North Lincolnshire CouncilPeople, health and careAdoption in North LincolnshireAdoption support
Adoption support
We are committed to providing a range of support services to adoptive families, adopted children and birth relatives. There is a legal entitlement for a range of people affected by adoption to have an assessment of support needs carried out. A request for an assessment can be made to the Adoption Service.
The local authority that places a child for adoption is responsible for the assessment and provision of any support services for the first three years after a child has been adopted. After this time, the local authority where the adoptive parents live will take over control and be responsible for assessing and providing their support needs.
We provide a range of support services including:
A letterbox service and mediation for the exchange of information between adopted children and birth family members
Mediating, facilitating and supervising direct contact arrangements
Services to support adoptive family relationships
Assessments for support services including financial support
A support group for Adopters
Workshops for adopted young people
Training workshops for adopters
Close links with the local Children's and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Where required, we can also provide individual social work support to adoptive families through an adoption social worker.
Please contact us directly for a copy of the Support Leaflet, which provides an overview of the services that are provided locally. We will also give you a copy of the training guide that details the training being offered over the next year.
We all need a little support sometimes, so please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help.
Make an enquiry about adoption
National launch of the Adoption Support Fund
On 1 May 2015 the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) became available to adopters throughout England. It brings more than £19 million extra funding on line to support families.
You can learn more about the ASF by contacting your local Adoption Service. You can contact North Lincolnshire Adoption Service on 01724 297024. Please ask to speak to the Adoption Duty Worker.
Useful information about the fund
The ASF is available to all children adopted from care and not just newly adopted children.
The ASF will pay for post-adoption-order support for children adopted from care in England, or living in England having moved from care in Wales up to age 18 (25 with a SEND statement).
It won't (as with several other elements of adoption support) be applicable to inter-country adoptions or non-agency adoptions.
Local Authorities, independent providers (Ofsted registered) and NHS providers (offering services within the scope of the ASF) can all provide services through the ASF. Provision is to be delivered in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland only.
If you want to access the fund then you will need to approach your local authority for an assessment of adoption support needs.
The local authority that places the child with you is responsible for assessing your adoption support needs for three years after the adoption. After that, it becomes the responsibility of the local authority where you live.
Local authorities will be able to submit applications for funding before an Adoption Order, so adopters can receive a continuous package of support following the Adoption Order being made.
The local authority considers if therapeutic support is needed, the type required and if it is eligible for payments from the fund.
The adopter and the local authority will look at the support that is available.
The local authority applies directly to the Adoption Support Fund on behalf of the adopter. Adopters cannot apply directly to the fund themselves.
The Adoption Support Fund approves the funding and the funds are transferred to the local authority.
What sort of support will the ASF pay for?
The fund will pay for therapeutic services that are not currently provided. These include therapeutic parenting courses and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy among others. You can find out more about which service the Adoption Support Fund will consider on our Adoption Support page.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Adoption Team on 01724 297024. They will be happy to answer any questions you have.
If a post adoption support assessment has been completed and you are unhappy with the outcome, then you can contact the Adoption Service Manager on 01724 297024. The Adoption Service Manager will also make sure you have the details of the Adoption Support Services Advisor (ASSA) who will also consider any issues you wish to raise. Alternatively, you can make a complaint by going through the complaints process.
Adoption support projects
The Adoption Service has also been developing some exciting support projects, for example:
Frogs Breath-taking Speech – developing attachments by way of play and storytelling
Forest School – enjoying the outdoors together and promoting emotional and physical well-being
Call us on 01724 297024 to find out more.
Positive feedback received from those who attended include:
"Doing things together as a family. It was fun and the children could run about without worry."
"Do more days like this. Free and fun."
"Being outdoors and doing things together."
"Taking these ideas and using them at home for the children and for us."
"Excellent workshop and a valuable learning experience."
"Seeing the children doing the breathing and relaxing."
"The way in which to use props in storytelling."
"I think the workshop was wonderful, the children really enjoyed it. It was very uplifting."
Young people's guide to adoption support services
The Young People's adoption guide [PDF, 7Mb] is a guide for children and young people who have been adopted.
The guide begins to help answer some of the questions you may have about your adoption. It tries to help you ask these questions and also tells you more about adoption.
Adoption file access
Adoption news and events
Adoption passport
Book Box Loan Scheme
Common misconceptions about adoption
Help and support for birth families
Meet the adopters
Pupil Premium for children adopted from care
Special guardianship order
Step parent adoptions or other non- agency adoptions
Adoption Support Fund 2017 Information Leaflet [PDF, 157Kb]
adoption@northlincs.gov.uk