One Adoption North and Humber adoption support

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At One Adoption North and Humber we can help you use your life experiences and skills to provide a safe, loving home for a child through every stage of your family’s journey.

We offer support for you from the very beginning of the adoption process and this support continues throughout your child’s early years to teenage and beyond.

We have developed our adoption support by working with, and listening to, adoptive families, children, young people and professionals to build a comprehensive range of resources, materials and training courses. These will enable you to manage issues by connecting you with the services that can most help you when you need them and support your family as it grows.  

Adoption community

Once you start your adoption journey with One Adoption North and Humber, you will be welcomed into our adoption community and a range of support will be available to you. We have dedicated peer support from others who have adopted and offer workshops, training and events. There are support groups for parents across the region as well as a closed One Adoption Facebook group with more than 700 members. Free membership to Adoption UK is also available to all adoptive families for their first year after approval which enables you to take up a host of benefits, as well as being part of the country’s leading adoption network. If you identify as being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, you would also be able to benefit from free membership to New Family Social, the leading LGBTQ+ adoption support network.

Adoption Passport 

Your journey starts with an introduction to the Adoption UK Passport, which provides a comprehensive package of support for every prospective adopter, from initial enquiry through to adoption panel. Included in this is access to cohort support with other prospective adopters, which can help create strong support networks. There are virtual meet ups, hosted by an experienced member of the Adoption UK team, which are structured to support the learning and development needs of prospective adopters through the assessment process to approval panel.

If you choose to become a member of the Adoption UK Passport, you will receive 12 months access to an online learning programme, which features 10 carefully curated modules of learning and resources.

Adopter’s area

Once you are approved as an adopter you will be given access to a member’s only area of this website which provides a host of useful information on all of the support available to adopters in the North and Humber region. If you are already an adopter with One Adoption North and Humber and would like to request access to the adopter’s area please contact us here. Once you have been granted access you can log into the North and Humber Members area here.

Adopter Update

Our regular email newsletter keeps you up to date with all the latest news, events, training, meet-ups and stay and play groups across the North and Humber region. Join the mailing list to receive the Adopter Updates by sending an email to us here.

Peer support services

One Adoption North and Humber works with Adoption UK to provide a number of peer support services.

Peer mentoring

The Peer Mentoring scheme links experienced adopters available to help with a variety of issues to other adoptive parents. Peer mentors can offer a supportive role if you are going through the assessment process, as well as after your children are living with you should you need help with a particular parenting issue. It is a confidential service open to everyone who has adopted through One Adoption North and Humber.

Transition Service

Specialist transition parent partners, who are adoptive parents, are also on hand as part of the Transition Service to provide additional support to families managing transitions and change. The Transition Service offers six structured sessions around all types of transition such as school issues, significant times of year, holidays or anything that may impact on the familiar routine of day-to-day life.

EPP Transition Service and information sessions

The Early Permanence Placement (EPP) Transition Service offers six structured sessions with families going through the EPP process.

Alongside the 1-1 support we can provide for families who have children placed through EPP, we also offer informal EPP information sessions for prospective adopters who have completed their adoption and EPP preparation sessions.

Adoption support drop-in service

We also offer monthly adoption support drop-in sessions, in partnership with Adoption UK, for adopters at any stage in their journey. Adoption social workers and an Adoption UK parent peer mentor are available to answer questions.

Local groups for adoptive parents

There are a variety of groups open to adoptive parents running throughout the North and Humber region which will enable you to meet others who have adopted. Information about adoption-related matters and invitations to support meetings, training and social events, where you can meet other adopters, are available to approved adopters through the ‘members only’ section of the One Adoption North and Humber website. We also produce regular newsletters to keep you updated with events and news.

Adopted children and young people

There are groups for adoptive parents and children taking place across the North and Humber region, from parent and toddler drop-ins and stay-and-play sessions, to groups for teenagers.

If you have a young person aged 11-18 they may be interested in looking at the Adopteens  website. This is a project designed by adopted teenagers for adopted young people living in the Yorkshire and Humber area. Young people can access online chat forums, a chat line, attend activity events and be part of a Youth Council. There are other resources available on the Adopteens website with articles to read and useful links.

Support in education for adopted children and young people

Education is often a key issue for adopted children and young people. There are various forms of educational support, from priority access to schools to Pupil Premium funding to help schools give extra support to adopted children.

Support for your family’s particular needs

Some families are likely to need more specific support at different times in their child’s life. We can undertake an assessment of your family’s adoption support needs to identify what services would suit you best.

Adoption Support Fund

The government’s Adoption Support Fund (ASF) can be used to fund specialist therapeutic support for your family. We can undertake an assessment of your support needs to access the Fund on your behalf, if the need for therapy is identified, to help find the right support for your family. This can contribute to the following positive outcomes:

  • Improved relationships with friends, family members, teachers and school staff
  • Improved engagement with learning
  • Improved emotional regulation and behaviour management
  • Improved confidence and ability to enjoy a positive family life and social relationships

First4Adoption also provides an overview of the support available for adoptive families.

Partner Organisations 

At One Adoption North and Humber, we work alongside a number of partners to help deliver our adoption support services to families. 

Adoption Support Agencies (ASAs)

Adoption Support Agencies offer a range of support to those affected by adoption, adoptive parents and families, adults adopted as children and birth families. Support can include helplines, support groups, counselling and therapeutic help. ASAs can also provide consultation and training to professionals working in adoption. The ASAs who provide a post-adoption service within the Yorkshire and Humber area are:

Adoption UK

PAC-UK

Family Action

We are also members of the following organisations who offer support:

Adopteens (young people ages 11 – 18 living in the Yorkshire and Humber area)

CoramBAAF (agencies and professionals who work with children and young people)

Kinship (kinship carers)

New Family Social (LGBTQ+ adoptive and foster families)

For more information on adoption support, please click on the Adopting in North and Humber link below and complete the form, select your local office and then select ‘Adoption Support’.