A COUPLE have spoken of how their lives have changed after adopting two boys in a bid to encourage others during National Adoption Week.

Sue and Zoe, both 37, from the Braintree area, decided to adopt after unsuccessful fertility treatment.

Earlier this year they became parents to two brothers aged six and four after being inspired by Zoe’s cousin.

Zoe said: “We’d tried to have a child through a fertility treatment and were unsuccessful.

“My cousin adopted a little boy in another area so that put the idea in our minds and we decided to look into it.

“The support we have received right the way through the process has been fantastic.”

This week marks National Adoption Week and Essex County Council, who supported Zoe and Sue, is hoping to encourage other parents to consider it.

The council helps find families for dozens of children every year and is currently looking for a loving home for more than 20 young children.

Sue said: “We have found Essex County Council to be incredibly supportive in terms of the different courses you can go on and the things you can learn.

“Despite all of the training and the preparation, the first six weeks were very challenging but since then we have really settled as a family and it hasn’t been nearly as difficult as we built ourselves up for it to be.

“It doesn’t feel like they’re anything but our children now. While they’re not biologically ours, they are ours and they’re a massive part of our family.”

Zoe added: “One day we weren’t parents and then the next we were suddenly responsible for these two gorgeous little boys. It’s changed our lives massively.

“Before we had children we were doing busy jobs with long hours, we were going on lots of holidays and were always eating out.

“I don’t think we’ve been out once since the boys moved in, but we wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Our diaries are no longer dictated by deadlines at work. We know what day of the week it is because of what clubs the boys are doing.

“Adoption is just a wonderful thing to do. We have never had any regrets.

“To see the children happy and enjoying life from where they’ve come from is just priceless."

In 2015/16, 63 families were approved to adopt in Essex, while adoptive families were found for 66 children.

To find out more visit http://www.essexadoptionandfostering.co.uk/adoption/ or call 0800 801 530.