Adopt London North Support
Whatever your connection to adoption, we know the impact is lifelong. We know there are challenges for adopters, adopted children and adults and birth family members. The Adopt London North (ALN) team are here to support you.
ALN contact details
If you are an adoptive family living in any of the Adopt London North boroughs; Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey or Islington, or your child was adopted from any of these boroughs, please contact us and we can discuss the support available. You will be able to speak with a social worker who will assess your needs and signpost you to the right support.
We’ll contact you for more information to ensure we provide the best service and/or signpost you to the right support.
Scroll down to see the support available from Adopt London North.
Email: [email protected] Call 020 7527 4777 (select Option Two)
Historic adoption records/intermediary: [email protected]
Letterbox: [email protected]
Support for adoptive families
As soon as your child comes to live with you, you’ll have access to a range of services and support from the ALN team, your local borough and the partners we work with. You can join organisations and meet other adoptive families, access specialists, education experts and a range of resources. Read our Adopt London North support booklet for more information.
Meeting Space for Adopt London North adopters – Weds 24 April – child to parent violence and aggression (CPVA). Come and find out more about this topic, whether it is part of your family life or if you want to know more. Experienced social workers will share information, with time for group discussion. The next session is on education, Weds 8 May.
Our monthly in-person sessions are held in the Islington area. They are informal with the first hour dedicated to specific topics like CPVA, life story work, education, and much more. Each session is hosted by social workers and will be interactive with shared learning. The second hour is a chance for you to discuss your family situation with a social worker and/or meet other families to share ideas and experiences. To find out more information, including topics, dates and to book your place, please view our ALN Meeting Space flyer .
Life story work – Monthly life story work sessions are available for you if you are parents wanting to expand your child’s Life Story Book, or talk to your child about their early life. Whether you are just starting or continuing work with your child, our monthly 1-2-1 sessions can help. Contact the team to find out more. The Life Story Work Advice line is a 20 minute telephone call with a dedicated social worker to discuss your child’s life story. You can book your one-to-one session anytime between 10-11am on selected dates. For dates and more information, please view our ALN Life Story Advice line for adopters and book your session.
You may find the Life Story Work Guide for adoptive parents useful in helping to discuss your child’s life story.
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) – Some adopted children will have experienced early trauma, or need support in understanding their thoughts and feelings around adoption. The ASGSF helps to financially enable families access to a variety of therapeutic support. This can involve play therapy, art therapy, family therapy or talking therapy for example, with the goal of supporting adopted children to better understand themselves and improve their well-being and relationships.
Support from our partners – Adopt London North work with a range of organisations who support adoptive families. These adoption-focused organisations may offer meet ups in person or online events, podcasts and resources to support your family. To find out more, visit Our Partners.
Support for adopted children
Adoption booklets and guides for children and young people
Supporting children in understanding adoption is important, as are their feelings about being adopted. We’ve produced some information that can be shared with children. Omar The Owl covers what it means to move to another family, the process of adoption and helping children acknowledge how they might be feeling.
We have also produced two adoption support booklets that explain the support available and who to contact if children want help in understanding their feelings around being adopted:
A Children’s Guide to Adoption Support – suitable for young primary school-aged children.
A Young Person’s Guide to Adoption Support for older children.
Support for adoptees
As an adopted adult, you may want to know more about your early life, the reasons you came into care or the circumstances around your adoption. We can support you with accessing your birth/adoption records and signpost you to organisations who specialise in tracing birth family members, counselling and trying to get in contact with birth family members, if that is what you want to do. There is a range of support available to you, from the Adopted Adults page on this website and from the ALN support team.
Adopted adults group – Would you like to meet other adopted adults? Why not come and join our friendly and welcoming group for adopted adults in north London. Read our Adopted adults group flyer to find out more, and how you can sign up.
Transracial Adult Adoptee Network (TAAN) is an independent network and support group for adult transracial adoptees. Co-founders Debbie and Fran set up the group for regular meet-ups in North London. If you are a transracial adoptee and are aged 18 or over, you are welcome to attend. You will meet other adoptees, have an opportunity to share experiences or you can just listen in.
There will be group session in London throughout 2024. Email the team [email protected] to find out more and to book your place. If you’d like to join a TAAN group on a future session, please see the TAAN support group dates for 2024.
Support for birth families
Navigating the loss of a child to adoption can be challenging for many birth parents and birth relatives. It is common for this process to evoke strong and complicated feelings. Whether the local authority decided adoption was in your child’s best interest or you made an adoption plan yourself, ALN is here to support you through your journey.
Our experienced social workers can offer advice, help you with existing or new contact arrangements, help you to write letters for letterbox contact, or signpost you to organisations that offer a listening ear or short-term counselling services. When your child becomes an adult, ALN also can help you to make contact with them and support you through the reunion process.
Advice and counselling for birth parents and birth relatives – If you would like to talk to someone about your adoption loss, access short-term counselling, get information about the adoption process, or connect with other birth parents, PAC-UK can help. If you are a birth parent who is involved in court proceedings and you are worried you may lose your child to adoption, you are entitled to advice and counselling.
PAC-UK runs an independent specialist service called First Family. This is available to birth parents and birth relatives. The First Family Service provides confidential conversations, can help you to access support groups, assist with writing letterbox letters, explain the process of adoption, or offer a listening ear. The Family First Action Line can be reached at 07975 846 249. You can text them or leave a message requesting a call back. Alternatively, you can email them at [email protected].
PAC-UK also has a Private Intermediary Service Advice Line. This can be used by birth relatives who want to connect with adopted adults. If you would like to discuss your particular situation or get information about the costs, please call on 020 7284 5876 or email [email protected].
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