This page contains helpful information about One Adoption West Yorkshire's support offer for adopted young adults aged 18+ years old. If you would like our support or want to ask any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Supporting Connections service
For most young people who are adopted there will have been an arrangement for letterbox exchanges to take place between birth family members and adoptive parents. Where these arrangements have been working well and there is a desire for the arrangements to continue this can be put in place up to the age of 21 years or 25 years if the adoptee has an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP). An EHCP is a legal document for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which outlines the support they require across education, health, and social care.
New agreements will need to be drawn up to include the adopted young person as an adult in the arrangement otherwise. For discussion about this or other contact matters please use this link to request a Consultation with the Supporting Connections Team.
Where a letterbox arrangement was in place, but is no longer active, we will hold copies of any correspondence that we have been unable to forward on. For access to this a request can be made via the file access email address: [email protected], please see the Access to Records section below which lists the information we will need to make a search for your Letterbox records.
Registration of an ‘Expression of WISH’ in relation to birth family contact or searches
Some adopted young people may wish to have placed on record as to whether they would welcome an approach from a birth family member(s) or not, in the event OAWY is contacted by that birth family member. This is known as an ‘Expression of Wish’ (we can also record if a birth family member is happy to have an approach made by the adoptee). For further discussion around this please request a Consultation with the Supporting Connections Team.
Accessing your adoption records
As you are now over 18, you are able to access your adoption records if you would like to. If you live in the Yorkshire area, there are two options:
1. Contact PAC-UK on the details below, if you would like to access your records with the help and support of a worker: Advice line: 0300 1800 090 Email: [email protected].
- Adopted name
- Birth Name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Place of adoption
- Birth parents names
- Adoptive parents names
We will use this information to find and verify your records. As part of this process we will also need to verify your ID, and once we have found your records we will let you know what we need from you to be able to do this.
If you live outside of the Yorkshire area, please contact your local adoption team or agency and they will let you know what the process will be for accessing your adoption records.
Once you have accessed your adoption records, there may be more information in social care records held by the Local Authority where you were born or adopted from. To access these you will need to submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) to the Local Authority. The information on how to do this can be found online.
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF)
The ASGSF provides funds to local authorities and regional adoption agencies to pay for essential therapeutic services for eligible adoptive families and adopted people. Funding can be applied for by adoption social workers following an assessment of need, for adopted young adults (age limit applies). More information can be found at:
www.gov.uk/guidance/adoption-support-fund-asf
To request an assessment of support needs contact OAWY’s Adoption Advice line (details below).
Commissioned service for adopted adults
One Adoption West Yorkshire has a contract with PAC-UK to provide services for adults who are impacted by adoption. PAC-UK can assist with accessing adoption records, tracing and reunions with birth family members (there may be a charge for this). They also provide peer group support for adopted adults. More information can be found at: www.pac-uk.org
Contacting Supporting Connections
You can contact us by email, our mailbox is checked once a week, to: [email protected].
One Adoption West Yorkshire Adoption Advice Line
OAWY runs an advice line which is open Monday – Fridays from 10am until 2pm: tel – 0113 378 3535. Voicemail messages can be left outside these times and a worker will respond as soon as they are able. The advice line is staffed by a small group of experienced support workers. Contact can also be made by email: [email protected]
Useful links
Advocating for Adult Adoptees https://adultadoptee.org.uk/ a group of UK adoptees, challenging attitudes to historic adoptions, striving to change the narrative on adoption. Includes various links and resources, as well as news and events.
The General Register Office https://www.gov.uk/general-register-office - The General Register Office holds records of births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships, stillbirths and adoptions in England and Wales.
PAC-UK https://www.pac-uk.org - Our purpose is to provide anyone who has been affected by adoption or other forms of permanent care, as well as the professionals who support them, with expert, independent advice and counselling.
Leeds office Advice Line: Tel 0113 230 2100 (Mon, Thurs & Fri 10am-1pm; Tues 4pm-7pm; Weds 1pm-4pm)
Adoption UK https://www.adoptionuk.org - Join as a member and become part of a supportive community of adopted people. Their Adopted Person Membership is for people who have been adopted as a child who are now 18 years and over.
TAAN a new independent network and support group for transracial adoptees. The group meets in person in London. For more information generally about TAAN please email TAAN at [email protected].