Frequently Asked Questions
Do adopted children keep in touch with their birth families?
Adoption
in the 21st century is a much more open process than it was in the past
and most of the children who need adoption will have some form of
ongoing contact with their birth families. This may be occasional
face-to-face contact or it may be by letter or a combination of both.
These contact arrangements are usually supported by staff from the
adoption service, to ensure they continue to be in the child's best
interest.
Will I get paid for adopting a child?
Financial support may be available in some circumstances, where the needs of the child and/or adopters have been assessed.
As an adoptive parent, what kind of support will I get?
Wiltshire
provides a county-wide adoption support service. A variety of support
activities, including social events and ongoing training programmes are
offered to adopters. When adopters are matched with a child an
assessment is made in relation to their ongoing needs for support as a
family.
In addition, Wiltshire has a contract with a specialist
adoption support agency called Parents and Children Together (PACT), who
provide a range of services for adopted people, adoptive parents and
birth parents.
What is an adoption 'post box' service?
The
adoption 'post-box' service facilitates the exchange of letters, cards
and photographs between adopted children and their birth families,
where it has been agreed that there should be ongoing, indirect contact
between them, in the child's best interest. There is an information
leaflet that gives more information about this service.
I was adopted in Wiltshire and I'd like to see my adoption file - what do I do?
You
need to initially contact the Office for National Statistics (Adoption
Section) on 0170 456 3563. They will ask you to complete an application
form, giving your current details and any details you have of your
adoption. The Office for National Statistics will then write to the
Social Services Department in the area where you now live, requesting
that they provide a counsellor to help you access your adoption file.
This counsellor will make contact with you and arrange to meet you.
Are you seeking information about a relative who has been adopted?
If you are seeking information about a relative who has been adopted please contact Adoption Support Service Advisers at either Chippenham or Salisbury.