Adoption

Young people who have been adopted become permanent members of an adoptive family as they can’t live with their birth family. This could be for any number of reasons, maybe their mum and dad were very young when they had them, they weren’t very well or just not able to look after the child properly.

When a child is adopted they belong to the adoptive family in every sense and have the same rights and status as any other child in the family. For this to happen, a court first has to make an adoption order. This makes the adoption legal and the child is usually given a new birth certificate in the name of their adopted family.

Most young people are happy about being adopted but feelings can change and as in all families, arguments and misunderstandings between parents and teenagers can happen. If you’re adopted it’s easy to think bad feelings are because of the adoption rather than just normal growing up.

You might also be curious about your birth family, wonder about the circumstances of your birth and why you were placed for adoption. All these feelings can become very painful and mixed: you may feel a sense of anger and hurt or even guilt.

In Kingston we have experienced people who can lend a friendly listening ear to teenagers who have been adopted and are unhappy. We also run a support group which adopted young people can come along to on an informal basis to meet others in a similar position.
Call Margaret on 020 8547 6029 or email famplacduty@rbk.kingston.gov.uk for more information.