Diagrama FoundationAdopted Birmingham teenager Katie Kumar, aged 17, went on Channel 4's First Dates Teens to find love. She didn’t find love but what she did find was her sister.
Katie was three years old when she was separated from her birth parents and siblings and put into foster care and later adopted by her foster parents.
Her sister Louise happened by chance to watch the episode of the TV dating show that Katie appeared on and as Katie shared her adoption story Louise realised that when Katie revealed she had an Afghan birth father, that there was a huge chance they were siblings.
Louise, two years older, reached out to Katie, over social media and from their first meeting it is heartening to see that the pair have been making up for lost time and spending quality time together.
It is so pleasing to see the sisters reunite, but very sad to know that there are another three siblings that they have never met and know very little about.
The best interests of adopted children are always our priority and we would hope that siblings like Louise and Katie do not lose contact. Wherever possible we provide guidance to both birth families and adoptive parents on how to communicate effectively to ensure that we maintain a connection to help the adopted child to understand their origins and identity.
You can watch Louise and Katie share their story on This Morning here.
Kate Patel
