Adoption in the Black Community
London’s Black and mixed Black heritage children often wait longer for an adoptive family. This means children spend more time in the care system, and for some, an adoptive family is never found.
Encouraging our Black communities to adopt - one family at a time
Being adopted means children have the chance of a settled childhood with consistent support for their wellbeing and the loving family relationships that they need to thrive.
Your borough’s adoption service, Adopt London, is dedicated to creating better futures for Black children in London through our Black Adoption Project. We are reaching out to residents from Black communities in and around London and we are making changes to a system that has often deterred families. Our new initiatives are designed to welcome and support Black families.
It's life-changing
Becoming an adoptive parent will change lives—not just for the child you adopt, but for you as well. We’ll support you in your preparation to raise a child who has experienced a difficult start in life. They will need your love, support, and guidance to help them feel safe in their childhood and confident in their identity and culture as they grow up. You’ll be welcoming a child into your home and introducing them to your life, your culture, and your family traditions.
Why only Black children?
Black and mixed Black heritage children often wait longer for adoptive families. By focusing on these children, we aim to address this disparity and ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow up in a loving, supportive home that reflects or promotes their cultural heritage.
Whilst families from the Black community are coming forward to adopt, we need more.
Let's Talk About Adoption
London already has a community of Black adoptive parents, and some of these parents have come together to be members of a new initiative that places families who are thinking about adoption at its heart. This pilot initiative is run by people who have already adopted and are eager to support Black prospective adopters. Their knowledge and enthusiasm are compelling — they want to support you along your journey.
Once you officially start the process with Adopt London and enter Stage 1, your social worker will invite you to join the Let’s Talk About Adoption group.
One parent facilitating the Let’s Talk About Adoption group said:
“Knowing that Black children wait three times as long to be adopted is heartbreaking.… Adopting my two sons was the best decision I ever made – they are my everything. I’m so pleased that the Black Adoption Project is striving for better equality throughout the adoption process. I’m happy to be a part of the Project and support those creating their families through adoption.”
How do I find out more about adoption?
The first step is to research being a parent through adoption and learn about the children who need adoption. We encourage you to view adoption holistically and understand the journey of the children who come into care and the birth families from whom the child has been removed or given up (although the latter is rare).
We’d encourage you to attend a Meet The Adopters session. This online session will give you a real sense of what it means to be a parent. Adoption is not an easy path to parenthood, but as our parents testify, it can be an extremely rewarding one, and everyone’s experience is different.
Each month Information Sessions are hosted, usually online and sometimes in person. You will need to attend a session hosted by your nearest agency – Adopt London North, Adopt London East, Adopt London South or Adopt London West. You can book onto any events here.
Next, start your research in a way that feels right for you—podcasts, books, videos, and films from a range of backgrounds. Make notes and ask questions!
Who can adopt?
We welcome enquiries from single people and couples who have the space in their life and their home to raise a child or sibling group. You can be single, married, divorced, in a civil partnership, or cohabiting. If you are a couple you need to be in a settled and enduring relationship, and have been living together for at least two years. You can be gay or straight. We welcome people who have had difficult experiences in their life or who have overcome situations that have made them stronger. Whatever your life experiences, we welcome your honesty.
Ready to take the next step? Contact Adopt London today and start your journey towards making a difference in a child’s life. Together, we can create a brighter future for Black children in London.
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