CARERS who wish to adopt children can initially foster them under a new scheme launched by Barnardo's Northern Ireland.
The scheme aims to help the child and foster carer develop a relationship while the adoption is going through.
The charity said the scheme will focus on children who are waiting longest to be adopted - generally those with complex needs, older children, or those who need to be looked after with a sibling.
Around 40 per cent of children waiting to be adopted have complex needs, including medical conditions, disabilities and developmental delay, are over the age of four, or need to be placed alongside a brother or sister.
Priscilla McLoughlin, operations manager of the Fostering and Adoption Service at Barnardo’s Northern Ireland, said the scheme will help children most in need.
"As a fostering service, we have always focused on finding families for these children and our Foster to Adopt service will continue to prioritise children who might not otherwise be placed for adoption because of their high level of need," she said.
"By approving applicants as both foster carers and adopters, children can be placed as early as possible with foster carers who will hopefully become their legal family, through adoption.
"This also enables the foster carers to develop their relationship with the child so they can feel confident that progressing to adoption is right for them, their family and importantly, the child."
Statistics released by the Department of Health showed that, as of March 2021, a record 3,530 children and young people were in care in Northern Ireland.
Of those in care, 31 per cent had been looked after for five years or longer.
The charity said children across the north are in care for many reasons including drug and alcohol dependency, mental health concerns, domestic violence, a relationship breakdown or parents who may be unable to sustain relationships or parent their child safely.
Heather Watson, Barnardo's foster carer and adopter said fostering and adoption make a huge difference to children.
"If I had to give somebody advice, or go back in time, I would have started this journey sooner," she said.
"We've been doing this for ten years. You see the difference you can make in these wee children’s lives."
To find out more visit www.barnardos.org.uk/foster/northern-ireland or call 028 9065 2288 or 0800 0277 280.
