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."
Plymouth City Council have an adoption support team which consists of a Team Manager, three social workers and two support workers. They offer support in many areas of adoption including direct work with children, life story work, advice in managing children's behaviour, support and advice with contact arrangements with children's birth relatives and assessments in relation to requests for financial support. The adoption support team have a great deal of experience in all aspects of adoption, working with children, adopters and families.
Adopters who are approved by Plymouth City Council will be given their 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. At any time, the adoption support team will be available to assess your child and family's adoption support needs.
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. If you live elsewhere in Devon or Cornwall then we can put you in touch with support groups in your area. 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.
Plymouth City Council adopters have access to Adoptionets, an exclusive online community that enables them to communicate with one another and stay up to date with all the latest events. 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.