Adoption: Taking on siblings 'hard work but rewarding'

Brendan and Elliott Pell-Culshaw were looking for one child but said taking the siblings had completed their lives

A couple who adopted three young brothers say taking on the siblings is the best decision they've ever made.

Siblings make up the largest number of harder to place children, according to figures from the National Adoption Steering Group.

But the consequences of splitting them up can be devastating, it said.

Brendan and Elliott Pell-Culshaw, said it was "the best feeling in the world" to know their boys had stayed together.

The couple, from Doncaster, wanted to adopt one child and perhaps another one later on.

But they found the process long and difficult and, with a shortage of families adopting siblings, were encouraged to think about more than one.

Brendan said: "When we started to look at potential matches we saw the photo of our boys and neither of us could say no.

"We were sitting on it for two weeks and then we said: 'What's stopping us from these three boys?'

"Of course there were the financial implications - but we couldn't get the boys out of our heads."

The described the boys as "full of beans" and said the hard work was worth it to see their smiles every day

The brothers had been waiting to be adopted for two years and were on the brink of being separated into different families.

They were aged two, three and four when they came to their new home and although the couple said things had been challenging at times, the boys had "absolutely enhanced" their lives.

• 'One boy stood out to me - he's now my son'

• 'The foster child who drew himself into our family photo’

• More stories from across Yorkshire

Brendan said: "They didn't have the best start in life. It was quite dire really, so we knew we taking on a lot of work.

"The only thing that kept us going was you knew the boys just wanted to be loved and that's what they deserved."

Figures show that 890 siblings were among the 2,030 children waiting for homes at the end of last September.

In Yorkshire, there are 243 children waiting to be adopted - 105 of them in sibling groups.

"You knew the boys just wanted to be loved and that's what they deserved," says Brendan Pell-Culshaw

Sarah Johal, head of One Adoption West Yorkshire, said it was important that siblings got the opportunity to be brought up with each other.

"Children have often had very early experiences of abuse and neglect and that separation and loss from the birth family is really difficult.

"It's really important that siblings who have experienced that together have that shared sense of history."

Elliott said adopting the boys taking had helped them settle in

She said support was provided throughout the adoption journey from childhood to adulthood including financial help and emotional support.

The couple said taking on siblings was "a lot to think about" but that there was not a day went by that they regretted the decision.

Elliott, who gave up work to be a stay at home dad, said: "Going from zero to three has been hard work but it is so rewarding.

"If we didn't keep them together they would have been separated. They are a pack and it's an incredible bond."