Lord Eatwell supports Jersey’s adoption and fostering campaign
The Chair of the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) has added his voice to a local campaign which is raising awareness about fostering and adoption in the Island.
Adopted six months after his birth, Lord Eatwell has been sharing his personal experiences about how adoption has shaped his life.
Originally born in the South West of England, John Eatwell was adopted in Swindon in 1945 by a carpenter and a seamstress. He went to a local state school, became a talented rugby player and secured a place at the University of Cambridge to study Economics. Following Cambridge, he studied for a PhD at Harvard before returning to Cambridge as a fellow of Trinity College and an economics lecturer. He became the president of Queens’ College, Cambridge in 1997.
Enjoying a successful career as an economist, lecturer and author, John Eatwell was a senior adviser to the Labour Party during the 80s and 90s, acting as chief economic adviser to Neil Kinnock from 1985 to 1992. After this period he became a member of the House of Lords where he now sits as a non-affiliated peer.
Reflecting on his adoption, Lord Eatwell, JFSC Chair commented:
“In terms of my own experience, it was the most important thing to happen to me. My adoptive parents set the tone and direction of my life. It would have been completely different without them. Being adopted by two wonderful people has given me a permanent feeling of being lucky. Sometime people who adopt feel that they are only substitute parents and that’s simply not true. They are the real parents.”
Emmy Lindsey from Fostering and Adoption Jersey said:
“We are very fortunate in Jersey to have many wonderful foster and adoptive parents but there is still a real need for more people to come forward. We want to be able to offer the right family placement for the children who come into our care.”
For more information about fostering and adoption in Jersey visit: https://www.gov.je/Caring/Children/FosteringAdoption/Pages/index.aspx
Additional Information
Lord Eatwell recently submitted a parliamentary question relating to the Home Office’s decision to refuse entry to the UK of an American NHS specialist’s two adopted children:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/04/us-surgeon-may-be-forced-to-quit-uk-because-of-visa-nightmare
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/17/american-nhs-surgeon-adopted-sons-grantedvisas-patrick-thies-home-office
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/writtenquestion/Lords/2017-10-16/HL2021