HOMEPORTCHARITIESINACTION21
National Adoption Week 1-7 November, 2004
Can you make a wish come true?
VDP – what’s that?
R
ight now thousands of permanent, stable and caring home for
I
t stands for ‘Voluntary Donation from Pay’ and is
the Royal Navy’s Charity Payroll Giving Scheme
children in the UK are a child. in support of RN charities.
waiting to be adopted.
Why have so few signed up to the
You can make a child's You do need to:
scheme?
wish come true, and give Qhave space in your life and home
For the last 9 months, I have been travelling
them the opportunity to Qbe patient, flexible, have lots of energy and a
around ships and establishments briefing groups
shine, by providing a loving sense of humour about the scheme, about the benefiting Naval
home through adoption. Qhave the determination to make a real Charities and about how those charities help
difference to a child's life for a lifetime! naval families. Most people I have spoken to
Every child deserves a home that makes them know little about naval charities and how those
feel comfortable and cared for - a home All sorts of children need all sorts of families. charities can help in times of need.
that's right for their age, culture, race, Children needing adoption are babies, older
These charities exist to help all needy serving and
religion and any other needs they may have. children, brothers and sisters who want to grow
ex-serving personnel and their families. Yes – they
That's why we need adopters with different up together, black and mixed parentage
help dependants as well! It’s hardly surprising, if
backgrounds and experiences. children, children with disabilities, as well as my visits have revealed how little naval folk know
children from other racial and cultural about the charities, that many spouses and
Whatever your culture, race or religion, you backgrounds. dependants are unaware of the help that they
can adopt. The law in the UK says you need to could get in times of need too.
be over 21. Most importantly, you need to be For more information visit the BAAF Adoption
The RN Charities give over £3 million every year
able to show that you can provide a and Fostering website at www.baaf.org.uk G
to help thousands of serving and ex-serving
people and their families. Help is given to meet
SSAFA Forces Help Adoption Service
many, varied needs including:
❚ Rent and mortgage payments
support to all Service families
❚ Childcare ❚ Disability aids
who adopt.
❚ Training for second careers ❚ Removal expenses
❚ Household goods and house repairs
SSAFA can also offer you advice if
❚ Food and clothing ❚ Gas and electricity
you are a step-parent currently
❚ Medical expenses ❚ Financial problems
posted abroad and thinking of
adopting your stepchild.
The RN Charities also provide community support
and care of the young, elderly and disabled. The
The following booklets are
cost to the charities of giving this assistance is
available:
constantly increasing. At the same time it is
becoming more and more difficult to raise the
a71 General Information
funds to meet the needs. That’s how VDP can
a71 Thinking about adoption
help. From as little as £1 a month, members of
a71 Considering adoption for your
the Naval Service can make a difference to the
baby?
lives of their colleagues and maybe their own
a71 Adopted? Want to know more
family, if the need arose.
about your origins?
Most of the money raised by the scheme goes to
help the main Naval Charities: Royal Naval
Benevolent Trust (RNBT), the RN and RM
S
SAFA Forces Help offers a professional Either download the booklets from the SSAFA
and confidential adoption service to those website (www.ssafa.org.uk) or send an e-mail
Children’s Fund, Royal Naval Officers’
in the Services who are thinking about (info@ssafa.org.uk) to order copies.
Benevolence Centre and the WRNS Benevolent
adopting a child, placing a child for adoption Alternatively, contact your local HIVE
Trust. Lesser amounts go to assist four smaller RN
or who are adopted themselves and are Information Office.
charities.
looking for help and advice.
Why not encourage your serving member to join
"Service families have a great deal to offer
the scheme. If you want to know more about the
As a registered adoption agency, SSAFA can children who need a permanent home. We
charities or the scheme, contact me by phone on
assess adoptive families and support children have a number of successful placements
023 9272 2338 or e-mail:
placed with them. This service is offered to already and look forward to extending our
gazzagaskin@aol.com
personnel and their families serving overseas service both in Great Britain and overseas."
I would also be happy to come and talk to small
and is being expanded to assist those based in says Kate Burgess, director of Social Work,
or large groups of families/partners.
the UK. They can also provide post adoption SSAFA Forces Help. G
CPO Steve Gaskin PR Officer for VDP G
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