The North Wales Adoption Service has marked ten years of its commitment to bringing families together.

To commemorate this milestone, Welsh beatbox star Mr Phormula produced a rap with young adopted people from across North Wales.

The initiative was part of the National Adoption Service for Wales's 10-year anniversary celebrations, coinciding with National Adoption Week from October 21 to 27.

The North Wales Adoption Service (NWAS) has expressed gratitude to its adoption community for their support and commitment to families over the decade.

The service aims to get rid of adoption misconceptions and inspire more people across North Wales to consider adoption.

The bilingual rap track, created with the help of Mr Phormula, shares the experiences and journeys of these young adopted people.

Mr Phormula, a North Wales native who collaborated with poet Evrah Rose to launch Wrexham's City of Culture bid in 2022, said: "I’m very passionate about working with communities to help them express themselves and their feelings through the medium of music, so I feel very grateful to have been invited to run a workshop session with local young adopted people.

"The children were fantastic, and it’s so great to have this amazing piece of music to reflect their experiences and give them a voice."

The National Adoption Service for Wales was established in 2014 to improve services for all those affected by adoption in Wales.

Since then, it has placed 3,000 children for adoption with 2,300 families.

Alaw Jones, a single adopter from North Wales who is part of the NWAS adoption community panel, shared her adoption journey.

She said: "There was something inside of me that always told me that adoption would be my route to starting a family."

Ms Jones adopted two girls in 2018 and 2021.

She added: "Adoption is the norm in my wider family – there are a few adopted children, and we all discuss it together very openly – my eldest daughter finds this openness very beneficial and helps her in her life journey work."

Currently, there are around 4,500 adopted children and young people, and around 7,000 adopted adults living in Wales.

The National Adoption Service has helped many people access their birth records, trace relatives, and contact birth families.

Mihaela Bucutea, operational team manager at North Wales Adoption Service, said: "We’re incredibly proud of the strong adoption community we have built here over the last 10 years, with both Welsh-speaking and English adopters being supported by our service as they extend their families."

She highlighted the progress made with life journey work, an ongoing initiative that helps adopted children make sense of their past and understand their current situation, helping them have a stronger sense of identity as they grow older.

"We are always here to answer any questions that people may have and urge people who are considering adoption to take that first step and make an enquiry today," she added.

For those interested in making an adoption enquiry, more information can be found on the North Wales Adoption Service website.