Conversations for Change for adopters

Allow me to introduce myself – I’m Richard Orchard-Rowe, adoptive dad and founder and presenter of the podcast – Adoption Adventures. I’m reaching out to adoptive parents of Adopt London’s twenty four boroughs to invite you to join Adopt London’s Conversations for Change*.

This is a new initiative to bring together the voices of all those impacted by adoption, and I’m absolutely thrilled to announce my involvement in launching this powerful initiative right here in London. I’ll be leading on collating and reporting the views and experiences of adoptive parents, and with this information, Adopt London can take a strategic and practical approach to bringing resolutions and introducing new initiatives across Adopt London.

Our son came home to us when he was almost seven years old, and from that day, he has completely transformed our lives! Our journey has been a whirlwind adventure into the incredible world of adoption. As well as it being amazing, adoption has its challenges, and that’s why I’ve teamed up with Adopt London. Together we can better understand the experiences of all our adoptive parents who, alongside the children, adult adoptees, birth family and adoption staff – are integral parts of Adopt London. Your feedback will help shape, improve and grow services – and that’s got to be good for our children, our family life and the children and parents who follow us … so let’s make an impact. 

Adopters’ feedback on services

From your first call to the adoption team, right up to today – what has your experience been like? How are you feeling? What about Letterbox? We’ll tackle all this and more! You can be involved as much or as little as you like, and as I am working independently, I will only feedback adopters’ views as a collective – not individually. But, you may be thinking …

‘I’m really busy … childcare, work and other family commitments, I won’t have time for this too!’

That’s OK – I might just send a survey, questionnaire, or host the occasional evening Zoom session.  I’m grateful for whatever time you have, however small.

‘Everything is going great for us right now, no issues here!’

That’s brilliant! I want to hear the good stuff too. The surveys will be fair and balanced. The reality is, some people will have a great experience, some won’t and it changes over time and from one day to the next. I can only share what is happening in the present. All feedback is valuable.

‘Will my input be anonymised?

Yes. The information I collect is reported back as a group not individually. Whilst we must verify* who can join the group, as we want to retain an Adopt London focus, all feedback will be anonymous.

‘What will you do with our feedback? Is this just another survey?’

This really isn’t just another survey. My role is to form groups and relationships with adopters across Adopt London. We’ll collect information and provide a range of feedback based on what we – as parents – feel passionate about and what we want Adopt London to know. It’s about benefiting our children now and in the future, and for those just starting their adoption journey.

‘We’ve just been approved and matched, and tbh we’ve been asked a lot of questions over the last 12 months! What will these sessions be like?’

The surveys I send are simple and ask for some written feedback. Any online sessions will be supportive and allow us to meet each other once in a while. You’ll have an opportunity to contribute to conversations that only we as adopters understand. Give us a try, you won’t regret it.

‘I’d like to know how it works before I commit to taking part.’

No problem. You can sign up at any time.

Just send me an email (see email address below) and I’ll add you to the mailing list. I’ll then send out questionnaires and invites. You get to pick how much you get involved in.

Adopt London is keen to listen

Sarah Johnson Head of Service at Adopt London East says

‘this is a unique opportunity for Adopt London parents to come together to share their experiences and you can be at the cutting edge of this development. There are lots of surveys out there, asking a range of questions, but Richard and this group is different. As four London Regional Adoption Agencies, we’ll focus on our families and look to enhance and improve the services we provide. We’re unique in that we have a backdrop of London – our great capital city, with a diversity and cultural mix that isn’t represented anywhere else. We’re the largest number of local authorities working together in a partnership, and your experiences could be very similar or very different to other adoptive parents, and that’s what we are keen to find out. We hope Richard and the ‘Conversations for Change’ Board will work well with our families and provide us with live, active information to help us identify what is working well and also to help us understand where we need to focus on making improvements where we can.’

About Richard

I’ve taken it upon myself to dive headfirst into the profound realm of adoption. I’ve become a dedicated training partner with multiple adoption agencies, launched a successful podcast celebrating our adoption journey (Adoption Adventures), and collaborated with Adoption UK and other Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) to establish an adopter voice group. At this stage, Conversations for Change is on a mission to collect invaluable insights from fellow adopters, sharing their real-life experiences, and collectively working towards a brighter future for all those touched by adoption. My passion for adoption knows no bounds, and my ultimate goal is to ensure that every family embarking on this journey receives nothing less than the most exceptional experience. That’s why I’m absolutely thrilled to lead this powerful initiative right here in London.

I’ve witnessed first-hand the incredible impact these groups can have, the change they can inspire, and the difference they can make in the lives of countless families. That’s why I extend this heartfelt invitation to each and every one of you. Your voice matters, and together, we can shape a future where every adoption story is one of hope, support, and love.

I am genuinely excited to get to know each of you, to learn from your unique experiences, and to work together to create a brighter tomorrow for adoptive families everywhere. Join me on this incredible journey, and let’s make a lasting impact together! Please email me directly at [email protected] to register your interest.

*Conversations for Change eligibility criteria. You can join if you are an adoptive family who:

• has been assessed by Adopt London North, South, East or West
• would be eligible for Adoption Support from Adopt London North, South, East or West
• you live outside of the Adopt London 24 boroughs but have had a child placed with you from one of these 24 boroughs within three years of the Adoption Order.