Adoption Support Counselling

I am a qualified Adoption Support Counsellor

I offer this service for adult adoptees, adoptive parents, SGO and Kinship Carers for wherever you are on your adoption journey.

Combining my relational and attachment-informed, trauma-specialist psychotherapy practice, I support adult adoptees* and specialise, in particular, in supporting adopters/parents/carers within the adoption sphere who are struggling with their mental health through caring for their family that was formed through and is impacted by adoption/SGO/Kinship. This may be due to pre-existing needs from your own early life experiences, or through emerging need due to trauma, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, CPA, disruption and/or chronic stress due to long term advocacy. I also recognise that you may have been impacted in other ways related to your identity. This can be a particularly sensitive process where you may identify as being part of a marginalised/minoritised community, compounding your experience of advocating for your family.

I work independently but only through referral and contract from Ofsted Registered Adoption Support Agencies, including Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, Independent and Voluntary Agencies. See Below.

*I work with adult adoptees and birth family members.

I offer an open and empathic space with the deepest, genuine regard for all those affected by adoption.

Please note, I am an adoptive parent and that may influence how you'd feel working with me.

Contact me for an informal chat and for more information

 Adoption Support Counselling and the Law

***November 2023 - Update***

The DfE have consulted on whether to drop the legislation* related to adults wishing to access adoption support counselling and therapeutic services, meaning that therapists with this specialism would no longer need to register with and be regulated by Ofsted when working with adult adoptees, adult birth family members and adoptive parents seeking therapy (specifically for themes around their experience of adoption.)

I support this move to improve access and choice for all adults affected by adoption, whilst remaining passionate about high standards of care and the need for therapists to be qualified in this specialist field at post qualifying level. To this end, Wildways Therapy contributed to the consultation.

The Law related to working with adults (over 18) to access their adoption records and for support regarding intermediary services remains the same and adults should contact their Local Authority Post Adoption Support Department/Regional Adoption Agency.

The DfE consultation has resulted in the recommendation for government to adopt these changes to the regulations and was presented to parliament on 27th November 2023, coming into force on the 18th December 2023.

Read the DfE Feedback 28th November 2023 here

The consultation response can be read here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1184162/Adoption_Support_Agencies_Consultation_Response_-_September_2023.pdf

• The Law related to working with adopted children (under 18) years of age remains the same and if you are seeking counselling services for anyone affected by matters/themes associated with adoption who is under the age of 18 you should contact an Adoption Support Agency that is registered with Ofsted. You can start by contacting your Local Authority Post Adoption Support Department/Regional Adoption Agency.

Always do due diligence when researching who might be the best therapist for yourself or a family member. The Adoption Support Services Regulations 2005 and the Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005 were established to support best practice in recognition of this specialist field, with it's unique, lifelong impacts.

Where these new amendments are to support better access and choice for adults, the basic principles of accessing professionally qualified and specialist support remain.