National Adoption Week 2022

Mon 17th Oct 2022 – 2 min read

 

Written by Hayley Bowen – Marketing Executive

Today is the start of National Adoption Week 2022, which focuses on the theme of identity and relationships. The organisers of National Adoption Week, You Can Adopt, have put together a video exploring the memories and relationships of adopted people before during and after they were adopted and how those memories and relationships have made them who they are today. Watch the video here.

A public survey revealed that eight in ten people say their identity is shaped through connections made throughout their life, and more than three-quarters say it is shaped by an understanding of their family history. Adopted people are no different, and many factors play a role in influencing who they are today – including special memories with foster carers, contact with birth parents, knowledge of their family history, and the relationships formed with their adoptive families.

Identity, especially for adopted people, is likely to be a life-long journey that evolves as new information, experiences, and relationships develop. While not all adopted people will have keepsakes from their early life, modern adoption encourages access to a range of quality information to help them understand their past and how that shapes their identity. Many adopters today make it a priority to help their children to understand and develop their identities. This could be through contact with birth parents and siblings, helping them to access information on their family history and keeping a life-story book and letters.

If you’d like to know more about how to help an adopted child understand and develop their identity, please get in touch with your dedicated social worker or get in touch with our team by calling 0800 5877 791 or emailing contactus@adoptersforadoption.com.

You can watch the heartwarming video here.

For more information or support visit www.youcanadopt.co.uk/naw.