Adoptive families

When your child joins your family you will be offered support, advice and guidance by your social worker whilst you get used to being a family.

Once the adoption order is made you can request an assessment of your adoption support needs at any time.

If your child was placed by another local authority, and the adoption order was made three years ago or less, then you can access support from the Local Authority who placed your child with you. After this you can contact us for an assessment.

An assessment will explore how best to meet the needs of your child and family. We can offer individual packages of support which may include:

Practical advice and emotional support.
Access to packages of specialist assessment and therapeutic support such as therapeutic parenting and life story work.
Training events and workshops on topics such as managing post adoption contact, talking to your child about adoption and therapeutic parenting.
Stay and play sessions for new adoptive families across Lancashire and Blackpool.
Family social events such as summer picnics and a winter party.
Regular newsletters updating you about our service and forthcoming events.
'Buddying up' with other adoptive parents.
Advice and support with post adoption contact arrangements.
Signposting and support to access relevant services.
Assistance if relationships within the adoptive family are breaking down.
Advocacy and liaison with education and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Financial support.

If you want further information you can contact us Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, on 0300 123 6728.

Adoption support fund

Following an assessment the adoption support team may be able to make an application to the Adoption Support Fund for funding for specific therapeutic support for your family. The availability of funding has been extended until March 2021.

Further information can be found on the first4adoption and Adoption UK websites. You can also contact our adoption support team for advice or to request an assessment.

Support for children and young people

We're here to:

Listen to your views and feelings.
Help you understand your birth history.
Give you support in writing mailbox letters.
Provide advocacy and liaison with other agencies.

If you want further information you can contact the adoption support team.

Every agency has an adoption support service advisor (ASSA) who provides advice and information to all those involved in adoption. The ASSA can also help you access adoption support and other specialist services.

Janine Sawyer

Adoption Support Service Advisor (ASSA)

Adoption Lancashire & Blackpool

County Hall

Preston

PR1 0LD

Other support

Schools

Schools are asked to give all children adopted from care priority access to schools, which means that your child should be able to attend whichever school you think best meets their needs. You can find out more about how to apply for a school place in the schools section of the Lancashire County Council or Blackpool Council websites.

Schools can claim extra funding for previously looked after children called pupil premium. Find out more in the previously looked after children section for Lancashire and Blackpool.

Free early education for two year olds

If your child is two years old you can take up the offer of a funded early education place see Lancashire or Blackpool websites for further information.

Special educational needs

If you think your child may have special educational needs we can help. Visit the special educational needs and disabilities - local offer for where you live Lancashire or Blackpool to find out who you can speak to and what support is available.

Useful Websites

Please note that we are not responsible for the content of external websites.

first4adoption
The national information service for anyone interested in adopting a child in England.

On this site you can download the adoption passport: a guide to the post adoption support services available to you.

CoramBAAF
CoramBAAF is an independent membership organisation for professionals, foster carers and adopters, and anyone else working with or looking after children in or from care, or adults who have been affected by adoption. It is a successor organisation to the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF).

Adoption UK
A national charity run by and for adopters. They provide information, training and guidance at all stages of the adoption process.

Benefits information

How to get further information and advice about benefits you may be able to claim in Lancashire or Blackpool.

Contact

Adoption support: 0300 123 6728 support@adoptionlancashireblackpool.org.uk

Mailbox enquiries: 01772 538158 letterbox@adoptionlancashireblackpool.org.uk

Calendar of training and events: calendar@adoptionlancashireblackpool.org.uk