We speak to all adopters about the importance of supporting contact between children and their birth parents if this has been agreed.
The most common way to keep in contact with your child and their adoptive parents is through letters. They are sent indirectly, via our service, so that you do not exchange addresses. This is known as Letterbox Contact. These letters are sent at pre-arranged times.
Benefits of letterbox contact
Benefits for birth parent(s) and family:
- Your child will know that you and other birth relatives are safe and well
- You can read updates about your child’s progress and be reassured that they are doing well
- You can share news about your life that may be interesting and helpful to your child(ren)
- As your child grows up it may be important for them to know that you stayed in touch. This may help them to make sense of their past
Benefits for the adopted child(ren):
- They can keep in touch with you and other birth family members where appropriate
- They will know that their birth parents and other family members are safe and well
- They will gain a sense of their history
- It may reduce their feelings of loss and rejection
Support with letterbox contact
It can be hard to know where to start when you are writing a letterbox contact letter. We have provided an example to help you with this.
Download a letterbox contact letter example
If you need any help writing your letterbox letters, our team will be happy to support you. Please discuss this with your social worker.
If you already have letterbox contact and you want to discuss the arrangements, or need support sending a letter, please contact the Letterbox Contact team.