Post adoption support

What is Adoption?

Some children and young people are not able to live with their birth families and need to become part of a new family through adoption. There are many different reasons why children are adopted. Sometimes a judge decides adoption is the right plan for a child because there are concerns about a child’s safety or care. Sometimes birth parents don’t feel able to look after their children whilst they grow up.

When you have been adopted into your new family we hope that everything will go well for all of you. We know that being adopted may not always be easy and there may be times that you or your parents have questions or feelings that you need some help with.

As you are growing up there may be times when you have strong feelings about things. When we have strong feelings, like hurt, anger or excitement we don’t always know where they come from.

Sometimes these feelings can affect your parents too. If you don’t understand how you feel, then it’s difficult for your parents to know how you feel and how to help you.

You may have questions like:

• Why was I adopted?
• Who is in my birth family?
• Can I see or hear from my birth family?
• Shall I tell people I am adopted? How much should I tell them?
• Why do I sometimes feel upset, angry or confused?
• What if I don’t want any contact from my birth family?
• How do I ask questions about my birth family without upsetting my adoptive parents?

Support

Your Adoption support worker can:

• Help you understand why you were adopted
• Help you and your parents talk about adoption
• Help you understand and answer questions about being adopted
• talk to you about contact with your birth family
• Help your parents understand the strong feelings you might have sometimes and show them how you can all work together to help each other
• Help you talk to your parents about difficult things
• Help you meet other adopted children and young people at our social events and groups
• Help your teachers to understand how you might be feeling in school and how they can help you feel happier when you are there

The Adoption Support Team in Lancashire is made up of Adoption support workers who have a lot of experience working with and helping adopted children, young people and their families.

Help

If you can, try talking to your mum or dad but if you find this too hard talk to a family friend, teacher or another adult you feel you can trust.

All these people can contact the Adoption Support Team, or you can contact us yourself: here or by calling 0300 123 6728.

We need to understand how things are going for your whole family so we would want to meet with you and your family. This could be at your home or wherever you felt most comfortable.

When we have listened to everyone and we understand how everyone is feeling and what you need help with, we will agree on the best way to support you all and we will check you feel happy with this.

Other people who could help

Childline - someone to talk to

The Children’s Society in Lancashire - advocacy service for young people in care so they can have a say about what happens in their lives

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner - help for young people who live away from home or receive social care

The Children and Family Wellbeing Service can offer general advice and support, get in touch with us for help.

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