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“Can anybody find me somebody to love?” |
There are many children in Northamptonshire waiting to be Adopted or in Foster care. A large number of these children are from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. We currently have 60 Black and Minority Ethnic children in Foster care and only 17 Black or Minority Ethnic carers. We desperately need more carers who can offer these children either Emergency, Short term or Permanent Foster Homes.
Children from these backgrounds who need an adoptive family are usually having to wait three times longer than white children. This is because not enough of the people they need are coming forward to Foster or Adopt.
These children need the same love, security, care and commitment as any other – but importantly for them, they also need the right cultural and ethnic background to settle and feel a true sense of belonging.
“I want a mummy or daddy that looks like me, has my colour. So people will think they are my real mummy and daddy. And they will love me more cause I will look like them. And they will look like me. And I will love them and be quiet and a good girl. And nobody will know that they didn’t have me from the start...”
Sophie, aged 6
“Sometimes people say horrible things to me at school about the colour of my skin and my hair. It’s really hard, because I’m the only one in my class. It makes me feel bad about myself and alone…I would like to be in a family that knows what it feels like to be like me. Then I wouldn’t feel alone anymore.”
Tyler, aged 9
These children need you.
Our ‘Somebody To Love’ campaign is dedicated to finding foster carers and adoptive parents for Black and Minority Ethnic children. Adoption or Fostering are both challenging and rewarding. You will be giving a child or young person the opportunity to truly belong and be part of a stable family life.
You will have the pleasure of seeing them develop confidence in themselves – giving them the best possible start in life. Most importantly, you will be giving them somebody to love.
- Do you run a local interest or support group looking for guest speakers?
- Could we come to your local congregation and talk to you about the children and young people who are waiting?
- Does your organisation hold an annual fete, open day or event that we could be part of?
To be successful with our ‘Somebody to Love’ campaign – we need the help of the black and minority ethnic communities across Northamptonshire. So, if you can say yes to any of the above – please contact Rachael Hanna - Recruitment and Training Officer, Fostering and Adoption, on 01604 237172 or email her at rhanna@northamptonshire.gov.uk
We hope that with everyone’s help, we can start to make a difference to these children and find them ‘somebody to love’.
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