Waiting Children /Sibling Groups
When a couple or an individual makes a decision to adopt a child, the first thing they fantasize about is a newborn baby. Cute, cuddly, nappies, bottles, pram etc…. No one ever thinks of adopting a 7 year old child , or a group of 2 or 3 siblings when they are first thinking of adoption.
However, when a natural disaster occurs, or a war, or famine, and thousand of nameless children appear on our TV screens, helpless, hungry, alone, millions of people around the world cry out and want to offer their support with open arms, willing to adopt these children. Reality is such that there are thousands if not millions of children aged 2 to 15 orphaned or abandoned around the world, languishing in under resourced orphanages, needing a family. This is a daily tragedy that is not shown on our TV screen, but is reality for children living in orphanages and on the streets in both developing and first world countries. Many of these kids are classified “hard to place” or “special needs” children because of their ages, racial background and/or the fact that they have biological siblings and need to be placed as a family unit. Older kids and sibling groups wait for placement much longer then young infants as fewer couples, and individuals consider applying to adopt them. Many never get to experience life with a loving caring family.
Australian Families for Children (AFC) have long been advocating for the adoption older kids and sibling groups and lobbying about the strict rules imposed by Australian state welfare departments, limiting the age and numbers of children that are allowed to be adopted.
AFC has assisted with a large number of older children and sibling adoptions, and would encourage families and single applicants to enquire about adoption of older kids and siblings when lodging their expression of interest to adopt.