Hampshire County Council's social services department is holding an adoption and fostering open day tomorrow to help find adoptive parents and long-term foster carers needed for up to 50 children in the county.

The event is at the Hilton Hotel, Basingstoke, from 10am until 4pm.

Those who go will be able to meet staff from the council's adoption and fostering team and current adopters and foster carers to answer any questions.

There will also be on display information and profiles of children who are currently waiting for a permanent family home.

All the children who are waiting for a new long-term family are over five years old and include groups of brothers and sisters, some of pre-school age, who need to stay together.

Some of the children have special educational needs and many of the youngsters have had to cope with considerable personal and family difficulties in their short lives.

Three events are being held across the county to provide information and assistance to people deciding if caring for a child is something they wish to pursue.

The first was held on Saturday in Southampton and another will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Portsmouth on June 9 from 10am until 4pm. A spokesman for the council said that so far, the appeal had attracted 32 positive inquiries.

Pauline Pearce, manager of the central adoption and fostering teams, said; "We are looking for people from all backgrounds who feel they may be able to offer a permanent, secure home to a child or children.

"We welcome enquiries from both married and single people and from a wide age range. There is no particular "type" of adopter or long-term foster carer as there is no one type of child."

For more information call 0845 601 1895.