Bristol and North Somerset Council's join forces to recruit gay adopters and foster carers

Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council will combine forces to recruit lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adopters and foster carers for LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week (4 - 10 March).

A joint information event is taking place in Bristol on Thursday 7 March 2013 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at the Pavilion, Bristol Harbourside, with talks from local LGBT adoptive and foster parents about their own experiences and to give those interested information on how to start the process.

Events are being organised across the UK as part of the country's first-ever LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week. It comes as gay adopters and foster carers are being hailed by social workers for their significant strengths in a survey commissioned by New Family Social, the LGBT network coordinating the week.

In Bristol there is a particular drive this year to find more people to adopt, currently 50 children waiting for the right parents to adopt them.

Bristol City Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Cllr Alastair Watson said:

"Fostering or adopting a child offers them a new start in life in a caring and stable environment. We urgently need more people to consider fostering or adoption and are keen to encourage people from a range of backgrounds to take this step. I am very pleased that Bristol City Council is ranked highly by Stonewall in their list of good employers, and that we reflect this in our services to children. I hope this event is successful in recruiting new carers from the LGBT community."

For more information about adoption or fostering, contact North Somerset Council on 01275 888 999 or Bristol City Council on 0117 353 4200. Alternatively visit http://tinyurl.com/awrdduu ,
http://tinyurl.com/b9fnzkr or http://tinyurl.com/7fquut3 /
http://tinyurl.com/b5pmw7l

Date: Thursday, March 07, 2013