	The Children's Society
	Adoption Matters North West (AMNW) is one of the charities that Norbury supports financially or in other ways. The origins of the organisation lie in the Anglican Church, in particular the Diocese of Chester, and the Bishops of Birkenhead and Chester are the current presidents. AMNW is a member of the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (there are 32 in total) and provides comprehensive advice, support and information to anyone whose life has been touched by adoption, i.e. adoptive parents, people who have been adopted, birth parents and their families. The agency has achieved over 3,500 placements since 1947 and has one of the lowest adoption breakdown rates in the country: less than 5% compared with a national average of around 20%. AMNW has offices in Chester, Blackburn and Hale and invites enquiries from would-be adoptive parents throughout the North West and beyond. The agency is especially keen to hear from those willing to consider the adoption of children in sibling groups, of school age, from ethnic minorities, with disabilities or developmental problems, affected by birth parents’ drug or alcohol abuse.	Applications may be from married couples, single people, couples in a civil partnership and unmarried couples who are in a stable, long-term family relationship. There is a rigorous application process that AMNW generally completes within eight months (in line with the Government’s national standards). The AMNW’s team of sensitive and experienced professionals provide, as well as adoption services, information and counselling in relation to parents who have relinquished their children for adoption and want to share their feelings, perhaps many years after the event; people who have themselves been adopted; tracing birth records and relatives as well as the implications of doing so. AMNW has a comprehensive website www.adoptionmattersnw.org with more information about its work. At any one time in this country, several hundred children of varying ages are in need of adoptive parents. The AMNW was able to help 40 children in its last financial year and we thank the families who opened their hearts and homes to them. Pat Cartwright, Parish Advocate for AMNW
	Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910

The Children's Society

Adoption Matters North West (AMNW) is one of the charities that Norbury supports financially or in other ways. The origins of the organisation lie in the Anglican Church, in particular the Diocese of Chester, and the Bishops of Birkenhead and Chester are the current presidents.

AMNW is a member of the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (there are 32 in total) and provides comprehensive advice, support and information to anyone whose life has been touched by adoption, i.e. adoptive parents, people who have been adopted, birth parents and their families. The agency has achieved over 3,500 placements since 1947 and has one of the lowest adoption breakdown rates in the country: less than 5% compared with a national average of around 20%.

AMNW has offices in Chester, Blackburn and Hale and invites enquiries from would-be adoptive parents throughout the North West and beyond. The agency is especially keen to hear from those willing to consider the adoption of children

in sibling groups,
of school age,
from ethnic minorities,
with disabilities or developmental problems,
affected by birth parents’ drug or alcohol abuse.

Applications may be from married couples, single people, couples in a civil partnership and unmarried couples who are in a stable, long-term family relationship. There is a rigorous application process that AMNW generally completes within eight months (in line with the Government’s national standards).

The AMNW’s team of sensitive and experienced professionals provide, as well as adoption services, information and counselling in relation to

parents who have relinquished their children for adoption and want to share their feelings, perhaps many years after the event;
people who have themselves been adopted;
tracing birth records and relatives as well as the implications of doing so.

AMNW has a comprehensive website www.adoptionmattersnw.org with more information about its work.

At any one time in this country, several hundred children of varying ages are in need of adoptive parents. The AMNW was able to help 40 children in its last financial year and we thank the families who opened their hearts and homes to them.

Pat Cartwright, Parish Advocate for AMNW

The Children's Society

Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire. Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910

Norbury Parish Church, London Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire.
Telephone: 0161-483 6325. Registered Charity 1130910