Adoption Support Services. Slough Adoption Team

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1 Adoption Support Services Slough Adoption Team

2 Adoption support services in Slough Slough Borough Council offers a service to all people affected by adoption who live in the Slough area. Birth parents or relatives of children who have been adopted We acknowledge that you are parents or relatives of your children for life even after you are separated from them and cannot directly care for them. We aim to offer a listening ear to parents and relatives who want to talk about what their child s adoption has meant for them. In many cases we are able to support you in remaining an important part of your child s life, for instance in providing memories and up-todate news about you and your family life. If you wish, when your child has reached adulthood, we may be able to contact him or her on your behalf to let them know that you would like some contact, however we cannot reveal their address to you without their permission. It is up to the adopted person to make a decision about contact. Helping birth parents remain an important part of their child s life. 2

3 We run a group for birthmothers which aims to support women by sharing their experiences and emotions. It is run by two experienced adoption workers and a birth mother who has been through this journey herself. There is a similar group for birth fathers. Families who have adopted children We know that some families will need some extra help years after an adoption order has been made, or just welcome a chance to talk over adoption issues with a specialist adoption worker. Families may wish to ask for an assessment of adoption support needs or talk over the explaining and identity issues in adoption as children develop and their understanding grows. We offer an individual service according to the needs of each family. We also arrange adoption support evenings to put families in touch with each other and offer informative talks on subjects which adopters tell us are important to them. Offering individual service according to the needs of each family. 3

4 Adults who are adopted We offer a support service for adopted adults who may wish to have more information about their birth families or are thinking of tracing them. On your behalf we will aim to locate information held on file and although we cannot provide a tracing service, we can advise on this. If you wish to make contact with a birth relative, we can offer an intermediary service to make those first approaches easier for everyone involved. Berkshire Adoption Advisory Service Slough Borough Council is one of 6 unitary authorities that previously made up Berkshire County Council. All the adoption services from these 6 authorities subscribe to a combined adoption service which is known as Berkshire Adoption Advisory Service. We operate as a consortium. Berkshire Adoption Advisory Service offers further support and services to Slough residents 4

5 This means that Slough residents can also access these services which include: An independent information and support service for birthparents and relatives* A Letterbox exchange which keeps adoptive families and birthfamilies in touch* An ongoing programme of workshops and other training opportunities for adopters, e.g. Explaining Adoption A Berkshire Adoption Newsletter A support group for male adopters, run by Bracknell Family Placement Team A support group for Adopters in East Berkshire A twice-yearly tracing workshop for adults affected by adoption Opportunities for adopted children to meet socially and as part of a group More information about these can be obtained from the Adoption Support Services Adviser (Sarah Scarbrough) on * Other leaflets with more detail about these services are also available. 5

6 How to contact us Address The Adoption Support Services Adviser Slough Adoption Team, Town Hall, Bath Road, Slough SL1 3UQ Telephone Useful addresses and contacts The Adoption Contact Register The General Register Office Adoptions, Smedley Hydro, Trafalgar Road, Southport PR8 2HH Tel: website: Adopted people and birth relatives can place their names on this register if seeking contact. The website also offers information on applying for adoption certificates, access to birth details and links to other sources of help. 6

7 NORCAP (National Organisation for the Counselling of Adoptees and their Parents) 112 Church Road, Wheatley, Oxfordshire OX33 1LU Tel: Website: Offers searching assistance, counselling for adoptees and birthparents, and has a list of approved researchers. The Post Adoption Centre 5 Torriano Mews, Torriano Avenue, London NW5 2RZ Tel: Website: Offers a range of post-adoption services including an advice line, counselling, contact and mediation and workshops. Berkshire Adoption Advisory Service York House, Sheet Street, Windsor, Berks SL4 1DD Tel: Administers the Adoption panels in Berkshire and offers advice on adoption matters including the services listed in this leaflet. The British Library website: Which includes guidance for those wishing to trace living people. 7

8 Designed by Slough Borough Council SS/4749/ /G