Keeping in touch with birth families

Letterbox Contact

When a child is adopted, the Court may mandate contact between the child and their birth family.

The most common form of contact between your adopted child and their birth family 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.

You will have training and support to help you write these letters and to ensure that there is no risk to your child. For example, if the Court asks you to include a photograph of your child once a year, we will advise you not to take the photo in school uniform or with anything that identifies them.

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Staying in contact with brothers and sisters

Many adopted children have sisters and brothers living with a different adoptive or foster families.

Adopted children have told us about their distress at losing contact with their siblings. To help prevent this we encourage adoptive parents to maintain their child’s relationship with their brothers and sisters where appropriate.

Ways to keep in touch include:

• Writing letters
• Carefully arranged visits, where appropriate (we will support you prepare for this)