LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week 2023

This years theme for LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering week is “1, 2, 3 or more”

So what does this mean? Fostering is a rewarding way to make a positive difference to a child’s life and a wonderful way to enrich your own whether you already have children or not. By providing a stable and welcoming home for a child you’re giving them the chance for a better future. There is a national shortage of foster carers, particularly those who can offer a home to more than one child, hence this years theme of LGBTQ+ being “1, 2, 3 or more”.  Read how Amicus foster carers have navigated their journey into fostering. 

“Our journey into fostering started in 2017. Both of us had experience of working with young people through youth work and realised that our skills of working with teenagers could be transferred to fostering. The process of becoming a foster carer was positive and supportive one, we had a great relationship with our social worker who really got to know us and help us think about what our lives would look like as foster carers. Being a same sex couple was always celebrated as a positive.

Our first placement was our foster son , he came to us at 11, he is turning 18 this year. To be alongside and support him on to his journey as an adult has been the most amazing experience. Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows but we have always been given plenty of support from Amicus in the shape of therapy, training, peer support and of course having fun at the amazing events and activities we get to share with other foster families. Fostering has strengthened our relationships as a couple and as a family.

One of our fears being same sex parents was the stigma that would be imposed on the children in our care. We have fostered two sets of siblings alongside, and our sexuality has never been an issue. We have found that not being Mum and Dad has at times allowed us to engage the young people in our care easier. We are not replacing the traditional birth parent roles but can approach the relationships in a peer support way. One of the many proud moments was hearing our foster son tell us about a time he challenged peers who used negative language to describe someone’s sexuality.

We really need more LGBTQ+ foster carers, as a community we understand the need to embrace and celebrate difference. I think that really resonates with the children in our care.”