Thousands of children in the UK are waiting to be adopted or fostered. Now people across Merseyside are being given the opportunity to find out if they could make all the difference to the life of a local child at a free BBC Family Wanted event.

The BBC’s Family Wanted Campaign aims to encourage potential new adopters and long-term foster carers to find out if they have what it takes to be a child’s parent or carer.

The BBC Family Wanted drop-in event, at Broughton Hall High School, Yew Tree Lane, West Derby, Liverpool, offers people a one-stop shop where they can meet local agencies to find out more about what is involved in fostering or adopting a child.

They will have the chance to ask questions face to face and get details about the local need for adopters and foster carers.

There will also be local foster carers, adopters and adoptees on hand to talk informally about their personal experiences.

Nicky Campbell, the face of the Family Wanted Campaign, says: “I was adopted shortly after I was born and couldn’t have wished for better parents. This is a hugely important campaign for the BBC to be running, and I hope it can help other children find a family and a future.”

There are currently over 70,000 children in public care in the UK, with more than 4,000 needing adoption across the UK every year and a shortage of over 10,000 foster carers.

The Family Wanted Campaign runs throughout the summer with a wealth of programming on BBC TV and radio.

Free Family Wanted packs are available – including an information magazine and a regional booklet profiling children in need of care in the Merseyside region. You can request a free pack by calling 0800 888 809, texting PACK to 63399 or by logging on to the website, bbc.co.uk/familywanted.

The Merseyside BBC Family Wanted event will take place at Broughton Hall High School, Yew Tree Lane, West Derby, Liverpool, on Saturday 8 September 2007 from noon to 4pm. To find out more go to bbc.co.uk/familywanted or call 0800 888 809. No tickets are required.

Family Wanted events are also being held in others areas of the UK from 1 to 8 September. Details are on the Family Wanted website events page.