Torbay Council welcomes LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week

People from a range of different backgrounds can foster or adopt.

That's the message going out in LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week which runs from March 3 to 6 in Torbay.

LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week is an annual campaign led by the national charity New Family Social and Torbay Council is also working in partnership with Adopt South-West.

Cllr Nick Bye, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “In Torbay we have a diverse range of families who adopt and foster and LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week is a great opportunity to encourage more people to come forward.

“Providing a safe and loving foster or adoptive home is one of the best gifts you can give to a cared for child, but many of our local foster carers have also described fostering as a privilege.

“We want to use this week as an opportunity to remind people that if you want to foster or adopt you can be from any background, gender or sexual orientation. You can also foster if you are single as long as you have stable accommodation.”

In 2024, one in five adoptions were to same sex couples. Three out of four New Family Social adopters consider adopting siblings. There are 57,500 children in foster care in England.

In Torbay, the Fostering service is run by Torbay Council’s Children’s Services, while Adoption services are managed regionally by Adopt South-West.

If you Foster with Torbay you will get access to:  

Extensive support and training 

a dedicated social worker 

Mentoring from an experienced Foster Carer 

access to a support network including local quarterly Foster Carers Forum 

events throughout the year for Fostering families including annual summer barbecue, Train of Lights event and Christmas parties

You can also contact the Fostering service on 01803 207845, email fostering@torbay.gov.uk or visit webpage www.torbay.gov.uk/fostering