Counselling in search of Origins
Social Care offers a counselling in Search of Origins service to people who have been adopted and people "looked after" (brought up in care) in the past.
Support is available to all parents of adopted children, at any time your child is growing up and especially if your son or daughter is interested in finding out more about their origins.
This can be a stressful and insecure time for any adoptive family and the support of a trained counsellor could be useful to you.
Adopted People & their Rights
People adopted in Scotland have the right of access to their birth information from the age of 16 years. While many do not necessarily show an interest until they are older (on average 20-25) there are a growing number of young people making enquiries about how to access information and perhaps trace their birth family.
Knowing and Sharing
It is extremely important that you deal with the question of telling your child about his or her adoption from as early an age as possible. Be prepared to talk to them and discuss the information given to you about their background and birth family as sensitively as possible, throughout their young life.
They should be able to approach you about such matters and not feel uncomfortable or awkward about doing so.
Satisfying the Need to Know
Many adopted people have a natural curiosity about their adoption and background. Interest in this should never be viewed as a criticism of the care provided by the adoptive family nor should it threaten those relationships. Where support and openness are forthcoming from adoptive parents, the tracing and location of birth family members strengthens the relationship between and adoptive family and adoptee, rather than weakening it.
Updating and Tracing
The Counselling in Search of Origins service offers assistance, not just in locating and sharing initial information on background and adoption, but also in updating that information and tracing the present locations of birth family members.
Our counselling staff may act as an intermediary at this stage, when a birth family's whereabouts have been established in order to make the first contact. They can then arrange, if appropriate, a meeting.
This can be a difficult time for the adoptive parents and the support of a counselor can be reassuring and helpful throughout this period.
Please do not hesitate to contact Social Care if you need help at this time.
Passing on Information
As your child grows it is possible for you to share information on how he/she is progressing with his/her birth families. This is done through the "letterbox" system, by us or another agency and you can receive regular updates from birth families about what is happening in their lives. This is a confidential service where information is passed on by counselling staff.
This is helpful to all concerned. The child will grow up with realistic and up-to-date knowledge of his/her birth family and , in particular, the birth mother will receive news of how her child is developing.
If you are interested in making available such information on your child and receiving feedback from their birth family members please contact the agency who arranged the adoption of your child or any of the contacts listed.
Social Care, Family Placement Officer, Children's Resources Team, 92 St Olaf Street, Lerwick, ZE1 0ES
Tel: 01595 744406
Barnardos - Scottish adoption advice service