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Cathy Tyson launches new adoption project to find families for London kids

Issued: 1 July 03

Actress Cathy Tyson today launched a new project that aims to find families for children waiting for adoption in North East London. The North East London Adoption Consortium is a new coalition of statutory and voluntary adoption agencies including the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Redbridge, Newham, Waltham Forest, Hackney and Barking & Dagenham and voluntary adoption agencies Barnardos Jigsaw Project, Parents for Children and Norwood. The agencies hope that by working together and sharing resources they will find more families for children waiting to be adopted.

Today’s launch at The Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green also provided an opportunity for the adoption agencies to say thank you to parents who have already adopted a child. Actress Cathy Tyson presented adopters from each agency with a children’s book, donated by the Penguin group, in recognition of their dedication and commitment.

It is estimated that around 350 children in North East London are waiting to be adopted. Older children, groups of brothers and sisters who need to stay together, children with disabilities and children of minority ethnic groups who need families of the same ethnic background often wait the longest.

Ruth Holmes, from the North East London Adoption Consortium, said: “We desperately need adopters with different backgrounds and experiences to meet the needs of children in North East London. You don’t have to own your own home, be working, married or in a relationship or have any special qualifications or training. What you do need is to be patient, flexible, have lots of energy and a sense of humour and above all the determination to make a real difference to a child for a lifetime.”

Felicity Collier, chief executive of BAAF Adoption & Fostering, the UK’s leading adoption and fostering charity, said:

“We all know that being part of a loving family can give a child stability, security and the best possible start in life. We are convinced that there are people in London who, given the right support and encouragement, could offer a waiting child that opportunity. We welcome this project and urge people to come forward.”

If you are interested in finding out more about adopting a child in the North East London area please contact Gwen Rule at BAAF Adoption & Fostering on 0207 593 2093.

Ends

Contact:

Lucy Handford, Media Assistant, 020 7593 2054

Notes

1. The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) is the UK’s leading adoption & fostering charity. For more information visit www.baaf.org.uk