Family Support Service

Adoption UK’s Family Support Service is a telephone-based service which supports prospective adopters and adoptive parents. It is made up of three distinct services and is available to members and non-members.

What support is available?

Our new film below shows how the service works and how it could help you
(requires Adobe Flash Player to view)

National Helpline - 0844 848 7900

Whether you are a prospective adopter with a query about the approval process or an adoptive parent who is worried about your child’s behaviour, our Helpline Advisers are your first point of call for information and resources.

Family Support Buddies

If you are in the early stages of placement, support from one of our Family Support Buddies can make all the difference. Once linked with a Buddy, support is available to you in the form of six, 45-minute telephone sessions. So, whether you just want some reassurance on what to expect or you’re looking for specific hint and tips, your Buddy is just a phone call away.

Family Support Consultants

If you are an adoptive parent going through a particularly tough time, our Family Support Consultants are here to provide the more specialised support that you need. Once linked with a Consultant, support is available to you in the form of six, 45-minute telephone sessions. Family Support Consultants can help you understand and work through your child’s behaviours.

Adele and Pete's story - a Family Support Service case study

Accessing support for your family

Please contact our Helpline on 0844 848 7900. Our Helpline Advisors may be able to help you with your query straight away, but if not, they can begin the process of linking you with either a Family Support Buddy or a Family Support Consultant.

Alternatively, to request a Family Support Buddy or Consultant directly, please complete and return a referral form:

Family Support Service - Self Referral Form - 2012

A unit of support (six, 45-minute telephone sessions with either a Buddy or a Consultant) costs £325. Support sessions can either be self-funded or, with your permission, we can contact your agency to request funding.

Information for agencies: Accessing support on behalf of your adopters

We recognise that some situations adopters face are emotionally charged and it’s not always easy for an agency to manage the adopters’ support needs as well as the child’s. This is where Adoption UK can help.

Adoption UK’s Family Support Service can work with agencies to support your adopters and help make adoptions succeed. To refer adoptive parents to the Family Support Service, please complete and return a referral form:

Family Support Service - Agency Referral Form - 2012

A unit of support (six, 45-minute telephone sessions with either a Buddy or a Consultant) costs £325. Once the referral has been received, we will speak to the family and assess the level of support required. We will then link the family with either a Family Support Buddy or Family Support Consultant, dependent on their needs.

Contact the Family Support Service Team

For more information, please contact the Family Support Service team on 01295 752251 or email support@adoptionuk.org.uk