Adoption under spotlight during conference event

A Wearside conference will put the spotlight on siblings as part of adoption week.

The University of Sunderland is hosting a regional conference around looked after children and coincides with National Adoption Week (October 16-22).

At present, there is a national shortage of adopters particularly those able to accommodate sibling groups, which will be the focus of the week this year.

The free conference will be held at the university’s Sir Tom Cowie Camopus on Wednesday, October 18.

Conference speakers include Scott Casson-Rennie, from Adoption UK, and Colin Maginn, from Pillars of Parenting.

Organiser, Stephanie Hunter, a senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, said: “I am proud as a university that we can provide free training of this calibre to the people who need it most adoptive parents, carers and frontline professionals.”

The university and Together for Children, the organisation working on behalf of Sunderland City Council to deliver children’s services, have been collaborating on a range of work to ensure young people in the care system, awaiting a permanent home, are given the best possible support to deal with their diverse needs – work which has received praise nationally.

The conference is supported by Together for Children Sunderland, After Adoption and Adoption UK. Places are limited due to room capacity, and will be reserved on a first-come/ first-served basis. To take part in this event, email: stephanie. hunter@sunderland.ac.uk.