main content New support service for birth families

A new support service for families whose children have been, or are likely to have been, adopted has been launched. Birth parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters living in the borough will be able to get expert advice and information, regardless of how long ago the adoption took place.

The Council has appointed an independent adoption development worker who families can talk to in confidence, either through counselling, a birth mothers’ support group or drop in sessions. The existing confidential contact service which allows a child’s adoptive and birth families to exchange letters is now further supported through this worker being able to offer advice and to assist birth families in writing their letters.

Adoption development worker Anna Stokes said: “When a child is adopted the birth family never forget them. Often they keep their feelings of grief, loss and guilt a secret from everyone. When families are able to talk about their feelings in a safe, supportive place, perhaps after years of pretending they are OK, it gives them a tremendous sense of relief.”

Drop-in sessions will be held in Penge, Orpington and Bromley starting in February. For further information, email anna.stokes@bromley.gov.uk, call 020 8778 6638 (24 answer phone), visit www.bromley.gov.uk, or phone or text 07946 177067 (during office hours).

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Birth family counselling - four to five sessions where families can talk about their feelings
• Letterbox Contact - allows a child’s adoptive family and birth family to send news to each other by letter at agreed times during the year. Sometimes birth families find it difficult to know what to write and support can be offered in these cases 
  Birth mothers’ support group - group for women whose children have been adopted/placed for adoption, held on the last Friday of the month at Bromley Y, Ethelbert Road, Bromley 
  Drop in sessions will be held in:
• Bromley
  Community House
  South Street
  Between 1pm and 5pm
  28 February, 28 March, 25 April, 30 May, 27 June and 25 July 
• Orpington
  Goodmead Centre
  36 Chislehurst Road
  Between 12noon and 4pm
  17 February, 17 March, 21 April, 19 May, 16 June and 21 July 
• Penge
  Streetwise Youth Centre
  1-3 Anerley Station Road
  Between 9am to 1 pm
  23 February, 30 March, 27 April, 25 May, 29 June and 27 July
• For media enquiries, please email richard.simcox@bromley.gov.uk or call 020 8313 4310