A top regional adoption agency has given one lucky child an early Christmas present, as it announced the winner of its festive card design competition.
Adoption Now’s winning card was designed by Elizabeth, aged 9, who drew a beautifully detailed picture of Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, complete with elves and a top-hatted snowman.
The winner received a £20 book voucher prize for her efforts and couldn’t believe she had won.
Elizabeth’s design has also been made into a Christmas card which will be sent to the adoptive families that the agency has helped matched over the years.
Karen Barrick, Head of Service at Adoption Now, said: “Elizabeth’s card design was fantastic! I particularly liked her attention to detail, labelling even the Jelly Tot pathway leading to Santa’s workshop. She was definitely a worthy winner and I am proud to share this lovely card with our families and partner agencies.”
Adoption Now is a regional adoption agency who bring together the local authority adoption services for Tameside, Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham.
It delivers an efficient adopter recruitment service, child-centred family-finding for children and a highly-skilled and professional support service which can include information, mediation, therapeutic support, counselling and advice whatever the situation.
Karen added: “We pride ourselves in providing a professional and supportive service for everyone involved in adoption from their first phone call to a child being placed and beyond. So, if you’re thinking about adoption, give us a call, we have friendly and experienced staff available to help you in anyway way we can.”
Adoption Now has more than 80 children waiting for their forever families. They come from a variety of backgrounds, some may need to be placed with brothers and sisters, others may have disabilities or health conditions and others are just that little bit older.
Currently, the number of children awaiting adoption outweighs the number of adopters available by 3:1, so the agency is actively recruiting adopters who can provide loving and stable homes, where children can grow and reach their full potential.
Cllr Oliver Ryan, Tameside Council Executive Member for Children and Families, said: “Sadly there are too many Tameside children who won't spend this Christmas with a loving forever family. There are too many children who won't celebrate special occasions and birthdays with a family through the year and who don't enjoy the loving environment of everyday family life. These children and young people are in need of adoption and a forever home. They face waiting years to find the right family to offer them a place in their hearts and their home. We simply don’t have enough adopters.
“You don’t need to be 'perfect' to adopt, there's no such thing as a 'model parent' and no universal training course. If you’re considering adoption please get in touch with Adoption Now today and you could be the family a child spends next Christmas with - change your life and change a child's life today.”
For more information about adoption in Tameside contact Adoption Now on 01204 336096 or visit www.adoptionnow.org.uk