Adoption preparation subjects

Most children who need adoptive families have entered care because concerns were raised about their safety and wellbeing.

Children come into care for many different reasons, and their families are often facing complex challenges. Many children have experienced adversity, trauma, loss, separation, or inconsistent caregiving.

Entering care is itself a significant life event. Being separated from familiar people, places and routines can affect how a child feels about safety, trust and relationships.

Attachment describes the emotional bond between the child and their parent or carer. Different patterns of attachment develop depending on the parent’s availability and responsiveness to the baby’s signals. This module explores different aspects of attachment and how it will affect your child. Your adoption agency will be available to discuss attachment in more detail and provide support to you during your adoption journey.

Many children waiting for adoption have racial, ethnic, cultural, or faith backgrounds that differ from those of prospective adopters. For these children, having a safe, loving, and permanent family is what matters most.

Adopters who are open to considering children from backgrounds different to their own can offer children opportunities to develop strong, positive identities while remaining connected to their heritage and culture. This requires curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn alongside your child.

In this module, we explore how adopters can support a child's sense of identity, belonging, and pride in their heritage, helping them feel valued, understood, and fully accepted within their family and community.

For a child who has already experienced disruption, change and uncertainty throughout their young lives, even the positive outcomes brought about by adoption, can prove challenging. This module looks at some of the more common events where everyone can work together to make these transitions easier, most especially for the child, but also for the wider family and supporting network. Each child, each family and each situation will be different but there is always support from professionals, family and other adopters.