News@www.adoption-net.co.uk

May, 2002 stories

The worst social services in London
London has been named and shamed as having three of the worst in the country.

Barnardo's warn of 'star rating' danger
The children's charity have spoken out about the latest rating figures.

Adoptee group will share experiences
Adoptees in Blackburn have set up a unique organisation aimed at bringing former adopted children together

Child-snatch mother jailed in US
A British mother has been jailed for
seven-and-a-half years for helping to snatch her children from US social workers at gunpoint

Gay newspaper attacks MP
North Dorset MP Robert Walter was the subject of a scathing attack by a gay newspaper

Celebrity chef backs adoption drive
Devon celebrity chef Michael Caines is helping boost adoption as a thank you for his own happy childhood

Mother jailed for stealing to feed heroin habit
A Grimsby mother who "lost her kids through drugs" was jailed for two years - on her 24th birthday

New on the bulletin board
Words of encouragement for those looking to adopt a baby

Why it may be wrong to ban some people from adopting
Professor of family law at Staffordshire University writes about new adoption law

Adoption seals our happiness
"Being part of an inter-racial family is wonderful"

New bulletin board appeal
Appeal to find Kathleen Annie Marsh

Agency release new series of 'child friendly' books
Foster Plus publishes a series of booklets aimed at helping children cope with and understand more about fostering

Foster care can help change lives
Family-based foster care can change the lives of unsettled youngsters

Internet twins will not to be returned
A US judge says the parents of the so-called "internet twins" will not be granted custody of the girls

So many children who need love ...
Today in Derby around 400 children are in care, many of whom would like nothing more than to be part of a stable, happy family

Your questions answered
Can you recommend any books to help my friends children understand adoption?

Change in law could aid adoption dream
17 children could have their dreams come true more quickly because of a new amendment to the adoption laws

Today on the bulletin board
Appeal to Margaret Mary O'Callaghan

Tough tests facing people who want to give children happiness
Agencies in North Staffordshire face an uphill struggle to home the dozens of children

Let gays adopt, say lesbian pair
Two lesbian mothers with seven children between them have backed moves to let gay couples adopt

Joyful reunion after 25-year separation
A US marine has been reunited with his Thai mother nearly 25 years after she left him at a Pattaya orphanage

Your personal questions answered
Can I adopt a family member?

It's easier if you're a celebrity?
Hollywood stars seem to have it all with fame, glamour and wealth, but for many this cannot compare to having a family of their own

The plan for the child adoption or long-term fostering
BAAF release a new book

Adoption moves slammed by MP
An MP who spearheaded reform of the adoption system has spoken out against moves to allow gay or unmarried couples to adopt

Brookman in favour of gay couples adopting
Family law firm is backing to the controversial plans to allow gay couples to adopt children

New bulletin board appeal
Search to find Joanne Breadmore

Adopt to give children a chance for a new beginning
Families in Stoke on Trent are being targeted in a drive to find adoptive parents

"Only married couples should adopt" says Tory leader
Iain Duncan Smith defends Conservative views

Bulletin board
See the latest messages here

Your questions answered
Can we adopt a child from Turkey?

Canadian searches for family
A Derby woman has come to the aid of a Canadian family trying to trace their adopted family

Plea to adopt goes out
An appeal for people to consider adopting children has been launched in Kirklees

Funding plea on adoption
Norfolk social services is asking for £350,000 of extra funding

New on the bulletin board
Can you recommend books suitable for children

Adoption bill faces Lords opposition
Opponents of adoption by gays and lesbians are set for a Parliamentary battle after MPs backed the right of unmarried couples to adopt a child

Vulnerable children at forefront of local action plans
Health Minister Jacqui Smith has approved 150 local authority Management Action Plans (MAPs) under the Quality Protects programme

New guide for adopters
A new book, written by Amy Neil Salter, has been released providing Information, resources and services for adoptive parents

Homes staff to decide on reporting missing children
Staff in children's homes throughout the North-east will decide if youngsters who fail to turn up when expected should be reported to police

Support Barnardo's and win tickets to see boy band BLUE
Children's charity Barnardo's is offering one lucky fan the opportunity to win four tickets to see their idols perform at Birmingham NEC Arena

Commons votes on gay adoption plan
Today MPs are voting on whether unmarried - including gay - couples should be allowed to adopt children

Youth's death 'an accident'
A troubled teenager died in a road crash as his social worker drove him back to his children's home after spending Christmas with his birth mother

Adoptive mum, Jan, answers your questions
Can my husband adopt my daughter?

NSPCC survey shows hitting children hurts parents too
To mark its annual Children's Day the NSPCC reveals that hitting children leaves most parents feeling bad and apologetic

Women challenged to 5k run for charity
It's time for women to get in training for the Spring Centre Trust Fund

Meet baby Dan
Daniel, who is six-months-old, needs a forever family

Today on the bulletin board
Angry response following Adoption-net story

Kilshaws new career
Alan and Judith Kilshaw continue to stay in the public eye with plans for a film, book and rock band tour

Second phase of social worker recruitment campaign
Health Minister Jacqui Smith last week launched the second phase of the Government's social worker awareness and recruitment campaign

Touching tributes paid to foster dad
A man who was a foster father to more than 500 children over 40 years has died

Today on the bulletin board
New appeal to trace birth relatives

Department of Health statistics released
National Statistics providing detailed figures showing the number of children looked after by local authorities in England were published last week

Gay adoption moves backed
Leicester City care bosses have welcomed the idea of letting gay couples adopt children

US approves adoption
The US Immigration Service has almost finalised paperwork allowing Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton to bring their newly adopted son into the country

Being fostered gave Angela chance to enjoy childhood
Angela Greer knows all about the effects of deprivation on family life and the benefit of a good foster family

Man sues over adoption 'trauma'
A man given up for adoption as a baby has begun a landmark £400,000 legal action over the distress he claims to have suffered at not being found a suitable family

Adoptee traces birth mother
A woman from Britain, who was sent to Australia, has been reunited with her mother after 56 years

Son reunited with his mother
Since the age of 17, a former military intelligence officer had been on a mission to trace his mother

Kidnap couple sent to prison
Parents jailed for abducting children as foster father was taking them to school

Cash boost to help children in care
Funding for children in care in the Grimsby area has tripled this year to £1.4-million

Tony Blair will allow gay couples to adopt
Tony Blair has opened the way for unmarried couples, including gay and lesbian partners, to adopt children

Tony Blair will allow gay couples to adopt
Tony Blair has opened the way for unmarried couples, including gay and lesbian partners, to adopt children

Rugby stars give campaign a lift
England Rugby players have put their weight behind a new campaign to encourage more people to think about adoption

If only I could find my sister
A Bristol woman is searching for the younger sister she didn't knew she had

Foster children to visit tourist hot spots free
Children from foster families are to receive free tickets to any tourist attraction in Devon

Where do I start if we want to adopt?
More of your questions answered

Families given adoption insight
A charity, which aims to help childless couples adopt, has set up a base in North Staffordshire

Vegan couple starve child
A 21-month-old girl from America has been put into foster care after her vegan parents were starving her

Troubled childhood of adopted BBC presenter
Christopher Price, the 34-year-old BBC presenter, found dead in his central London flat

New bulletin board appeal
Samantha Townsley tries to trace birth mother

Foster carers set for pay boost
Edinburgh City Council is expected to increase fees and allowances paid out to foster carers

My hunt for shoe box mum
An Edinburgh man abandoned on a doorstep when he was just three months old has launched a search for his natural mum

TV company asks
Adoption-net for help
Could you be part of a Discovery Channel documentary?

More of your questions
Is priority given to infertile couples?

Today on the bulletin board
Appeal to find Shirley Stacey

This is Lewis
Derby City Council appeal to find a foster family for Lewis

Parents want daughter adopted to get her into school
A child has been put up for adoption, by her birth parents, to enable her to get into a better school

Adoption-net answers more of your questions
My wife has suffered from depression. Will this stop us from adopting?

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