Future of Post-Adoption Contact: A New Approach

Speaking at the POTATO (Parents with Traumatised Adopted Teams Organisation) Conference Sir Andrew McFarlane, the President of the Family Division has outlined the need for a new approach to post adoption contact. He was very clear that letter box contact can: ‘no longer be seen as the appropriate regime for most cases’.

When children are adopted for most only indirect contact is offered. This usually is letter box contact involving the adopters and birth parents communicating with each other via Children’s Services by way of short letters once or twice a year depending on what has been ordered.

The aim is that in the future the default position for future adopters is a clear expectation that relationships will be maintained with birth families, and this will be the starting point for every child. Of course, this would have to be ruled out where it is unsafe or unhelpful which is in contrast to the current default whereby contact only seems to be ruled in in exceptional circumstances.

Sir Andrew McFarlane has said that with regards to the Courts’ role the final adoption hearing where there is a power to make Orders for contact he would like to ‘stimulate discussion about quite a radical change’. He is keen to ensure that contact takes centre stage and is part of a child’s package moving on towards adoption and their future adulthood. The focus now will need to be how such a change in culture can be accomplished in practice.

For parents contact is of great importance and this is something that the court have to ensure has been addressed at the conclusion of Care Proceedings. Our Child Proceedings team are highly experienced with children specialists who can assist you if you find yourself in this position.