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Research shows that contact with birth parents can be incredibly beneficial to adopted children and at Family Adoption Links, we’re here to support you every step of the way, simply get in touch with your local post adoption support team for advice and guidance (their details are below).
With this in mind, we thought you’d like to read about the experiences of a family we’re currently working with…
Ciaran is 14 and we’ve been supporting him as he’s experienced some difficulties at school. As we’ve been working together with him and his parents, it’s transpired that Ciaran has recently become interested in his birth family and has been asking more questions about them. His curiosity led him to seek out his birth sibling on social media and they’ve been messaging each other. The messages have included ways in which Ciaran could get in touch with his birth parents as this is something that his sibling has already done. Happily because of the open relationship they have, Ciaran has shared this information with his Mum, Annie and has been transparent about wanting to meet both his birth sibling and his birth parents.
Ciaran’s Mum has been very supportive and open about direct contact but wanted this to be safe for him and their family so she contacted us to ask for the best ways to consider safety and reduce risk.
Our advice was to meet in a neutral area in between their homes during half term. So Annie contacted birth Mum Tanya to arrange the meeting. Over phone and WhatsApp they discussed what her progress was and the sort of place she is in currently so that Annie could feel confident that the meeting would be safe.
Annie was keen to accompany Ciaran during the visit so that she could support him and reduce any risk. The meeting, which lasted a couple of hours, was a success with Ciaran being able to ask any questions that he had with Annie close at hand.
Although we recognise that this type of scenario may not be possible for all families, we also recognise that with the prevalence of social media, contact with birth families can happen in a short period of time and we’d urge you to get in touch for advice if this happens to you.
Post Adoption Support Contacts
Leicester – 0116 4546540, post-adoption-cfst-duty@leicester.gov.uk
Leicestershire – 0116 3051126, adoptionsupport@leics.gov.uk
Lincolnshire – 01522 782111, adoptionsupporthelpline@lincolnshire.gov.uk
North Lincolnshire – 01724 297024, adoption@northlincs.gov.uk
Northamptonshire – 01604 526959, adoption@nctrust.co.uk
