Adoption stories

Carla and her dad Andrew, sat next to each other on a train

Andrew and Alex adopted Carla when she was six years old

Andrew and his wife Alex adopted Carla when she was six years old. Ever since the moment when Carla led him to the local park hand-in-hand on the day they met, Andrew has been besotted with her.

“When she held my hand the day we met and said ‘Come on, Daddy’, there was no way back from that.”


Meet Carla and Andrew
Andrew and his wife adopted Carla aged 6

Andrew is Carla’s father.

“To us, Carla isn’t our adopted daughter, she’s our daughter. From the moment she took my hand on the day we met and said, ‘Come on Daddy’, I was hooked, there was no way back. It’s incredible how similar we are – same sense of humour, and even our mannerisms are often alike. Adopting an older child is brilliant because she could talk to us in those early years about what she did and didn’t like, and her understanding of what had happened to her. It’s been important for us to be open about adoption and it really is a lifelong journey – we’ve had support when needed, long after the adoption itself. But above all else, it’s been a journey that has been filled with fun, fulfilment, and affection.”

After two supportive years living with her foster carer, Carla was adopted aged six by Andrew and his wife Alex. They made a ‘Hello Carla’ book as a way of sharing what family life with them could look like. Andrew and Alex recognised the importance of supporting Carla to continue the positive relationship she had built up with her foster carer, even after her adoption.

“Adopting an older child is brilliant because she could communicate with us in those early years about what she did and didn’t like, which made our adventures together all the more fun.”

There has been a 22% increase in the number of children needing to be matched with an adoptive family, according to 2024 adoption data. Carla used to be one of them.

Carla, 27, was adopted at the age of six. Years down the line, Carla describes her adoption as ‘the best thing that ever happened to her’.

“I love talking about my adoption journey and I’m incredibly proud of it. I now see it as a strength, but equally, as important as it is, it also doesn’t define me. I’ll be forever grateful to my foster carer for giving me such a loving start to my adoption journey and helping me prepare to meet my forever family. It’s been the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Since she was a teenager, Carla has talked publicly about her adoption journey alongside her dad, sharing their experiences to encourage others to adopt. Carla herself is keen to adopt a child of her own one day.

In England in 2024, there were over 750 more children not yet placed with a family than there are approved adopters waiting to be matched with a child. The road to a family is not always a traditional one, and you could provide one of these children with their own forever home.

If the path of adoption is calling out to you, know that support is there at every step of the journey.

Carla sits on a train opposite her dad and encourages others to be open to the different ways to have a family
Carla sits on a train next her dad and her dad says he adopted Carla as an older child

Are you ready to adopt?

Find out if you are ready to adopt by using our Ready to adopt? checker.

We hold online information events where you can hear from a local adopter and get your questions answered by a friendly member of the adoption team. Our event aims to inform you of the services we provide and the children who are currently waiting the longest for their permanent family.

If you’re ready to begin your adoption journey or would just like some information, or support, please do get in touch with us today.