AdoptionHelp.co.uk

We are an organisation of adoptive parents who have been campaigning for several years for effective post adoption support from the Government. During this time we have become alarmingly aware that there are many adoptive families in crisis, experiencing behavioral problems of which they were not advised prior to adoption and dealing with professionals who have limited specialist knowledge of the complexity of the adopted child.

Many families are isolated by their need to protect their children's identity. Indeed, this has been a major handicap in the course of our campaign. We have been approached by journalists eager to make public our concerns - but only if we provide names and photographs. Our local MP has shown great empathy - but feels that we will only make ourselves heard through the media. The Director of Social Services has responded to our campaign by proposing a post adoption support service for the County - but he himself acknowledges that the Government is not seeing the whole picture. We have even been advised by the Chairman of the Social Services Committee to sue Social Services on behalf of our children to draw attention to the issues we are raising. There is no need to explain why we feel unable to pursue the suggested courses of action but our reluctance to do so enables the Government to continue with their own misinformed campaign.

Social Services Departments ARE beginning to acknowledge the lack of support and most are in the process of creating some form of post adoption support service. Unfortunately, many families only approach them when they have hit a crisis they are unable to cope with. Sadly, by this time, it is often too late to repair the damage.

1. prospective adopters need to be realistically educated in the potential needs of their children,
2. each child should be treated as a "special needs adoptee" with a comprehensive package of support in force at the time of placement
3. and all families should have easy access to professionals who have the specialist knowledge required to handle the sensitive issues of adoption.

The Government initiative to promote earlier adoption through litigation will not be the answer Tony Blair believes it to be. Although he is undoubtedly acting in good faith, he is unaware that the most important issues will still not be addressed. Children will be offered earlier to those generous families responding to the emotive media coverage of adoption, but the damage will still be there and the support offered will still not be enough. *B.A.A.F. admit that 1 in 5 adoptions are breaking down at present, 50% involving children aged 10, 11 and 12 - this percentage will almost certainly increase without the appropriate support for new adoptive families.

We believe that, if we can provide Tony Blair with enough evidence, he will have to recognise the true climate of adoption today and start addressing the issues we have raised. You can help us by forwarding an anonymous case history of your own adoption experience to our email address below. Confidentiality will be respected and we ask only that you state which County you live in.

 *British Agency for Adoption and Fostering

support@adoptionhelp.co.uk