THE REGIONAL adoption agency for BCP and Dorset Councils is urging more people to consider adoption during the Covid-19 outbreak in an effort to provide homes for children across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Aspire Adoption, one of the first agency of its kind in England, has placed over 150 children for adoption from the BCP and Dorset areas since its launch in July 2017.

Despite the vast majority of the team now working from home, Aspire continues to give as full a service to children and their families as possible by using technology to stay in touch with their clients.

A spokesperson for Aspire said: “We are continuing to assess potential adopters and special guardians and have adapted the process to allow us to continue.

“The team continue to be busy finding families for children and making sure that children are with their forever families without as little delay as possible.

“The team are working with lots of children preparing them for their move with their new families. This includes team members getting their card, scissors and glue out at home to make moving calendars for children as well as producing life story books to help children understand where they have come from.”

Workers are continuing to visit families at their homes and are also available to them by phone or Skype.

Support groups and coffee mornings for families have also been set up virtually with the Department of Education have given additional money to the Adoption Support Fund during the crisis which will enable Aspire to access even more support for families.

The agency are maintaining the invaluable letterbox system which enables birth families to receive updates from adopters about children.

The spokesman added: “There have been some delays in progressing adoption orders, but the courts are now processing these and court hearings too are being held virtually.

“We are also still approving adopters and matching children. Already, since the lockdown began, we have placed a number of children with their adoptive families and are continuing to support them in their new homes.”

To find out more about adoption can call Aspire on 0300 123 9868 or visit aspireadoption.co.uk.