Thirty-eight Easter eggs, and Peter Rabbit, will be hopping along to the County Hall in Kendal this Friday (14 March) to highlight the need for more adoptive parents in the county.
Each of the 38 eggs represents a child in Cumbria who is in need of adoptive parents.
Current adopters will be joining county council adoption staff and Jim Buchanan, Cabinet Member for Children's Wellbeing, for a special Easter lunch - from 1.30pm onwards - to promote the need for more people to adopt.
They will be on hand to answer questions about what it is like to adopt, and have information about what's involved in becoming an adoptive parent.
Adopting a child can be very challenging, but also very rewarding.
Joanna is one of Cumbria's current adoptive parents. She said:
"Adoption has touched and enriched my life, far beyond anything that I was prepared for.
"At times the road is bumpy BUT I have no regrets and feel that the path to adoption was the right one to right to follow.
"Our little one needed a new family, and we are very proud and honoured to be that family."
Jim Buchanan, Cabinet member for Children's Wellbeing, said:
"We really appreciate the contribution that our adoptive parents make - not just by providing a home for some of our most vulnerable children and young people, but by providing a much needed service for the council, and in their own communities.
"To anyone who is even slightly thinking about adopting, I would say this: ask lots of questions, find out what's involved, talk to the council's adoption team and current carers, let them explain more about it, and take your time to think about it."
Jayne Ivory is the county council's Adoption Team Manager for Recruitment and Assessment:
"There's no such thing as a 'typical adopter'.
"Cumbria welcomes people from a variety of differen background, experiences and circumstances. We need people who are able to offer a genuine, lifelong commitment to children."
SOME 'MYTHS' ABOUT ADOPTION EXPLAINED:
Do I need to own my house?
What's more important is that you an provide enough space to accommodate a child or children in your home and that you are settled where you live, whether your house is owned or rented.
Am I too old?
The minimum age to adopt a child is 21; although there are no upper age restrictions for adopter, we have to ensure that ewe are realistic when matching a child or children with someone.
Do I have to be married?
No, we welcome applications from single people, female or male, married or unmarried couples and people who are divorced or widowed. From December 30 2005, unmarried couples have been able to jointly adopt.
Can we adopt a child if we have our own children?
Adopters who have their own children are welcome to apply to adopt; however, the impact of adoption on those children is something the adoption service would want to explore as part of the initial assessment process. Experience in placing children means that there should be a gap of two and a half years between the age of a child in a family and any adopted child
To find out more about adopting, contact the county council's adoption team on (01539) 773312.
End
Further information from Alison Lister, media team on (01228) 606335.
Note
- There are currently 38 children waiting for adoption in Cumbria. - 16 prospective adopters were approved by the county council in 2006/07
- 26 children were placed with adoptive parents and were adopted in 2006/7