Birth parents who have lost their child through adoption often find it hard to grieve the loss of their child. Depending on when their child was adopted, they may or may not be in contact with their child. If there is contact, birth parents can find managing the contact an emotional and mixed-feelings experience. When there has been no contact, birth families often wonder how their birth child is getting on, even if the child is now an adult and was adopted many years ago.
New regulations related to the Adoption and Children Act 2002 will set out a framework which enables Adoption Support Agencies to operate intermediary services that facilitate and provide contact between adopted adults and their adult birth relatives. This means that in future an Adoption Support Agency may be able to establish the identity of an adopted adult, seek to trace them and subject to obtaining their informed consent – disclose identifying information about them to their birth relative.
Where requested the Adoption Support Agency will be able to facilitate contact between them and provide counselling. An adopted adult can ask for the same service.
These regulations do not come into force until September 2005.
As there have been 875,000 legal adoptions since 1926 it is likely that there will be a huge number of people wanting this service. To manage this it is likely that this part of the Act will be implemented in two stages with the scheme applying first to adoptions made before 1975 and to those now elderly birth relatives who relinquished their child to adoption many years ago.
However birth relatives can seek help and advice now.
The General Register Office operates an Adoption Contact Register. Birth families can register that if the adopted person also registers they would like the adopted person to know of their wish to make contact. The adopted person can register in the same way.
There is a leaflet from the General Register Office which is explains the Adoption Contact Register.
For more information, please use one of the following methods:
Telephone: 0151 471 4830
E-mail: adoptions@ons.gov.uk
Visit the General Register Office website (www.statistics.gov.uk/registration/adoptions)
Swindon Social Services has a service level agreement with the South West Adoption Network (SWAN) to offer independent and confidential service to birth parents who are affected by the adoption of their birth child.
To contact SWAN please telephone their Helpline on 0845 601 2459.
The Helpline is available on:
Alternatively, for further information:
Visit the SWAN website (www.swan-adoption.org.uk)
E-mail SWAN at helpline@swan-adoption.org.uk
SWAN will become an Adoption Support Agency.
NORCAP is also planning to become an Adoption Support Agency. NORCAP is a support group that aims to help adults handle their feelings about the effect of adoption on their lives. It provides opportunities for birth relatives to talk freely with others who have personal experience of adoption. NORCAP also operates a Register which may link people separated by adoption who want to be put in touch with each other. It can also give advice on searching for relatives separated by adoption and provide an intermediary service.
Swindon Social Services has professional membership of NORCAP. This enables residents of Swindon to join NORCAP at discounted rates.
NORCAP can be contacted as follows:
Telephone: 01865 875000. (Telephone lines are open Mondays to Fridays from 10am to 1pm and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm)
Alternatively, for further information:
Visit the NORCAP website (www.norcap.org.uk).
Email: enquiries@norcap.org.
Leaflets on SWAN, NORCAP and The Contact Register can also be obtained from Swindon Social Services. To obtain copies please use either of the following methods:
Telephone 01793 463125
E-mail: lharwood@swindon.gov.uk
If you would like assistance in locating a service to support you as a birth parent, please contact the Councils' Adoption Support Services Adviser on 01793 463125.
Accessibility Guideline Notes
|