Families and couples across the Grimsby area are being urged to give a child a new start in life. There is a shortage of people wanting to adopt in North East Lincolnshire. Adoption is a way of providing a permanent family for children who can no longer be brought up by their birth parents.

When you adopt a child, you legally take on all the rights and responsibilities for the child that the birth parent had. It is a lifelong commitment and, like all parenting, it means sticking with it through good times and bad. The local authority has started a drive to find more people ready to make the difficult, but ultimately rewarding, decision to adopt.

They need love, care and attention - a helping hand, a comforting hug, a shoulder to cry on.

But if you want to adopt, how do you do it? I spoke to three key groups.

1: Parents who have adopted
There can be few better means of encouraging people to adopt than arranging for them to meet those who have already done so.

The love and passion with which parents who have adopted speak on the subject makes it clear just what a difference welcoming a child into their family has made to their lives.

To protect their children, those at the meeting declined to give their surnames, but all were more than willing to describe their adoption experiences.

Duncan said he had decided to adopt after discovering he and his wife could not have children

"IVF didn't work and we wanted a child, so adoption seemed the next logical thing to do," he said.
"We got in touch with social services who came to see us and explained everything you have to go through."

The process was not easy, but Duncan said it brought home the size of the responsibility they were taking on "It really makes you think over whether you want to go through with it," he said.

They decided the possible pitfalls could be overcome and went on to the next steps of the procedure, which saw them assessed by a social worker and approved as prospective parents.

Then they approached what Duncan describes as "the most frightening part" of the whole process - meeting the child.

"Actually meeting our girl for the first time was extremely nerve-racking," he said.

"You just hope she likes you. We liked her straight away, but we didn't know if she would like us. Fortunately, she did and it all worked out okay.

"She was very friendly and called us mummy and daddy straight away.

"We have been very lucky. Our lives are totally different. You have to think about her first all the time.
"You can't just decide to go out, you have to get a baby sitter. But the good points far outweigh the bad."

It was a point all the parents who have adopted echoed throughout the night.

2: Parents thinking about adoption

Grimsby couple Kathy and Andy Wood have their hearts set on adoption.

And the meeting at Grimsby Town Hall provided the couple with more encouragement to pursue their dream.

"A couple of years ago, our daughter died," Kathy said.

"That's what prompted us to look into adoption. There was a big void in our lives and we thought that through adoption we could help another child."

Kathy said the chance to speak to people who have adopted themselves had been extremely beneficial.

"It was nice to speak to other people like ourselves," she said.
"It was interesting to see how they are coping and it is clearly quite a challenge."

But, filled with new confidence after the meeting, Kathy said it was a challenge she is more than ready to meet.

3: Keith Williamson, adoption social worker for NELC

"You can never have enough people willing to adopt, because there are always children waiting for adoptive families," Mr Williamson said.

We are standing outside the meeting as more potential parents are weighing up the pros and cons of adopting.

"We do need more people to come forward," he said.
"But it's not just a problem here, it's a national problem."

Mr Williamson believes difficulties attracting adoptive parents stem from popular misconceptions.

Myths, which he hopes nights like the meeting expose.

"People mistakenly feel they can't adopt if they are single or unemployed," he said.
"You also hear scare stories about people who couldn't adopt because they are overweight.
"But people can adopt if they are single and weight alone would not stop them from doing so. This meeting is about correcting the misconceptions as much as anything else."

Along with this central point, Mr Williamson said the meeting had three main purposes.

"Firstly, we are trying to get across exactly what is involved and give people a very clear overview of our policies," he said.
"Secondly, we are giving people an idea of the kind of children who may be waiting for adoption.
"Finally, we are also giving people an idea of the support adopters continue to receive in North East Lincolnshire after they have adopted."

Although attendance at the meeting was slightly disappointing, Mr Williamson was upbeat.

"If we get some more prospective adopters from this meeting tonight, then it has definitely been worth it."