Stars give children glimpse of hope
Stars give children glimpse of hope
Cherie Blair is among high-profile names whose photographs could help to find foster parents
- Anushka Asthana
- The Observer,
- Sunday April 27 2008
- Article history
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This article appeared in the Observer on Sunday April 27 2008 on p17 of the News section. It was last updated at 09:19 on April 28 2008.
Portraits of children who have been waiting for years to be adopted are being exhibited as part of a major campaign to find them loving, permanent parents. Cherie Blair, Bruce Oldfield and Claudia Winkleman are among a number of high-profile names who photographed the boys and girls.
All those featured in the exhibition have become 'hard to place', some because they do not want to be separated from siblings, others because they are from non-white backgrounds or have disabilities. Many have been overlooked simply because they are over the age of eight. Failure to find them homes could have devastating consequences, according to Barnardo's, the charity spearheading the drive to persuade people to adopt these children and thousands like them.
'Taking part in the shoot has made me realise even more that children and young people needing adoption are not faceless numbers,' said Blair, who is a vice-president of the charity. 'They are loving individuals who will give as much to their new parents as they ever take. They just need the opportunity to realise the potential we'd wish for all our children.'
Television presenter Winkleman took photographs of Hollie, three, and Jessica, seven, two girls from Newham, east London, who have been in care for three years. Jessica has learning and behavioural difficulties. Winkleman said she had taken part after seeing a similar campaign in the US.
Fashion designer Oldfield photographed brothers Tyler, nine, and Lucas, two, also from Newham. Jenny Barville, principal manager at the local authority's adoption service, explained that Tyler had been waiting two years to find a permanent home: 'We could place the youngest one on his own, but there is a strong attachment between them and we are trying to keep them together. It is always difficult to place older children. Most adoptive parents want their family as young as possible and preferably pre-school.' Race also played a role, she said. 'An older boy is more difficult to place; an older black boy is even more difficult than that.'
Barville said she had allowed the children to take part in the campaign because she wanted to raise the profile of adoption. She also wanted to show parents it would be rewarding to adopt older children from difficult backgrounds.
Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's, said there were 60,000 children in care in the UK. 'The percentage of children in care who get five good GCSEs is just 5 per cent. Their chance of going to university is one-19th that of ordinary children,' he said. 'If they are adopted their chances are transformed. The key is stability.' As well as exhibiting images of the children alone, the exhibition also includes photographs of them alongside the celebrities, taken by photographer Cambridge Jones.
The life chances for children in care are the focus of an inquiry by the select committee for children, schools and families. Evidence submitted to the MPs calls for foster parents to be given more rights, such as being able to sign school-trip forms and choosing outfits for children.
There are also calls for the government to provide funding so that children in care can stay with their foster parents up to the age of 21. 'The average age that young people leave home at is 24,' said Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network. 'It is 17 for people in care. There is lots of evidence that the longer the placement, the better for the young person.'
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