Post-Adoption Support - Identity

Identity and keeping in touch with birth family.

At Adoption Tees Valley, we recognise the importance of post-adoption support, especially when it comes to understanding and connecting with birth origins and issues surrounding identity.

Why is identity and understanding birth origins important?

For many adoptees, understanding their birth origins is a crucial part of their identity. This includes learning about their birth relatives, such as birth parents, birth siblings, and extended birth family relatives. Knowing where they come from can help adoptees make sense of their personal history and build a stronger sense of self.

At Adoption Tees Valley we provide specialist support to help adoptive families navigate these challenges. This includes training around how to support adopted children with life story work, specialist post adoption training around ‘Telling about adoption’ where we support adopters to openly talk about adoption with their children, as well as ‘Keeping in touch’ training which supports adopters with their contact arrangements.  We also support children and young people directly through children’s groups, youth groups and young people's voice and influence groups.

For more complex issues around identity, we work with families and adopted young people to facilitate therapeutic support through accessing the Adoption Support Fund (ASF). Find out more about the ASF here.

Life Story Work

Life story work is an essential part of the post-adoption journey, helping adoptees understand their past and integrate it into their present. This therapeutic approach involves creating a detailed narrative of the child’s life, including their experiences with their birth family and the adoption process. By working through their life story, adoptees can gain a clearer understanding of their identity and feel more secure in their adoptive family

Keeping in touch

In the past when children were adopted, this was thought to be a final arrangement and all contact was stopped. However, adopted adults have told us that this has left them feeling like a ‘jigsaw with a piece missing’. 

Now most children placed for adoption have indirect contact known as keeping in touch arrangements. Such an arrangement allows for the exchange of information between birth relatives and adoptive parents. Find out more by clicking here

Support for Birth Parents and Relatives

Birth parents and other birth family relatives also play a significant role in the post-adoption journey. They may have their own set of emotions and questions about the adoption. Adoption Tees Valley offers support services for birth families, helping them navigate their feelings and providing a platform for open communication. This holistic approach ensures that all parties involved in the adoption process receive the care and support they need. If you are a birth family member looking for support, please click here

The Role of Support Groups

Support groups are an invaluable resource for adoptive families and children. These groups provide a safe space to share experiences, seek advice, and build a community of understanding. At Adoption Tees Valley, we facilitate support groups that bring together adoptive families fostering a sense of connection and mutual support.

For more information about our post-adoption support services click here. Together, we can make the adoption journey a positive and fulfilling experience for everyone involved.

Navigating Birth Records

If you are looking for information on accessing birth records to find out more about your birth origins, we can signpost you to services that can help. These records provide essential information about an adoptee’s birth family and can be a valuable resource for those seeking to understand their background. Please click here for further information.