Adoption: think carefully

Dear en,

The article ‘God’s heart for adoption’ by Dave Stone (February en) was both useful and encouraging. It contained good practical advice rooted in biblical truth and there should be more in our churches like Dave Stone and his wife who have taken the courageous decision to adopt. However, it is not the only way churches can be usefully involved with supporting vulnerable children.

It is correct that there is a shortage of potential adopters, particularly for children with more complex needs. But adoption is simply not an option for many children that are removed from their birth families. For example, adoption is not a viable option for a teenager, or it may be judged that a large sibling group be kept together and, due to the range of ages, adoption may not be suitable in those cases.

The article pointed out that those in care are vulnerable, but for many children and young people there is no other choice for professionals and judges to make. The demands on the system are huge, with a shortage of around 7,600 foster carers in the UK. Christians should therefore seriously consider becoming foster carers, for we have a real opportunity to provide much-needed stable and loving homes within the care system.

It is vital to note that removing children from a birth family is a final option and the orders available to the Family Courts are some of the most draconian in British law. The process of care proceedings is incredibly invasive and traumatic. Social workers and courts will always prefer to try and keep a child with their birth families if that is a safe option – but that is becoming more and more difficult.

One of the reasons that the demands at the sharp end of the system are so huge is the lack of effective early intervention. Sadly, Local Authorities are being made to choose between providing statutory services to their most vulnerable and at-risk children, and funding things like children centres and parenting courses. This means that families where early intervention may have been effective are allowed to get to the stage where more intrusive means of protecting the children are needed.

Churches could seek to liaise with their Local Authorities to see if they can better support vulnerable families in their neighbourhoods. As individuals there are many ways we can support vulnerable children – there may be a mentoring scheme or youth club in your area where you can befriend a child or young person. There is no shortage of ways in which we can extend love and hope to some of the most oppressed and marginalised people in our society and God’s Word clearly instructs his people to do this.

Yours sincerely,