THE LGBT community in Cumbria is being urged to consider adopting and fostering local children.

For the first time Cumbria County Council's Fostering and Adoption Service is holding an information stand at Cumbria Pride next month. It is hoping to promote adoption and fostering by the Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual and Transgender at the event on Saturday, September 29.

Claire Lloyd, Fostering and Adoption service manager, said: "We know from experience that LGBT people often come to adoption and fostering with an open mind and real enthusiasm. Many children waiting to be adopted or fostered have had a very chaotic start to life, and we’ve seen them thrive with their new LGBT parents."

Potential parents will also have the opportunity to speak to local LGBT adopters and foster carers at the stand to get information on the processes involved.

Kevin Kerr, a Carlisle foster carer, has fostered with the county council for more than 15 years with his male partner.

He said: "I trained as a nursery nurse and worked in a few primary schools helping individual children with special needs in the classroom. Working with children in these many different environments opened my eyes to the children out there who need a helping hand. A loving and stable home, that's such a basic requirement for children to flourish."

Kevin and his partner took their first step in fostering with Foster Care Fortnight where they helped to look after children over the weekend. "Then we got a call one day that some other kids needed somewhere to stay permanently. Who were we to say no? From there, we're pretty much had a full house and we love it.

"It’s been a really positive experience. Fostering is definitely a way of life rather than a profession; like any parents our life revolves around the children. This is just a different way of having children in your life."

The information stand will be held at the Brampton Road university Campus, Carlisle.

To find out more information about fostering options visit: www.cumbria.gov.uk/fostering or call 0303 333 1216.