Admiration. Total. Recent contact with two separate individuals engaging with Purple. Driver. Lived experience having adopted disabled children. Both cases. Multiple impairments. Including mental health. Both families supported. The joy. Pride. Palpable.

Humbled. Always ruled out adoption. Way before I had my own children. Never dug deep enough to answer the why. Will get my spade out. Start digging.

These adoption stories are at odds with a recent news report. 80% of disabled children waiting over 18 months to be placed. Locked in the ‘harder to place’ category. Headlines of new parents being left. At breaking point. Mis-sold. Local authorities not equipped in terms of specialist support to help. Don’t quote me but I am sure the accompanying TV coverage included the line ‘ the additional burden’ of having a disability. Stomach churning.

Adoption is often linked with troubled backstories. No judgments made. Convinced with right support and interventions families can be complete. I have witnessed it.

A different angle. But if we are to change the disability conversation every aspect of society needs to move. For all disabled people. One to keep a close eye on. A barometer of progress. Burden. No. Brilliant and beautiful opportunities. Bringing people together.

A watching brief.