Adoption party proves a success

Second event organised after third of children matched with families

A THIRD of children who took part in the first US style “adoption party” in Scotland last autumn have now been matched with new families, prompting the organisers to arrange a second similar event next month.

Launched by the Adoption Register, experts believe the initiative which introduces prospective parents to a group of boys and girls at special activity days have a higher success rate than established systems where adopters only meet the child they have been matched with at the end of a long official process.

Known in the US as adoption parties, the events are designed to let adopters get to know the children in an informal setting. Cake-decorating, face-painting, soft play, circus-skills and craft making were among the games available in the first Scottish event.

Six out of the 19 boys and girls who participated have now been placed with families and are due to be legally adopted by them. Previous attempts to find them new permanent homes had failed.

Two of the children had been on the Adoption Register for 19 months and had spent many months in care before their referral to it. Further attempts will be made to find homes for the children who were not placed.

Some 20 children, many aged six to nine, are expected to take part in the second activity day organised by the register in the middle of next month when a drama group will provide entertainment.

Robin Duncan, the register’s director, said the face-to-face contact can lead to higher matching rates than paper-based schemes, particularly for “harder to place children”, such as those over four, in sibling groups and those with disabilities.

“Adoption activity days may not be the right thing for all children, but there are some children who are really struggling to find adoptive families and they benefit from these activity days,” he said. “When prospective adopters simply read their profiles they can be put off, but when they get to spend a bit of time with the children, chemistry and emotional links come into play.”

He acknowledged the events run the risk of causing harm to vulnerable children if they are not matched, but he said such risks can be reduced by preparing the children beforehand. “I believe if you get the preparation right you can reduce the risk of rejection. The message given to the children ahead of the day is that this is one stage of the process and there are other things that can be done,” he said.

“There are risks, but one is that we are so cautious some children will never end up with a placement.”

Gowan Matthews, 48, who adopted her son Leon, five, in 2014, said she was delighted six children had found new families through the scheme.

“When prospective parents are given the opportunity to meet children struggling to find homes it helps disprove the notion that difficult to place children are in some way difficult themselves,” she said.

‘‘ “There are risks, but one is that we are so cautious some children will never end up with a placement