Boroughs team-up to find adopters

2.58.19pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 23rd Jan 2007

Lib Dem Sutton Council has joined forces with Lib Dem Richmond Council's adoption team to urge residents to find out more about offering a permanent home to a young person.

Most children who are adopted need to make a fresh start away from the borough where they live. Therefore, adoption teams have to recruit people from outside the local area to be adoptive parents.

Tony Brett Young, lead councillor for children, young people and learning services at Sutton Council, said: "This is an excellent initiative and I welcome the partnership with Richmond Council. Adoption can be a fulfilling and thoroughly rewarding experience, and I would urge people to come along to the information evening to find out more about the service."

Richmond cabinet member for education and children's services, Cllr Malcolm Eady, said: "We are delighted to be teaming up with Sutton Council in an effort to recruit more adopters. We are both members of the South West London Adoption Consortium and work closely together to support adoptive parents.

"There are many myths surrounding adoption and the people who can apply to be assessed as prospective adoptive parents. Couples and individuals, with or without their own children, can come from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds.

"For many people, the idea of coming forward to adopt can be a daunting prospect. However, the Richmond and Sutton Adoption Teams are dedicated to making the process as easy as possible.

"We are holding an information evening for would-be adopters on Tuesday 6 February and I urge anyone who is interested to get in touch with Richmond Adoption Service to find out more."

For information about adoption in Sutton contact 020 8770 6672. For more information about adoption in Richmond upon Thames, or the information evening please call contact 0800 085 7072.