We can help if you want to find out more about your adoption or your birth family. If you have any questions or want to speak to us, you can call 0300 123 6728.
There are other people who can give you advice and support. Here you can find out more about the different help you can get for your physical and mental health, along with other issues that may affect you too.
We would encourage you to talk to your adoptive parents if you want to know more about your birth family. This will also help if you want to understand more about why you had a care plan for adoption.
If you are unsure how to start these conversations, then we can help and give you advice. We understand that this journey could bring lots of emotions and anxieties, so it is important to us that you are fully supported.
It is understandable if you are adopted, to want to know more about your history and why you were adopted. It is normal to feel curious and you may have lots of questions, including
Your adoption file is a group of documents, created at the time of your adoption. This may not answer all your questions, if the information is not known or recorded. This can feel annoying and unfair, but your social worker will support you with these feelings.
Once you are 18 you can look at your file without your parents' consent. If you are under 18 and want to see this, it can sometimes be worked out between the adoption authority and your adoptive parents. Bear in mind that this information could be sensitive, and may be upsetting to read.
We may suggest you access your file through something called Therapeutic Life Story Work. If you choose this, a worker will support you to talk about the information within your adoption file over several sessions. You will still get information about your adoption and your history, but young people usually find this way much easier.
If we recommend Therapeutic Life Story work this will be subject to funding through the Adoption Support Fund.
It is common for adopted young people to want to know more about their birth family. You may have been thinking about them and want to contact them.
Facebook and other social media platforms are a very tempting way of trying to find members of your birth family. But, one click or one message can change things and it is not reversible. It is important that any contact you make is done in a way that ensures yours and everyone else's safety.
You may feel your parents or others will try to stop you if you tell them you want to contact a birth family member. It is important that you tell someone you trust so they can help you make contact in the best way. If contact is planned, it usually has better outcomes as there are no surprises for anyone.
Sometimes finding your birth family can be frustrating and upsetting for everyone involved. It might not go as well as you would hope. Your birth family may be too shocked to reply to you. They may decide they are not ready to have contact with you as it is a surprise you have reached out to them. Having support from your adoptive family, friends or a trusted adult is really important.
For further advice and support you can email: support@adoptionlancashireblackpool.org.uk or call 0300 123 6728.
Our teens support group will offer you a safe space to talk to other adopted young people, have some fun and support each other.
The Healthy Young Minds website gives advice and support to young people, provided by the Lancashire Health and Care Partnership. It has information about accessing mental health services in Lancashire and Blackpool.
It will be a great source of help if you are experiencing:
If you want advice about keeping healthy, quitting smoking, or sexual health services, then visit the Lancashire County Council Youth Zone website if you live in Lancashire, or if you live in Blackpool visit the Healthier Blackpool website.
If you are weighing up your options for when you finish school then the Lancashire County Council Youth Zone website has information that will help you with your decision.
If you live in Blackpool, The Platform provided by Blackpool Council, is a new service for 16 to 24 year olds to help you find a job, access training or education.
