Chester based Adoption Matters are taking an unusual approach in a bid to find a ‘forever family’ for a young brother and sister.
Harry, six, and Jessica, five, are brother and sister with a very strong bond and love to be together.
Jessica particularly misses Harry when he is not around and will call on him to play with her, sharing her excitement when she discovers a new game or toy. They watch TV together and make each other laugh.
Adoption Matters chief executive Norman Goodwin explained: “Harry and Jessica are being featured as part of the Bespoke Family Finding Service, a partnership service offered by Adoption Matters and Caritas Care, both independent adoption agencies who together, have over 150 years’ experience in adoption.
“The service offers local authorities across the UK a tailored recruitment option for children who may have waited longer to find their forever family through adoption.
“For many of the children referred to the service, this could be their best chance of a permanent loving family through adoption as all other methods of family finding have been exhausted.
“Although featuring children in the media is not widely practiced, evidence has proven that using a child’s real image and film footage as part of our family finding has successfully attracted families who may not have considered the same child ‘on paper’. This approach has resulted in the service finding families for over 90% of the children we have featured since the service began in 2015.
“We can assure the public that children’s local authority have given full consent for the publicity.”
The Bespoke Family Finding Service is looking for adopters for Harry and Jessica with a good network of support, ideally two parents.
A spokesperson for the agency said: “Harry and Jessica’s future family will need to promote the close sibling bond whilst recognising and promoting the children’s individual interests, needs and ways of expressing themselves.
“The children need a family that is active and playful, as well as nurturing, empathic and able to offer predictable, clear and consistent structure and routines with good preparation for any changes.”
Harry is an active little boy and often ‘on the go’ whether driving his toy cars around the living room or running around in the garden. Harry likes to play games and watch videos on his Kindle. He loves numberjacks and minions as well as SpongeBob.
He attends a school for children with additional needs and has made exceptional progress since moving in with his foster carers. His reading skills are now excellent for his age.
Jessica is a lovable, lively, fun little girl with a bubbly personality. She likes craft, drawing, colouring, dolls, dressing up and playing with the guitar and piano. She is active and busy and really likes the outdoor toys, in particular bouncing on the trampoline, riding her bike, kicking the football, going to the park and loved the swimming pool on holiday.
Jessica also has a Kindle. She watches lots of the same programmes and games as her big brother, but doesn’t like scary characters or loud programmes.
She has also done exceptionally well at school and plans are now in place to move Jessica to a mainstream school as she currently attends the same school as Harry.
A package of ongoing support and training will be offered and a financial support package will also be discussed for Harry and Jessica’s future family.
Some experience of children either through family, voluntary or professional roles would be good.
An ability to accept uncertainties around future development is needed as well as the ability to be a good advocate and work with school and other professionals to promote the children’s development.
Harry and Jessica’s future family will also need to consider indirect contact with siblings and birth parents.
To find out more about Harry and Jessica call 0300 123 1066 or email: info@bespokefamilyfindingservice.org.
