What support will you give me?

"The social workers stayed in the background and let us get on with being the parents, but if we needed help we knew they were just a phone call away."

At Plymouth City Council we pride ourselves on offering unlimited support for all aspects of adoption. Every member of the Plymouth Adoption Team is highly trained and experienced and you will be given your own specialist social worker to provide information and guidance on every step of the road to adoption and beyond. We strive to create an open and honest environment in which you feel comfortable discussing any issues or concerns.

After a child has come to live with you, your social worker will visit you regularly to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible and help you tackle any problems as they arise. Before the adoption becomes official, we will consider the types of support you will both need after the adoption such as counselling or special educational support.

After the adoption you don’t have to stay in touch with us, but our interest in you will continue. Although adoption is incredibly rewarding, we recognise that it is a continuing challenge and all family life has its ups and downs. We will always be pleased to help with any problems you are facing and have an adoption support team to ensure that adoptive families have access to all the support they need.

Plymouth adopters have found that meeting people in the same situation is an excellent way of accessing support. We hold regular support groups for adoptive parents where you can share your experiences. We also run monthly coffee mornings and regular social events for adoptive families such as picnics and an annual Adoption Week party. All of these provide opportunities to exchange ideas with fellow adoptive parents and simply spend time with someone who understands what you are going through.

We also have a newsletter which will be sent free of charge to all adoptive parents twice a year. This will keep you up to date with local and national developments in adoption as well as any changes in theories about childcare and adoption. It will tell you about upcoming events and inspiring stories about how other adoptive families have worked through difficulties, and also remind you of the different types of support available to you.

Whether you need help working through a problem or simply want to tell us that your child has just received their best ever school report, we will be there for you for the rest of your life.

What financial help will I receive?