Could Devon find a family for Kevin?

Family for Me, a campaign designed specifically to find families for children who have been waiting the longest to be adopted, is being re-launched across Devon to find a family for Kevin.

Kevin is a charismatic, smart little six year old.  His lovely thick dark hair and long eyelashes are characteristic of his Eastern European heritage. Kevin was born with a complex neuro-disability with no underlying cause. As a result he has very little physical ability and has abnormal muscle tone, microcephaly and is registered visually impaired. Kevin was removed from his birth family in 2018 after experiencing neglect of his complex health needs. Kevin now needs an adoptive family he can call his own.

Family for Me is a project set up by local adoption agency Families for Children to help find adoptive families in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset for ‘harder to place’ children, commonly older children, sibling groups and children with additional needs.  The search to find a family for Kevin by the Local Authority in which he is cared for has so far drawn a blank so they have turned to Families for Children and the Family for Me Project for help.  Unlike conventional family finding for adoptive parents the project reaches out to prospective adopters who would specifically adopt Kevin rather than a wider range of children. They are then assessed based on his needs with the hope that he would be placed with them for adoption.

Searches by the Local Authority in which Kevin is cared for have so far not be able to find suitable adopters, so now Families for Children are extending the search for a family for Kevin  in the hope that someone will come forward from Devon.

On the decision to ask the Family for Me project to help, Kevin’s  family finding social worker Lizzy explains, “We have been searching for an adoptive family for Kevin since last September without success. Kevin needs a family and he wants a family who make him laugh, with a buzz and sense of fun and silliness.

“The nature of his disabilities means he needs help with all aspects of his intimate care, such as washing, toileting, teeth brushing, and nail and hair care.  He is unlikely to be able to learn these skills.  While Kevin is small for his age he continues to grow and meet his childhood milestones.  He needs a smoke-free atmosphere to protect his lungs.”

Kevin’s current carers have experienced great pleasure and reward in seeing how their care has supported him in making some excellent developmental progress.  

Family for Me are looking for an exceptional family or single carer who could look beyond Kevin’s disabilities and see the little boy inside who is bursting with happiness and light.

Families for Children who run the project can offer support to adoptive parents to meet a child’s individual needs. They work closely with Local Authorities and health professionals to help assess the social, emotional and physical needs of each child, ensuring that their families are aware of their entitlements and services available to them to meet their child’s needs.

Karen Dale, Head of Operations at Families for Children says, “We are extremely excited about the Family for Me project in being able to help Kevin. The project’s key objective is to create awareness of those children who wait the longest to be adopted and to encourage those people who feel they could give these specific children, the loving family they deserve. In searching for families for these children we get to know the children very well, their history and what they are looking for and need from a family. No family is perfect but we need to ensure the all of the children’s needs can be met.”

Families for Children provide ongoing guidance throughout the adoption process and beyond with comprehensive adoption support services right up into adulthood.

The Family for Me campaign is being supported with a dedicated website www.familyforme.co.uk.

If anyone would like to discuss the possibility of being considered as adoptive parents for Kevin they are urging you to come forward and call them on 01364 645480.