Being an adoptive parent requires the same qualities, patience, emotional support and dedication as is required of any parent.
Through the adoptive process, you will be providing a child or children with a loving, secure home. You will be offering them a life that may not have been available to them without adoption. And importantly, you will be taking a step that impacts the everyday lives of you and your extended support network.
Children in the adoption system may have experienced unmet emotional or physical needs. They may have already been in foster care having experienced neglect or abuse. Parents may have had addiction problems, poor physical or mental health, or a lack of skills and knowledge required to parent their child. As a result, these children and young people are often vulnerable and can find it challenging at first to trust and form relationships. Adoptive parents will need to show the understanding and patience to help make children and young people feel safe, secure, and heard in order for them to thrive into their new life. It is also crucial that the early experiences and memories of the child are acknowledged and appreciated, that contact where desired can be continued, and the significance of their birth families can be maintained.
Children in the adoptive process can be any age, although most often they are between 2 – 10 years old. There are many sibling groups who need to be kept together in a family unit.
Being an adoptive parent can be the most fulfilling role you take on. It can change the life of your adopted child or children and open up a whole new future for all of you.