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Under a New Roof – Adopting and Fostering in Cornwall

The Source FM Audio Documentary

Length – 18-20 minutes

Delivery Date – 13th December 2017

Presenter / Producer – Adam Berks

Short Synopsis

This programme aims to briefly explain the difference between adopting and fostering and discover how the two processes have changed since the 1970’s? What issues may have been overlooked? What are the benefits we can learn? It will follow the story of a family from Cornwall that both fosters and adopts, and the challenges they have faced throughout generations.

Long Synopsis

The 1970’s saw major changes in the adoption and fostering process. There was a massive change in the public’s attitude, the adoption and fostering practice changed its focus to finding families for children from different backgrounds or with special needs, whilst also introducing a new legislation, giving the right for adoptees to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate when they became adults (18).

Today we find that the number of children adopted and fostered from care has risen to the highest ever level, yet many children are still waiting too long for a stable, loving home. The government is radically reforming adoption and fostering so that children who are waiting to be adopted or fostered are provided with a stable and loving home much more swiftly, giving them the opportunity to settle and bond with their adoptive/foster families quicker. That is why the government introduced the £150 million Adoption Reform Grant in 2015, which has been made available for local authorities to spend on recruitment reform.

One interviewee will include a mixed-raced adoptee from Cornwall, who was adopted during the seventies, whose current occupation is working on the Adoption Panel for the ‘Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Adoption Agency’ based in Truro, discussing the huge influence being an adoptee has had on her life, she is also a foster carer.

We ask important questions like: What was it like to be an adopted mixed race child growing up in Cornwall during the 70’s & 80’s? Why has adoption and fostering a child become more frequent over the years? Is it less frequent for a family to adopt or foster a child from a different ethnicity, than what we used to see?

This feature will also examine a family’s history and how adopting and fostering has changed their outlook upon life, by speaking to each family member we can demonstrate how it has affected each of their individual lives. Talking to them about things like the difficulties they had to overcome, the benefits they experience everyday, to help explain how the adoption and fostering process has developed over time.

David Taylor is trained in psychological aid, he helps young children and teenagers living in difficult circumstances and social workers to learn the necessary skills needed to progress positively. I will interview him to give understanding into a lot of the processes taken today in order to achieve the best results i.e. How is a specific family chosen according to a certain child or children? What are the major concerns we see most regularly in adults who are considering adopting or fostering? How do you deal with any sort of confrontational issues that might occur?

This broadcast will uncover the reason why more people are choosing to adopt and foster now more than ever. Why adopting and fostering is still so important in today’s society. Where adults can go to receive information about the two practices if they are considering. What families can do to make adoptee’s feel more welcomed in their new home.

Statistics

Edward Timpson, Children and Families Minister, said:

• Almost 4,000 children in care were adopted in 2016 – an increase of 15% from the previous year (2015) and the highest ever since records began in 1992.

• 50,900 children are in stable foster care placements, an increase of 2% since last year (2015) – and 16% since 2009.

• A 4% increase in the number of young people staying with their foster families.

• Nearly 650,000 people would have considered adoption or fostering by the end of this year (2017).

TWEET: –

Adopting and Fostering. Children & Teenagers in care. #thesource.fm #source #exclusive

IMAGES: –

MUSIC REPORTING FORM: –

First Song: –

Name of track: November

Publishing company (record company): Bensound.com

Year of publication/release: 2017

Second Song: –

Name of track: Of Elias Dream

Publishing company (record company): Bensound.com

Year of publication/release: 2017

Third Song: –

Name of track: Slow Motion

Publishing company (record company): Bensound.com

Year of publication/release: 2017

Fourth Song: –

Name of track: Sad Day

Publishing company (record company): Bensound.com

Year of publication/release: 2017

CUE: –

Adoption and Fostering / Berks Documentary

12.12.17  Adam Berks

In the 1970’s Adoptee’s were finally allowed to gain a copy of their original birth certificate when they became adults at 18. This was a massive move forward within adoption and fostering. The Berks family is one extraordinary story that gives us a detailed insight into the life of adopting and fostering and how the process has developed over time. Our reporter Adam Berks talks with his family members and others about the hardships and rewards involved within caring. Warning: Listener discretion is advised very graphic content throughout.

[CLIP]

IN: The early 1970’s saw….

OUT: … and educate each community.

DUR: 18’26”

BACK  ANNO: That was Adam Berks talking with his family members and to David Taylor about adopting and fostering in Cornwall.

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