Telling

Telling - moving a child on to adoption

In the past adoption was often cloaked in mystery. Nowadays it is always felt to be in the best interest of the young person for them to know about their adoption.

Depending upon the age and understanding of the child the topic can and should be brought up as early as possible. Naturally the child will have a number of questions regarding their birth family. Some of these questions you will be able to answer and others you may not.

It is a good idea for you to consider how you should go about telling the child about the adoption before they start asking questions themselves. There is a variety of information available to offer you advice on all these aspects of adoption.

A young person's experience

• Sam's Story [PDF] - A young adopted adult talks about his experience of growing up adopted.

Resources

• Telling the Truth to your Adopted or Fostered Child - Betsy Keefer & Jayne E. Schooler [Goodreads Link]
• New Life Work Model Practice Guide - by Edith Nicholls [Goodreads Link]