Myths about adoption within the Asian community are being dispelled as part of a campaign to encourage more people to consider fostering.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s children’s services has launched Let’s Adopt – and has been working alongside the Lancashire Council of Mosques and the Muslim Welfare Institute to help spread the message.

A launch even saw the head of children’s services at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Karen Barrick, unveil the Let’s Adopt website.

Speaking to Asian Image she said: “We have worked really hard to dispel some of the myths surrounding adoption within the Asian community.

“There was a lack of understanding at the beginning but we have now had a lot more Muslim parents coming forward.

“The message is that we will support you all the way. Whatever your background, whatever your culture, whatever your religion you can adopt.”

It was revealed Blackburn with Darwen Council currently has 34 children aged up to eight who are waiting for adoption.

Ideally, Asian children would be placed with Asian parents due to cultural and religious reasons.

Karen added: “We’re aiming to boost the number of new families created and hope the website will attract people who previously thought they wouldn’t be able to choose this route.

“We want to make sure that anyone considering adoption fully understands the process is nowhere near as complex as they often falsely believe, so they should visit the website to find out more.”

Blackburn-born Wendi Peters, who is best-known for playing Cilla Battersby-Brown – the mum of much-loved character Chesney – on the popular soap opera was a special guest at the launch. She said: “Sadly, not everyone can be a biological mother or a father, so it’s vital that people looking to bring a child into their home know where to find further information on adoption.”

As a mother to one (Gracie, 13), she continued: “No-one gets it right all of the time and there isn’t a handbook on how to be the perfect parent – it’s all about learning as you go along, trusting your instincts and doing what you think is best for your child. It’s the most rewarding job on the planet, especially when they do something like swim their first length or read a whole story back to you for the first time.”

Coun Frank Connor, the council’s executive member for children’s services, said: “We spoke to people and found out that misconceptions about who can and can’t are a major barrier to people coming forward.

“Our campaign aims to break down some of those myths and make it clear that most people can adopt and we will support them every step of the way.

“The children in our care come from different cultures and religions, so we need adoptive parents from a range of different backgrounds. The most important thing is being able to provide a loving, family home for a child.”