Please contact us on 01273 295455 for more information.
If a child has not been safe in their parent’s care, then they may be taken to live with a different family. If children’s services think that the child will not be safe growing up with their birth family, then a permanent home may be found for them.
Adoption is one way of finding a permanent home for a child. If a child is adopted, then a new parent or parents take on all responsibilities for the child. The child has a new family and their birth family have no legal responsibility for them anymore.
The decision to have a child adopted into a new family requires a great deal of thought and consideration from all the people involved. Brighton & Hove children’s services will say that the child should be adopted, but the final decision will be made by the court.
If there is an adoption plan for your child then you may want some help understanding the adoption process. You may also want to talk about how the adoption plan affects you or other members of your family. The Brighton & Hove adoption team can help you get advice from someone who knows about adoption but is not involved with your child.
If there is an adoption plan for your child, then we legally have to ask for information about you, your child and your family. We will, with your consent, also ask your GP about your family’s health history as this can affect your child. It may be difficult for you to share this personal information with us, especially if you don’t agree with the plan to have your child adopted.
If you are:
- A Brighton and Hove resident who is the parent or relative of a child who was adopted in the past
- A parent or relative of a child who has an adoption plan made by Brighton & Hove children’s services
We can offer:
- Counselling and advice for adoption issues
- Support, advice and mediation for maintaining contact with a child who has been adopted
- Assistance and advice for those seeking contact with an adult relative who has been adopted
Please contact us on 01273 295455 for more information.
Further information
The Family Rights Group
The advice line is open on Freephone 0808 801 0366 from 10am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. You can also email FRG at: advice@frg.org.uk, or write to them at: The Print House,18 Ashwin Street, London, E8 3DL.
Post-Adoption Centre
Supports birth relatives. They offer counselling, advice and information via the Advice Line 020 72845879 Mon, Tues, Wed & Fri 10.00am – 1.00pm and Thurs evening 5.30pm – 7.30pm.