91Ƭ

You don’t need a perfect home to adopt – just love to give

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91Ƭ category
Children's Services

Residents in 91Ƭare being encouraged to consider adoption in light of National Adoption Week (20-26 October).

91ƬCounty Council and Adoption Central England (ACE) – the regional adoption agency for Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Coventry and Solihull – are calling for more people to come forward to give children a loving, stable home.

Across England, 2,940 children are currently waiting to be adopted, with the West Midlands facing a particular shortage of adopters. In Worcestershire, 28 children have a plan for adoption approved by the courts, including sibling groups and young babies – but there are only 14 approved adopter households across the ACE region, and just four in Worcestershire.

Challenging the myth of the “perfect” home

New research from You Can Adopt shows 86% of adopters initially worried they needed a “perfect home”. In reality, 41% of adopters live in homes with two bedrooms or fewer, 65% don’t have a garden, and 25% rent their home.

This National Adoption Week, agencies want to show that children don’t need perfection - they need love, safety, and belonging.

For Sarah, who adopted her daughter through ACE, adoption was a lifelong dream. “I always thought I needed to be in a relationship to be a mother. But I realised that actually, you know, I can do this on my own. I felt that had a lot of love, a lot of energy, and life experience, and I just wanted to use the life skills that I had to help a young child.”

Despite being the only single adopter in her training group, Sarah said she felt supported throughout the process. 

Sarah added: "Having my daughter changed my life for the better - being her mother gives me purpose knowing I am giving my daughter opportunities to be the best version of herself by giving her a loving nurturing home and trust and stability.”

Adam Johnston, Director of Children’s Services for 91ƬCounty Council said: “Many people worry that their home isn’t big enough, or that they need to be in a relationship to adopt. The truth is, there’s no such thing as the perfect adopter. What matters most is your capacity to offer love, patience, and stability.”

ACE supports adopters from all walks of life – single people, couples, LGBTQ+ adopters, and people of any age and background.

Anyone thinking about adoption is encouraged to take the first step today. Visit or call 0300 369 0556.

For more about National Adoption Week, visit