A ROMFORD mum has told of how adopting a ten-year-old boy changed her life for the better.
Denise Brown spoke out during National Adoption Week, last week, to help encourage other families to consider adoption.
She said: "Adopting Liam was the best thing we ever did and I love him to bits. It's just brilliant.
"I think it's ridiculous when people ask if I love him as much as I would my own child – he is my child and I couldn't love him any more."
Denise, 41, and husband Eric, 53, had never discussed having children. She only came across adoption after browsing the internet and was immediately drawn to the idea of adopting an older child.
After in-depth research, the couple decided to go ahead and made the call to Havering Borough Council. A home visit, preparation training and home study followed.
They were then given the go-ahead to adopt by an adoption panel.
As they wanted an older child, the couple looked for children in need of adoption nationally and found 10-year-old Liam in the publication Be my Parent.
A lot of preparation goes into introducing a child to a new family, especially older children, and after introductory meetings and days out, Liam was ready to move in with his new family.
He settled in quickly, and has thrived with his parents ever since. Now 16, he is currently doing an apprenticeship to become a plasterer.
As there are so many other children in need of stable family homes, Denise is keen to speak out to encourage other people to think about getting involved in adoption.
She said: "It is so rewarding and there are so many lovely kids out there in need of stable homes. Adopting allows you to make a difference to a child's life, while also making your own better.
"If anyone was considering adoption I would say just do it, make the call. It's about taking small steps – do your research, join agencies like Adoption UK.
"It's not about making the perfect family, but the good times, when your heart almost bursts, make up for any difficult times. It's so important that older children get adopted, as well as siblings and disabled children. People interested should find out more, you don't have to commit straight away."
Before adoption Liam had spent time in foster care. His birth mother was unable to care for him due to drug problems. His grandmother cared for him and his two brothers until she became too elderly to cope.
Liam is still in contact with his birth family which Denise and Eric are in full support of – though not all adoptions mean contact with a birth family.
Havering has almost 200 children in foster care at any one time, many of which will be unable to return to their families and need a stable home.
To find out more about adoption, Havering Council, along with its partners , Thurrock, and Southend-on-Sea councils, is holding an open evening today (Wednesday). It will take place from 6.30pm at Orsett Hall Hotel, Prince Charles Avenue, Orsett.
The names of the people in this story have been changed to protect the identity of the child.