The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) is launching a new research project to explore the feasibility of using the Internet to find families for specific children needing adoption. Over 4,000 children in the UK are currently waiting to be adopted.

BAAF currently publishes a monthly newspaper featuring around 400 children needing adoptive or long-term foster families. The newspaper, Be My Parent , includes photographs and short descriptions of many children considered 'hard to place' by adoption agencies. These include children who need to be adopted along with brothers and sisters, children with disabilities, older children and children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. Last year the paper succeeded in placing 250 children with families.

In a recent survey 88 per cent of people who subscribe to Be My Parent said that they would find an Internet version of the newspaper very useful.

Felicity Collier, BAAF's chief executive, says: "More people than ever are using the web to access information about adoption and the Internet provides a fantastic opportunity to find families for children who need them.

"We are also looking at the potential of the web to increase children's participation in finding their family, as older children could add their own text, drawings and content. Of course it is important that there are special safeguards to protect the confidentiality of children and others involved in the adoption process. Web technology would allow us to provide different levels of access to information, as well as far more space than a newspaper format.

"We want to know the public's views. A questionnaire to canvas views from our prospective adoptive parents, adoption agencies and social workers is planned for the autumn. Older children awaiting adoption will also be asked what they think about the idea."

The research project, funded by The Big Lottery Fund (formerly The Community Fund), is currently surveying existing websites providing family finding services in Canada and the United States. The project will publish guidance about how to use the Internet safely for other agencies considering using the web to find families for children.

Source - BAAF