You Don’t Need a Perfect Home – Just a Welcome One
As National Adoption Week (20–26th October 2025) begins, Adopt London is supporting a new campaign that gently challenges the idea that prospective adopters need to have the ‘perfect’ home or circumstances to adopt. New research from You Can Adopt reveals that nearly nine in ten adoptive parents (86%) were worried they wouldn’t meet the criteria because their home wasn’t ideal.
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NEW Adopt London South Complaints Procedure
Adopt London South has recently updated its Complaints Policy to improve clarity, accessibility, and responsiveness for all our service users. The administration of complaints will move to Southwark’s Social Care Complaints Team. We remain committed to resolving concerns quickly and informally wherever possible. Whilst affected parties are entitled to raise complaints, the new policy should not dissuade those involved from seeking resolve the…
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The Other Side of Adoption: Birth parents experience of care proceedings and contact
If you’re exploring adoption in the UK — whether you’re considering domestic adoption, early permanence, or simply learning about the assessment and approval process — you’ve likely come across the term ‘contact’. And you might be wondering: What does contact mean in adoption? Is open adoption better than closed adoption? What is letterbox contact, and how does it work? …
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Why a spare bedroom is a must when you’re considering adoption
We fully understand the frustration that potential adopters feel when they can clearly demonstrate that they are offering a nurturing and stable home, and they are then told they need also need a spare bedroom for a child before beginning the adoption assessment process. Especially in London, where house prices are so high. What we can do, is explain about…
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#UnfoldingJourneys: Celebrating the Creative Journeys of Adopted Adults Through Art
Adopt London South is proud to present #UnfoldingJourneys—an inspiring arts showcase celebrating identity, creativity, and resilience through the voices of adopted adults. The showcase will take place from 16–27 June 2025 in the Atrium at Southwark Council’s 160 Tooley Street offices, SE1 2QH and is free of charge, fully accessible to all visitors and open to public during office hours…
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Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund Newsflash
The Government have announced that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). will continue in 2025-26 with 31/03/2026 being the latest date therapy can be commissioned up to. A budget of £50m has been agreed. However, in order to support as many families as possible there will be changes to the ‘Fair Access Limit.’ This will now reduce from…
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Confirmation received that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will be continuing for the financial year April 2025 – March 2026.
The Children’s Minister made a statement in the Commons this afternoon (01/04/25) and we are now able to confirm that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will be continuing for the financial year April 2025 – March 2026. We are pleased that this has been announced however exact details are yet to be shared to ensure that it reaches…
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Celebrating two decades of LGBTQ+ adoption progress
Adopt London we have been reflecting on the strides made towards equality and inclusion. In adoption, the past two decades have brought monumental change transforming the landscape for LGBTQ+ adopters, breaking down barriers, and ensuring that children find the loving families they deserve. This week we look back at the successes of the last two decades, acknowledge some of the…
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The Notional SEN budget for mainstream schools
Understanding how schools allocate resources can be crucial for adoptive parents aiming to support their child’s education, especially for those who may need extra help. One significant resource available is notional funding — an annual allocation of up to £6,000 to support additional needs, sometimes on top of the Pupil Premium. Here, we’ll explain what notional funding is, how to…
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The Adoption Barometer survey 2025 is now open!
Each year, Adoption UK – the leading charity for all those whose lives involve adoption, survey adopters and adopted people to help them build the case for more support. Adoption UK, which supports adopters, adoptees and the professionals that support them, has launched its annual ‘Barometer Survey’ to find out what life is really like for those involved with adoption.
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Early Permanence carers needed across London
We need adoptive parents who can take on the responsibility of becoming foster carers to a child, with the chance of going on to adopt them later, if the court decides that child should be adopted. Early Permanence (EP) is an umbrella term for a type of care planning which helps a child who needs be removed from their family…
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School Resources: Bridging The Gap
A project to support adopted children in schools. For many adopted children, school can feel challenging. The regional adoption agency Adopt London South is working with SEND practitioners, teachers, and school staff across ten South London Local Authorities and have launched a new resource to help them to understand what adopted students of all ages experience every day. This initiative…
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There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family.
New data released this National Adoption Week shows there has been a 22 per cent increase in the number of children with a plan for adoption not yet matched with an adoptive family in England in 2023-4, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the numbers of prospective adopters coming forward remains lower than previous years, believed to be largely due…
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The Importance of Openness in Adoption
Sarah Johal, Adoption England Strategic Lead, shares her views on why it is important for the sector to help adopted people know more about their family history and stay in touch with birth family members or other important relationships, where safe and supported to do so. Sarah has decades of first-hand experience working within the sector, after previously leading the…
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The London Early Permanence Project
Hello! I am Grace Panayiotou, the Early Permanence Lead for a Department for Education (DfE) funded project for Adopt London and Coram Ambitious for Adoption. I have been in my role since October 2023 when Adopt London and Coram Ambitious for Adoption secured a bid via the DfE to develop Early Permanence (EP) across London. I have a business plan…
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LGBTQ+ adopters nominate four Adopt London social workers for commendation.
This summer (2023) New Family Social asked their LGBTQ+ adopter members which social workers deserved to receive a members’ commendation – to show that they’d gone above and beyond in their work. Four social workers from Adopt London received a members’ commendation. In Adopt London West, Ramona Proti and Deepti Walia received a members’ commendation. Ramona was described by one members…
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Free books for Black families considering adoption
Adopt London are giving away Patricia Dopemu’s book – Help! I’m Adopting a Child to any Black African, Caribbean or mixed heritage family considering parenting a child via adoption. Have you ever been frustrated that the books you read are unrelated and don’t depict Black people that look and live like you? Maybe you can’t relate to them or don’t…
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What is adoption really like?
If you want to find out what adoption is really like, come along to one of Adopt London’s ‘Meet The Adopters’ events. These events provide the opportunity for potential adopters to hear from Adopt London’s approved adopters. You will listen to them talk openly and honestly about the assessment process, panel, matching, introductions, contact with birth family, accessing support and…
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Why do I need childcare and volunteering experience when adopting a child?
We know that it is incredibly valuable for each adopter to gain recent and relevant childcare experience. This would ideally be with children from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may have suffered adversity, but might also be with children who at times exhibit some challenging behaviour. Childcare experience demonstrates your ability to meet a child’s needs. At Adopt London we encourage you…
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Why adopting a neurodivergent child is a transformative journey for YOU!
Embracing Neurodiversity by bestselling author Chloe Hayden. Chloé Hayden is an award winning motivational speaker, actor, performer, author, influencer, content creator and disability rights activist and advocate. Diagnosed as autistic (and ADHD) at the age of thirteen and feeling ostracised from society, Chloe started an anonymous blog to share her feelings and to find a community and ended up building…
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