The National Adoption Service is today announcing plans to offer all newly approved adopters in Wales membership of Adoption UK for their first year so that they have access to peer support, advice and information in the important early stages of becoming a parent.


Suzanne Griffiths Director of Operations said:


“We know that there is much to do to improve adoption support services in Wales; we are working on an adoption support strategy, aiming to have a flexible, tiered approach to adoption support services across Wales.  
However, we felt that giving new adopters the opportunity to be members of an organisation such as Adoption UK as they start out was important, it will put a consistent level of support and advice in place for them as they start their journey to parenthood. Supported by a Welsh Government grant we will be paying membership for 1 year for all adopters approved in Wales this year.
This is just a start and our aim over the next few years is to improve the availability and quality of adoption support services for all children and adopters”

Ann Bell development Manager for Adoption UK in Wales said:

“Adoption UK is delighted to be working with the National Adoption Services and Welsh Government to offer first year membership to new adopters in Wales.

“Adoption UK uses experienced adoptive parents who are recruited and trained as volunteers and paid staff to offer a range of services to adoptive parents.  This includes a bi-monthly magazine and e-newsletters, a helpline offering information and advice on all aspects of adoption, access to a network of support groups, training courses on topics such as the complexities of contact, children who struggle with school as well as access to a library of useful books and DVD’s and the opportunity to attend family fun days.

“Adoptive parenting is extremely rewarding and can be extremely challenging at times,   membership of Adoption UK ensures that no one who adopts a child in Wales needs to feel alone in those challenging times.
The National Adoption service will start working with adoption agencies to make this membership available in the near future.

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