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Families sought over Net to adopt UK kids

Social workers resort to technology to find homes for children

Pictures of British children looking for adoptive families have been put on the Web to spur on would-be parents. The move is believed to be the first time a British adoption agency has used real photographs of children on the Internet. The pictures, on the Derbyshire County Council site, include four sisters who have been split between two foster homes as a family could not been found. Social workers resorted to advertising on the Web because of a shortage of suitable adoptive parents. Although the sisters were said to have been in favour of the decision, anti-child abuse campaigners were said to be up in arms at the decision. And there were fears that the system could be abused. The Department of Health said it was looking into the matter regarding confidentiality issues. David Allen, chairman of Derbyshire's social services committee, told today's Daily Mail: "We thought long and hard before taking this step. These are ordinary children who through no fault of their own find they need new families. "We hope that by using pictures it will boost interest in their appeal." ®

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