People across the north-east have shown a greater interest in fostering children since lockdown was introduced.
Morven Campbell, Aberdeenshire Council’s adoption team manager, has discussed with the Press and Journal how adoption and fostering services have adapted over the past few months.
She revealed that there had been an upswing in interest, after figures hit a low following the oil and gas downturn.
And Ms Campbell said the team embraced technology to stay in touch with each other and adoptive families virtually, an approach that could be used more in the future.
She said: “Aberdeenshire covers a huge geographical area, so virtual events allow us to connect with people interested in adoption from every corner of the shire without the need for them travelling to a central location.
“Meeting applicants in person is still essential to really get to know people but a more blended approach is certainly the way forward.”
The service also held a successful information event online in July, where people were able to comment online with their questions. This is also a method which will become standard.
The only area that has been “a little more tricky” has been getting younger children to concentrate fully on online sessions.
But overall, Ms Campbell is hopeful for the future of fostering and adoption in the region.
She said: “Since the downturn in the oil and gas industry around 2016, the adoption service saw a significant reduction in adoption inquiries. But this is now more consistently on the increase.
“The adoption service ran a comprehensive campaign through April and May to raise awareness of adopting with Aberdeenshire Council and this clearly attracted an increased number of inquiries – though it is hard to say if this was related to Covid-19 or not.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about #Adoption or are looking to begin your journey into parenthood. We still have spaces on our next preparation group which runs in September. Contact us at adoption@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or 01467 532800. pic.twitter.com/VnvcdoV3Q6
— AberdeenshireCouncil (@Aberdeenshire) August 3, 2020
“The fostering service has also had a higher number of fostering inquiries since lockdown, but equally since lockdown has eased, they have a higher number of children requiring foster families.
“It may be that people becoming more aware of vulnerable children during lockdown through TV adverts and news articles has prompted people to think about how they can help vulnerable children.
“Our fostering service is always in great need of new families coming forward to foster, indeed this is the same across the country and rarely changes.”
To find out more go to
https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/children-and-families/adoption/
