Acclaimed writer shares adoption experience

With over 7,000 young people in Wales currently living in care, Lost Boys and Fairies’ creator Daf James has joined creatives from Wales’ adoption community and members of the Senedd to reflect on a decade of the National Adoption Service for Wales.

This week (4 -10 November) marks ten years of the National Adoption Service for Wales (NAS). In this time, the service has placed 3,000 children for adoption with 2,300 families, supporting adopters and adopted young people through the process and beyond.

To reflect on the progress made, NAS held an exhibition event, curated by Wales’ adoption community. Hosted at the Norwegian Church, Cardiff, on Wednesday 6 November, and sponsored by former Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan MS, it brought together adopters, young adopted people, politicians, and sector professionals.

Cymuned

The event showcased Wales’ diverse and creative adoption community, including performances from award-winning Welsh poet Rhian Edwards, spoken-word poet and adopter Faith Buckley, and a Q&A with Lost Boys and Fairies writer and creator Daf James.

Creator of the acclaimed BBC show ‘Lost Boys and Fairies’ and adopter of three, Daf James, reflected on his own adoption journey and how it has influenced his writing:

“Adoption changed me as a human and as an artist. I’m incredibly passionate about celebrating the diversity of adoptive families in Wales and encouraging others to consider starting their own adoption journey.

“I’ve been so moved by the response to Lost Boys & Fairies, particularly from the adoption and social work communities. It was important to me that the show represented adoption authentically, and celebrated the remarkable work being done by people I’ve met from the care sector.”

Speaking at the event, the Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden, reflected on what has been achieved over the past decade.

Pride

Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden, said: “I am proud to say that Wales has a National Adoption Service that is owned and run by local authorities, working alongside our voluntary sector in Wales.  It is their shared commitment to excellence, that has led to real improvements for all those affected by adoption.

“I am delighted with what has been achieved so far and I would like to congratulate the National Adoption Service for its achievements over the last 10 years.”

Alongside the event was a special exhibition, showcasing pieces from young-adopted people, adoptive families, and artists. An eight-foot graffiti artwork from west Wales was exhibited – jointly created by local artist Lloyd the Graffiti and families from the same area. Prior to the event, a bilingual rap track was created by Llanfrothen beat-boxing star Mr Phormula and North Wales’ young adopted people.

Award-winning Welsh poet, Rhian Edwards, who worked alongside Swansea, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot’s adoption community to produce a poem, shared: “It has been both humbling and an honour to be invited to write a poem in collaboration with Western Bay’s adoption community, on the subject of their experiences and journeys.”

She added: “Prior to learning about their stories, I never appreciated that single parents, such as myself, could become adopters. “

It was also heart-warming to read about LGBTQ+ families, who previously thought they couldn’t or would never become parents.”

In Wales, around 18% of the population is directly connected to adoption*. Currently, there are around 4,500 adopted children and young people and around 7,000 adopted adults living in Wales.

The National Adoption Service for Wales was established in 2014 to improve services for all those connected to adoption in Wales. During this time, the service has helped many people to access their birth records, trace relatives, and contact birth families. 

Reflecting on a decade of bringing families together, Director of NAS, Suzanne Griffiths, said: “Over the past decade, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to support our adoption community; from developing the UK-leading Adoption support commitment, and ‘Life Journey Work’ framework, to help adopted children understand their identity. We’ve also pioneered the ‘Adoption in your Business’ toolkit, which helps businesses adapt their HR policies to be more supportive of people on adoption journeys.

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of everyone involved with the service and our wider adoption community. As we reflect on the last ten years, we also look ahead to the future, where we remain committed to supporting families in Wales.

“I would encourage anyone considering adoption to reach out to your local service and make an enquiry. It is truly a life-changing journey”.

If you would like to make an adoption enquiry, visit: https://www.adoptcymru.com/contact