TWO toddler sisters who were up for adoption have found their forever home, ready for next year.
Adopt South raised awareness last October after Evie and Issy, from Hampshire were looking for "permanent, loving, and compassionate" home.
The two girls, who can not live with their birth family were put up for adoption this year. Adopt South said: “Both Issy and Evie, in their very early years, were not looked after as well as they could have been.”
Rachel Reynolds, Head of Adopt South said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of people who saw the separate news stories or social media about Joe, Issy and Evie, who had all been waiting longer to be matched with their forever family than some of our other children. We followed up everyone who contacted us to make sure the children had the best opportunity to be adopted by families who could meet their needs. Many prospective adopters came forward – locally from our region and as far afield as London, Wales, and Yorkshire.
“We are truly grateful that so many people want to be a parent to children who may have had a difficult start in life and to give them a nurturing and loving upbringing. Through our appeals we have seen more people contacting us to find out about adoption and how they could be a parent to a child or sibling group next year.
“We thank everyone for talking about Joe, Issy and Evie this year with their family, friends, and community groups across our region. Just one conversation can prompt someone else to call us.”
Currently Adopt South has 23 children, some of them sibling groups, in need of forever families.
Adopt South is always interested in having an informal conversation with people who feel they could be a parent to children who may have suffered neglect or have additional needs and will support and help anyone that has the caring qualities needed. Age is no barrier to becoming an adoptive parent, neither is being single, in a same sex relationship or already having children.
Adopt South has a strong network of adopter families who are also mentors to those going through the adoption process. This is backed by many courses, using the latest training technology such as Virtual Reality to help families develop their parenting skills, as their children grow up.
For more information on adoption, visit www.AdoptSouth.org.uk or call to speak to Adopt South’s friendly team on 0300 3000 011 Monday to Friday.
Adopt South said she can feel “scared or confused as she cannot always work out what is the best thing to do", which may mean she can become angry or upset at times, however Issy settles down after being comforted with cuddles.
Issy’s foster carer added: “Issy can be an adorable little girl, who has made amazing progress in the last year. She will spend hours talking and playing with her dolls, and pushing her pram around the house.
Issy's sister, Evie, is just beginning to “explore everything”, from being outside in the garden, being with people that can give her attention and reading to her.
Evie has also “experienced distress at the start of her life” and like her sister, finds it difficult to know how to feel and express herself.
Head of Adopt South, Rachel Reynolds said: “Issy and Evie are lovely little girls who have been through experiences that most children their age would not have been exposed to, which makes them feel very vulnerable at times.
“The girls need a family life where their adoptive parents will have an understanding or experience working or caring for children with additional needs - or within a community or faith where they are fully supported with family and friendship groups around them.
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