SHEFFIELD has been highlighted as an ‘adoption hotspot’ on a new online map.
The city, as well as Rotherham, Doncaster and Derbyshire, has been flagged up as one of several local authority areas with more than 48 children still waiting to find a suitable adoptive family.
Sheffield Council confirmed today it has 62 children waiting to be placed with prospective adoptive parents.
Coun Jackie Drayton, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said: “Placing a child with a family as soon as possible is in everyone’s best interests and finding the right family for that child is vital.
“But it’s better to take the time getting it right than for a child to face the heartbreak of going back into the system.”
Coun Drayton urged prospective adoptive families to get in touch, and said the authority had been rated ‘good with outstanding features’ for adoption by Ofsted.
She added: “We would love to hear from anyone who is considering adoption, not just for younger children but for harder-to-place children such as sibling groups, children with disabilities, and older children.
“They would be better contacting our adoption team than looking at national online maps which can offer only very limited information.”
Education chiefs released the map to show would-be adopters how many children need help in different areas, as part of a package of Government reforms to overhaul the adoption system.
According to the map, Barnsley is the only authority regionally not to be an adoption hotspot.
It has a figure of between 18 and 27 children waiting for homes.
Call the Sheffield adoption team on 0114 273 5010.
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