ARC Adoption North East launch ‘Better off together’ campaign

In collaboration with Adopt Coast to Coast, ARC Adoption NE launched a new ‘Better off together’ campaign last month to encourage people in the North East and Cumbria to consider the benefits of adopting more than one child, while raising awareness of the ongoing support available to families. Finding one permanent home for brother and sister groups means that important sibling relationships are protected, and children often settle more quickly into their new homes when placed with their brother or sister. Whilst in later life, being adopted alongside a sibling, can mean adoptees have a shared understanding of their past and it may help with their sense of identity.

Recent national statistics* show that 43% of the children currently waiting to be adopted in England are part of brother and sister groups and they wait on average 11 months longer than single children to be placed with a new family.  In comparison, only a third (33%) of adopters who are currently in stage 2 of the adoption process or approved by Adopt Coast to Coast or ARC Adoption are looking to adopt one or two children. Of this number, only 7% are certain they want to adopt two children, and none of the prospective adopters are currently looking to adopt three children or more.

As well as highlighting the many benefits of adopting siblings and sharing real-life experiences of adopters, the ‘Better off together’ campaign highlights the support available from adoption agencies to those who adopt siblings.

Nicola Storey, Marketing and Business Manager at ARC, has shared some additional words about the campaign:

‘We feel very fortunate at ARC to have such a good relationship with our Regional Adoption Agency, Adopt Coast to Coast, and it’s something that has been nurtured. I think both organisations really do see the value in working together, despite the fact we are also competing in recruiting adopters most of the time. Adopt Coast to Coast appreciates that we have an enhanced support offering at ARC, which is important for sibling adopters – and in turn Adopt Coast to Coast benefit from having first sight of any adopters we recruit and approve through this campaign, to consider for the siblings in their care. This is the first time we have specifically collaborated on a joint marketing campaign, but could be something we do more of in the future’.

For more information about the ‘Better off together’ campaign go to www.familiesforsiblings.org