Success stories: Sibling adoption

This family was approved by DFW Adoption and the photograph tells the story of a happy family group and 3 children growing up together with their siblings. Our warm thanks to Peter and Stuart, adoptive parents, and their lovely children Rebecca, Ryan and Rihanna for allowing us to print their photo and their views.

Rebecca, 10, and her younger sister Rihanna, 7, and older brother Ryan, 11, are really enjoying their new life with their new dads Peter and Stuart.

“Adoption gave me the chance to start my life again,” said Rebecca. Her younger sister Rihanna said: “I love living with my two dads and my brother and sister, it’s nice to have them to play with.”

Ryan said: “I’ve learnt to play football and made lots of new friends at school, we enjoy teaching each other jokes. My dad has also helped me with maths, I didn’t like it very much because I wasn’t very good at it, but now I like to learn and came top of the class in my last maths exam.”

Peter said: “We thought it was really important for the children to stay together, some people can be put off adopting children over five fearing that they have already developed their personalities but it isn’t like that at all. The children have very much become our children and it’s lovely to see parts of our personalities in them too.

“We were nervous at first but have had lots of support, have learnt lots and made some really good friends. At the beginning we worried that the children may feel different at school for having two dads, however this has turned out to be a really positive thing for them and in fact other children have said it must be really fun and they also want two dads.

“Since the children came to live with us our lives have changed beyond recognition. Sometimes it’s a mad house but it is always a happy house. Families come in different shapes and sizes and you shouldn’t be put off by the child’s age as it is only a number.”

Peter and Stuart would recommend that anyone thinking of adoption goes to an information event, Peter added: “Don’t be put off as it’s important to get as much information as possible.”