Local adoption charity, Families for Children, has warned of the desperate need for more adoptive families to come forward in the county.

The warning comes as the charity reports an exceptionally low number of potential adopters in Cornwall and launches a recruitment campaign to urge families to come forward for the growing number of children waiting who are in local authority care.

Charity spokesperson, Katey McDonald said: ‘There is no such thing as an ‘ideal’ adoptive family. Families for Children are interested in what you can offer to a child and how you can best fulfil their individual needs. We welcome enquiries from potential adopters, regardless of marital status, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income or whether you have parenting experience or not. We are looking for families from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds who can offer a permanent loving home and a secure environment to a child.’

The children they place are often vulnerable and have experienced extreme trauma in their early lives in the form of both physical and emotional abuse. The children are of all ages, can be of dual heritage or be a group of brothers and sisters, some of the children may also have severe disabilities.

If you feel you could adopt and for more information about how you can adopt in Cornwall please call 01872 444100 or visit www.familiesforchildren.org.uk