Inspiring talk on adopting children at All Saints Church

Carole Arnold attended the Parish Communion service last Sunday 7th June and spoke as a PACT Adopter Champion.

Carole and her husband have 2 children; one birth child, one adopted child; both of whom have Downs syndrome. Their son is 10 years old now but was three and a half when they adopted Libby, who was then 12 months old and is now six. Carole began work for PACT as an Adopter Champion in November 2014. She is particularly keen to help more people realise that they have the ability to parent a child with additional needs. Carole says: “It is not about making everything rosy, but about balancing the challenges with the wonderful rewards of everyday life."

Carole spoke in place of the sermon at the church service. The church had advertised the service as having a focus on fostering and adoption and had encouraged its church community to engage with the topic in advance by viewing some online TV clips that Carole had sent. (Example: http://www.itv.com/lorraine/hot-topics/i-adopted-a-child-at-51 )

Carole's talk, which was illustrated by photographs, was very well-received by the congregation. It was informative, moving and inspiring. The talk covered a range of things around her children, disability and adoption as well as her journey to faith over the past few years.

It was very interesting for church members to hear also from her about the way her church at High Wycombe has responded and developed its support for her and other families caring for children with additional needs. In effect the talk was both about adopting and also about parenting children with additional needs - so capturing the interest of a wide range of people.

After the service Carole stayed behind and over coffee in our adjoining centre she had several useful conversations with individual church members.

The Rector, Canon David Hodgson said: "We were very pleased to host Carole and we are now thinking about what the next steps are to sustain interest and develop our support as a church for adoptive parents and for the work of PACT".