'You don't need millions to adopt - kids just need love and a safe place'

"We were bombarded with people who had children who were Black or of dual heritage. It made us realise that there were so many children who looked like us, but at the same time, it was quite sad to know that there were that many and we couldn't take them all home."

"According to figures published by the government's Race Disparity Unit in December 2021, Black and mixed-heritage children represent around seven per cent of children with a plan for adoption, but account for only two per cent of adopted children. The number of Black children adopted also fell from 120 (2.2 per cent) in 2015 to 60 (1.7 per cent) of the total number of children adopted in 2023."

"We felt that us looking like them would be helpful to them, but it's not something you need. Although the couple agree that it's not necessary for a child to resemble their parents in order for adoption to succeed, they explain that, as a same-sex couple, they wanted to make things as 'normal' as possible for their children."

Alice and Monique, a same-sex couple aged 25 and 31, adopted their mixed-race daughters at ages three and four to keep the sisters together and prevent their separation in the care system. Government data reveals that Black and mixed-heritage children represent seven percent of children with adoption plans but only two percent of adopted children, with adoptions of Black children declining from 120 in 2015 to 60 in 2023. The couple deliberately sought to adopt children reflecting their own backgrounds—Alice is White British and Monique is Black Caribbean—to challenge systemic disparities. They received overwhelming responses from social services with available children of Black or dual heritage. While acknowledging that physical resemblance isn't necessary for successful adoption, the couple believed sharing similar appearances would help normalize their family structure for their children.

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