’s website is full of useful resources if you are thinking about adoption, including…

• 6 podcasts episodes about the experience of adopting, featuring real people’s voices and stories
• Videos which allow you to meet adopters and their children
• An agency finder tool which allows you to see and contact every adoption agency in your local area
• Information about the adoption process and the support you will receive
• Suggested reading and resources

Among the stars of the campaign are Tom and Jamie, who adopted with CVAA member Adoption Focus, and their sons. In this lovely video segment, they talk about their adoption experiences and how it was much less difficult to navigate than they had expected.

You can find out more about adoption in general on the #YouCanAdopt website, and about adopting with a VAA here on our website. We also have an extensive list of FAQs along with a handy VAA agency finder.

Our members know that you may be experiencing a huge range of emotions when you first contact them. Some people choose to research adoption extensively before picking up the phone; others would rather find out how it works for themselves. Either way, VAA staff will meet you where you are. They will help you to explore your feelings, dreams and expectations in preparation for your adoption journey. It’s important to find an agency you feel comfortable with, so you may need to speak to a few to find one that feels right.

To follow along with the campaign on social media, search #YouCanAdopt and #AdopterChoice. Here’s what some of our members have to say about the campaign:

Adoption Focus (Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, and Birmingham): New National Campaign – #YOUCANADOPT

Adoption Matters (North West and North East): You Can Adopt

Adoption UK (Support, community, and advocacy for adopters): The Happy Ever After Conundrum

ARC Adoption NE (North East): New #YouCanAdopt campaign launches to dispel the myths on adoption

Caritas Care (North West): New campaign launches to encourage people to consider Adoption

Coram (South East and London): Coram reports 24% rise in adoption enquiries despite the pandemic, but more families needed to meet demand

Diagrama (South East and London): Diagrama Adoption joins the new #YouCanAdopt campaign

Faith in Families (East Midlands): You Can Adopt

Families for Children (South West): New #YouCanAdopt campaign launches in the South West to dispel the myths of adoption

PACT (South East and London): PACT joins new #YouCanAdopt campaign

St Francis’ Children’s Society (Milton Keynes and surrounding areas): National #YouCanAdopt campaign launches