Adoption Focus, one of the UKโs leading voluntary adoption agencies, is launching a new campaign called โThe Long Waitโ on 1st November 2025, to challenge misconceptions about adoption and highlight the urgent need for more adoptive parents.
Children across the UK are waiting far too long for permanent, loving homes.
โThe Long Waitโ campaign brings the experience of waiting children into sharp focus, asking one profound question: How long is too long to wait?
This campaign will take to the streets of Birmingham with a digital van display at Navigation St (opposite side of the road to the Costa Coffee linked here), bringing the stories of waiting children to thousands of commuters and city-goers.
In addition, the digital screens at rail stations will deliver the campaignโs message at Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International ensuring wide and varied exposure to daily commuters and occasional travellers.
The campaign film depicts a waiting room where time visibly passes for five children aged between two and ten years old. Over 18 months, the average time a child waits for an adoptive family, the children in the film grow older before viewersโ eyes.
The video closes with the message:
โDonโt make them wait. Get in touch today.โ
Anna Sharkey, CEO of Adoption Focus, said:
โAcross the country, more and more children are waiting for adoptive families, but fewer people are coming forward. Thereโs an adoption crisis happening quietly in the background of our society, and itโs not being talked about enough. These are children who have already experienced loss, trauma, and instability, and they deserve the chance of a permanent, loving home. We need people from all walks of life โ whether single, in a couple, LGBTQ+, or from any background, to know they can make a difference.โ
At the same time, this campaign addresses a persistent belief that adoption is a long, difficult, and invasive process. Many potential adopters are held back by self-doubt and uncertainty, often thinking, โIโm not going to be enough.โ
Search behaviour from prospective adopters reveals a strong desire to move beyond these barriers. Google Trends data shows consistent spikes in searches such as โhow to speed up adoption UK,โ โam I eligible to adopt?โ and โsupport for adoptive parents.โ These insights underline a growing appetite for reassurance, support, and clear information about the adoption journey.
The experience of adoptive parents shows that the wait is worthwhile. Traitors star Miles Asteri, who adopted with Adoption Focus, reflects:
โAdoption has truly been the greatest gift of my life. Itโs been without a doubt the best thing Iโve ever done. The love I have for my children is indescribable โ itโs deeper, truer, and more powerful than I ever imagined possible. If I could pass on this feeling to anyone considering adoption, I would โ because itโs a love that changes everything. My children have filled my world with laughter, meaning, and a sense of belonging I didnโt know I was missing.โ
By shining a light on the emotional reality of waiting children, โThe Long Waitโ seeks to shift public perception and inspire a new wave of adoptive families. The campaign reinforces Adoption Focusโs role as a leading voice for adoption in the UK, advocating for every child to find a permanent, loving home.
For more information about the campaign or to learn more about becoming an adoptive parent, visit https://www.adoption-focus.org.uk/the-long-wait
