In a special broadcast of BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship this Sunday, Dr Krish Kandiah, President of the London School of Theology and himself a foster and adoptive father, visits the Foundling Museum with the Managing Director of Coram’s Adoption Service, Jeanne Kaniuk OBE, to learn about the history of adoption, and interviews people whose lives have been affected directly by adoption.
Dr Kandiah talks to Rachel Gardiner and Alison Southall about how being adoptive mothers has changed their lives. He also speaks with Angela Frazer Wick about the experience of giving up her two sons, and discusses with two adoptees the emotional journey of being adopted.
The theme of this year’s National Adoption Week, which is called ‘Too Old At 4?’ highlights the need for more adoptive parents for children aged four and over. Children of these ages often have to wait significantly longer to be placed with adoptive families than their younger counterparts, and the campaign will be emphasising the emotional and practical needs of children of these ages and the huge difference adoption makes to their lives.
During the programme, Jeanne Kaniuk tells Krish Kandiah:
“Some of the children who are waiting for adoption are older children and in groups of brothers and sisters and it take families with special qualities to provide for those children, so there is sometimes a mismatch between people who would love to adopt but want a younger child and perhaps can’t cope with some of the difficulties that children bring. We do need more adopters but they do need to be people who understand that these children have had a poor start in life and will need additional qualities of love and care.”
Useful Links
Find out about adopting with Coram
Hear from some of our adoptive parents
Find out more about Coram’s history