'We’ve provided a loving home for our beautiful little girls' - Durham couple share story for National Adoption Week
Michelle and Laura began the process of adopting in 2019, after deciding that they wanted to both experience the same journey.
by Owen Younger · ChronicleLiveA couple from Durham have been sharing their story for National Adoption Week, as they 'provided a loving home for their beautiful little girls.' Michelle and Laura began the process of adopting in 2019, after deciding that they wanted to both experience the same journey, rather than opting for fertility treatment.
In 2019, not long after entering the process, they were matched with their first daughter Frankie, and around three months later, they brought her home at seven months old. They then decided to grow their family further, and soon they had been approved again.
After a little break to enjoy a final holiday as a family of three, the couple received a call from their social worker about a baby girl who was just a few weeks old. Michelle and Laura didn't expect to experience adopting a newborn baby, so it was a big surprise to be matched with a baby girl, and they were happy that Frankie would have a newborn sibling.
Just five weeks later, they were home together as a family of four, with Frankie fully embracing the role of big sister to baby Octavia. Michelle and Laura are grateful that they have had a support network around them, including family, friends, social services, and their social worker, who have all played a pivotal role.
They are also in contact with the birth families, and although the girls are too young to fully understand their stories, Michelle and Laura welcome any questions that they have, in order to allow them to learn more about where they came from.
New research from Adoption England reveals that 51% of people from the North East come from ‘non-traditional’ family structures. Whilst the majority believe that it's important to teach children that families can come in all shapes and sizes, many feel this lesson was missing in their own upbringing, with half of those surveyed saying that they were not taught about diverse family units when they were growing up.
Sarah Johal MBE, National Adoption Strategic Lead from Adoption England, said: "With the number of children needing adoption increasing and a decline in those coming forward, it’s crucial during National Adoption Week to raise the profile of modern adoption. We hope to show that adoptive families are not alone, they have a community of support around them – from social workers and foster carers to others who have walked the same path.
"Some are there for the whole journey, others just for one small part, and of course birth families remain an important part of a child’s identity throughout their life. But each of these people plays an important part in the lifelong nature of the adoption journey that makes each family’s experience unique."
To find out more about adoption or starting your adoption journey, visit the Adoption England website here.
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