Adoption Register makes 300th match

Over 300 families have now adopted children after being matched through Scotland’s Adoption Register.

Set up in 2011 the Register was introduced to help increase the number of children who are adopted. It is a national resource which enables children to be matched with families across Scotland if they cannot be placed locally.

Today the Minister for Childcare and Early Years Mark McDonald met with the 300^th family, Isaias Ferreira and Marcin Ferreira-Rachmiel.

Mr McDonald said:

“When a child or young person can’t live at home we owe it to them to make the process of finding a stable and loving family as quick and simple as possible. That is why we introduced Scotland’s Adoption Register to help increase the number of children who are adopted.

“I am extremely grateful to Isaias and Marcin for inviting me in to their home and sharing their personal journey through the process. I am delighted that the register is bringing families together and reducing the amount of time potential adopters and children are waiting for a placement however there is still more we can do.

“That is why we are working towards making the register available online to streamline the process even further as well as holding Scotland’s first ever adoption week this November. All of Scotland’s children deserve the best possible start in life which is why we will continue to build on the progress to date and do all we can to help children and adoptive parents both now and in the future.”

Mr Ferreira-Rachmiel added: “'We entered the adoption process with limited knowledge of what the journey was really like.

“We found the process exciting and eye-opening, like being in a racing car but not knowing the speed or the direction where it was heading. However by receiving some valuable support from professionals the journey has definitely proved to be an enjoyable ride.”