SSAFA Adoption Service has provided forever homes to children for over 50 years. SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity celebrates LGBT Adoption Week by reporting another rise in the number of LGBT adoptions it approves for the third year running.
SSAFA runs an independent adoption agency that works with local authorities to provide support for anyone who is currently serving who wishes to create a family through adoption. The service has approved 330 military adopters since 1964 and offers lifelong support to families.
Over the past three years, SSAFA has seen a huge increase in same-sex adoptions. Recent figures from the Department for Education found one in eight adopters in the UK were in a same sex relationship. In comparison, one in four of the households approved to adopt through SSAFA and over a third of couples that attended the adoption training course in the past year were in a same-sex relationship. SSAFA has continued to respond to the rise in same sex adopters with increased training for its staff and adoption panel members, more literature and resources for staff and potential adopters and by forging closer links with the LGBT groups in the Army, Royal Navy and RAF.
Stephen Richards, Head of SSAFA’s Adoption Service, said:
“SSAFA is incredibly proud of the developments that have been made to increase diversity and inclusion within its adoption service.
“Creating a culture of inclusivity has been a main priority for SSAFA and it’s amazing to see that the proactivity of SSAFA’s Adoption Service has encouraged more same sex couples to use our service.”
If you or someone you know is currently serving and would like to adopt, encourage them to get in touch with SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. To find out more, visit www.ssafa.org.uk/adoption
Notes to editors
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity (formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association), provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force, and their families. This includes both regulars and reserves.
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity provides lifelong support to our Armed Forces, veterans and their families. We began our work in 1885. This year our staff and teams of volunteers helped over 67,000 people – from World War Two veterans to those involved in more recent conflicts and their families.
For more information visit www.ssafa.org.uk and follow us on Twitter: @SSAFA.
