Update from Family Adoption Links on Adoption Support

Recent media coverage has highlighted the challenges that some adoptive families experience, and we recognise how important it is that these issues are spoken about openly.

Family Adoption Links, as a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA), works in partnership with Adoption England and shares the sentiment expressed in their response to the recent publicity.

Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England, said:

“I was deeply saddened to read the BBC article and hear the experiences of adoptive families who have faced severe challenges. Adoption is complex and every child and family has unique needs and circumstances. Staff in adoption agencies are trained to understand the impact of early life trauma and disrupted attachments, and they work hard to build open, honest relationships with adoptive parents to provide tailored support. It is very important that families are listened to, respected and valued as partners in meeting their children’s needs and it is clear that some families with multiple challenges will need specialist therapeutic and multi-agency support.

We are working closely with agencies and experts by experience to develop a new model of adoption support that helps prevent families from reaching breaking point. This includes improving early, proactive support, creating better multi-disciplinary approaches, and trialling a range of peer support, short breaks, and practical, therapeutic, and emotional interventions for families who need additional help. Feedback from families involved in these pilots shows that these approaches are making a real difference, and parents feel more supported. We will continue to work with agencies to roll out these methods more widely to improve outcomes for families and will continue to work with local authorities, education and health services to ensure that the needs of adopted children and their families are better understood. Our aim is always to ensure families receive the right support at the right time, and that social workers work in partnership with parents, guided by compassion, empathy, and understanding”

At Family Adoption Links, we want you to feel comfortable approaching us. We are committed to guiding and supporting you as best we can, always in a supportive and respectful manner as we move forward together.