DFW Adoption turn things around
06/10/2009
To turn a deficit of over £90,000 to a surplus of £100,000 within 12 months is a fantastic achievement. And, as Trustee Keith Johnson (pictured right), who presented the finance report, said, this is above all down to the co-operation of DFW's 'wonderful staff'!
The Trustees had to make some tough decisions to bring expenditure in line with income. These included cutting staff hours and some intermediary services. The resulting turn-around in the financial situation, however, leaves no room for complacency. As Margaret Bell, the Director said in her report, nationally, the number of families seeking children to adopt continues to fall. Yet this is DFW's main source income. A small amount comes from voluntary donations, fund-raising by members and parishes and the occasional bequest, but otherwise, DFW has to place children in order to survive.
The photograph below shows DFW CHair, the Ven Stuart Bain, listening to Director, Margaret Bell, presenting her report.
One area of growth recently has been the number of sibling groups of children DFW have placed with families. DFW staff believe that it is important for children from the same family who are in need of adoption to be kept together. And they are committed to recruiting families willing to parent sibling groups. The majority of the children placed have been in the age range 5 to 6 years. During her placement with the organisation, former student, Vicky Hogan, was able to research this area for her MA in social work. Vicky spoke about aspects of her research as part of the AGM, together with DFW's social worker, Dave Harrop, who has been involved with the placement of a number of sibling groups.
Vicky Hogan, who has now graduated and is working in the Midlands, is pictured below with social worker, Davd Harrop, during the presentation they gave on the adoption of sibling groups.
Unlike local authority agencies, the voluntary agencies (like DFW) have some flexibility. They can focus more on the needs of children - often 'left over' in the adoption process. And this applies very often to sibling groups. Children who end up in care have usually had a very raw deal as a result of family splits, abuse and trauma. In the past children from the same family would have been adopted separately but this is not ideal. When they are kept together they look out for each other, they take an interest and pride in each other's achievements and this is bound to benefit them as well as their adoptive parents.
One question that was asked during the discussion which followed was 'Doesn't it put a lot more pressure on the parents having 2 or 3 children all at once?' The answer: "Becoming a parent involves the biggest change," responded Beth Miller, another of DFW's social workers, "and whether it's one, two or three kinds is not the real issue," she added. Children who are kept together, play together and demand less attention from parents than a single child. Taking a sibling group in one go, rather than one at a time, also lessens the risk of disruption. Not only that, but sibling groups can waith a long time and, at some point, could be split up or will simply get stuck innthe foster care system.
The commitment to providing for the needs of children who are in the 'difficult to place' category marks out DFW Adoption as very special. The work they are doing is vital and it is vital that they should be able to continue. If you or your parish would like to help support them in their work, phone 0191 386 3719 go to www.dfw.org.uk to find out more.
As DFW social worker, Pauline Reed, commented at the end of the meeting: "We at DFW are corporate parents to over 10,000 people (children who have been adopted over the years) and our post-adoptive work is second to none!"
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