A SAME-sex adopter from Warrington has addressed the children's minister to tackle the problems facing adoptive parents.

David Robinson-Field, 55, from Winwick, has two adoptive children with his partner of 18 years.

Now working as practice manager for the centre for adoption support at the Padgate Campus of the University of Chester in Crab Lane, David was contacted by Adoption UK to speak at their meeting with the children's minister last week, explaining the struggles facing adoptive families in the UK.

Mr Robinson-Field explained: "In 2007 my partner and I adopted.

"I took adoption leave and took it again when we adopted our second child.

"I then took voluntary redundancy to look after the children.

"When I started to think about getting back into work I remembered there was so little support out there so I became interested in adoption support.

"I started to look into training to be a social worker so I could work in that area.

"Luckily I got a bursary to do that and my second work placement was at the centre for adoption support.

"I got a job working there three years ago.

"Adoption UK recently approached us to speak with the children's minister Nadhim Zahawi."

The meeting in Westminster was a chance for parents to tell the minister about some of the major challenges facing adoptive families in the UK today and the changes that they would like to see in policy and practice.

The discussion focused on three broad themes which are considered to be top priorities for adoptive families: education, post-adoption support and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) which are a group of conditions that can result from a child's mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Mr Robinson-Field added: "Adoption is not the end of the story like some people think, so without funding, it can become very difficult.

"The adopters that come to us at the centre can get support but more is needed and funding needs to continue."

Mr Robinson-Field believes that schools in the UK and Warrington need more information on how to best work with adoptive children.

The centre for adoption support in Warrington works closely with families and professionals to equip them with the necessary knowledge, understanding and strategies needed to support their children at different points along their adoption journey.