Adoption for the over-fours

The theme for this year's National Adoption Week is 'too old at 4,' with the aim to highlight the need to find adoptive families for children from aged four and upwards. Cheshire East Council, in its partnership role with Four4Adoption, is backing this campaign.

Cheshire East Council Leader, Michael Jones said: "It is a sad fact that couples looking to adopt are more likely to adopt a very young infant, rather than be prepared to give a home to an older child. This means that many young children find themselves in long-term care and that is not a good thing.Our adoption service has been rated as 'Good' by Ofsted and having sufficient prospective adoptive families for children entering our care system, is key to our ongoing success."

Councillor Rachel Bailey, Cabinet member for children's services, said: "There will always be children and young people who, through no fault of their own cannot live with their birth parents. We want to place these children in a loving, permanent family home.

"We continue to seek out suitable couples not only for older children and sibling groups but also for children from an ethnic background and for those with additional needs."

Four4Adoption is a partnership body comprising Cheshire East Council, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford Councils.

Residents who may wish to find out more about adoption and how to become an adopter can contact the adoption team on 0300 123 3223 or by going to www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/adoption

You can also go to the Four4Adoption web site at www.four4adoption.co.uk

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