Adoption

If you have adopted via our agency, the Adoption Support Regulations have established that all adoptive parents are entitled to an assessment of their adoption support needs.

If your child’s adoption order was granted less than 3 years ago, you need to approach the placing Local Authority. After 3 years, the responsibility transfers to your own (home) Local Authority Adoption Support Team.

Please also click on this link to the Adoption Passport which is designed to inform you of your rights:

The Adoption Passport: A support guide for adopters - First4Adoption

Resources:

We have attached some useful reading and resource information; you can also access support directly from a range of other independent resources such as:

• Adoption UK Charity
• Homepage | CoramBAAF
• Pupil premium: overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Adoption Support Fund
• National Association of Therapeutic Parents

Action for Children’s Adoption Records for adoptions arranged from 1926 onwards are now held by Bristol City Council and we are no longer able to process any record enquiries.

If you believe you were adopted through Action for Children (formerly known as National Childrens Homes / NCH) and would like to access your records you will need to apply as below:

• If Action for Children were responsible for your care and adoption placement (this typically applies to adoptions prior to the mid 1980’s) you will need to apply to the adoption team in the local authority that you currently live in. They will then request your records from Bristol and share them with you.
• If you were placed for adoption by a Local Authority adoption team with adoptive parents who were approved by Action for Children (generally from mid 1980’s onwards although there are earlier cases) you would need to apply directly to the local authority who was responsible for your early care and placement to access your records.

Please note: If you were adopted before 12/11/1975 in England or Wales and do not know your birth name the legislation requires that you apply to the General Register Office (GRO) Adoption records: Accessing your birth records - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you are looking to trace or contact a birth relative or adopted person you may wish to register on the contact register: Adoption records: Intermediary agencies - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), or you can apply to a registered Intermediary agency for support. This website may be a useful resource: FamilyConnect - Building Stronger Families