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LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week 2024


On the back of a red background with rainbow waves there are two circle cutouts with families in. On the left image we have a family smiling at each other with two women and two young boys. In the other image we have two men smiling looking at the camera holding a small boy m all making a heart symbol with their hands. The text reads "LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering week 2024." The subtext reads "Celebrating Devon's LGBTQ+ community".

LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week 2024 returns on Monday 4 March. Running until to Sunday 10 March, it remains the only campaign in these industries to focus on the LGBTQ+ community.

We celebrate our adopters and foster carers every week of the year, and this week we are giving particular attention to celebrating those in the LGBTQ+ community who are already fostering, adopting or thinking about doing so.

Myself and my husband Steve have been Fostering now for around 18 months and have been thoroughly enjoying the role. For us, being Foster Carers has given us a sense of purpose, and being able to provide a loving and safe home environment to vulnerable children is something that we feel passionately about.

“Being a Foster Carer has given us the opportunity to progress ourselves as professionals within the Fostering Devon Team as well as act as role models for the children we care for. We enjoy the training and development opportunities Fostering Devon have available and have felt fully supported from the very beginning of our assessment journey, and have been lucky enough to be assigned some of the most fantastic Social Workers.

“The role of Fostering has by no means been an easy journey but as the time goes on we cannot see ourselves doing anything else and look forward to new opportunities and meeting and caring for future children.”

Michael and Steve – two of our inspirational foster carers.

For LGBTQ+ people thinking about fostering or adoption the question absolutely shouldn’t be “will my sexual orientation or gender identity count against me?”

We encourage people of the LGBTQ+ community to think about giving a nurturing, safe home to a child and foster with Fostering Devon.

“This week, as every week we welcome enquiries from Devon’s LGBTQ+ community, the most important thing to us is that you can provide a loving, safe and stable foster home for a child or young person for as long as they may need.

“Every child in our care is unique, and all have very different needs. Here at Fostering Devon we are interested in what you have to offer a child or young person, we need people with different skills, abilities and experiences – who you are really does matter to us. Please get in touch.”

Emma Nobes – Fostering Service Manager

Across Devon, we currently have 383 Foster Carers, far less than the amount of carers we need to meet demand. It is of paramount importance to us to keep foster children in their local area, continuing to attend the schools where they are known by their friends and teachers. Having to move them out of their known area means not only do they lose their familiar home environment with pets, toys and siblings, but also lose the connections they have with education, health and friendships.

We need more foster carers from all backgrounds regardless of their sexuality, gender, relationship status, race, ethnicity or religion.

Foster Carers for Devon County Council receive excellent training opportunities, support from our community and generous allowances. Click the button below for more information.


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