Approved Adoption Counselling

 

The law changed in 2023 and counsellors and psychotherapists no longer have to be registered with Ofsted if they are working with adults. However, regarding children, young people and families:

"The law says you cannot provide counselling to children on adoption matters without registering with Ofsted unless you are providing the service (as an individual, organisation or charity) through a contract with a registered adoption agency, adoption support agency or for a local authority adoption agency.

If you are a counsellor, you will need to register as an adoption support agency if you intend to independently provide a service to children or families who need counselling around adoption issues. You will also need to register if you intend to provide intermediary services to children or adults." Introduction to adoption support agencies - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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Nevertheless, it is up to all therapists to be appropriately trained in any area they work in. Alison Roy states "Adoption work is complex, and it’s important for counsellors and psychotherapists to be able to access adoption-specific training with specialist supervision. It is emotionally intense work and requires a level of resilience alongside an understanding of your own history and potential traumatic losses." Opinion: Are we failing families post-adoption? (bacp.co.uk)

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How could counselling help with adoption?

 

If you have been affected in some way by the experience of adoption whether as an adoptee, an adoptive family or as a birthparent of an adopted child then you may benefit from seeking help from an Approved Adoption Counsellor or psychotherapist such as myself.  The emotional impact of the adoption process is understood to be life-long.  I can help people to:

 

 

• understand and explore the way they are feeling

• develop new coping strategies

• find ways of managing stress

• learn more about the life long effects of adoption.

 

Therapy with me is always tailored to each individual's particular needs.  I draw on person centred and psychodynamic therapies in particular including Attachment Theory.  These are commonly used in this area because they are based upon an individuals past thoughts and perceptions and how these affect their current thinking and behaviour.  For example, a depressed adult who was adopted as a child may benefit from exploring their attachment patterns - a modality that focuses on an individual's unconscious deep-rooted responses to care givers that were developed during childhood.  Using this understanding, clients can then seek alternative behavioural responses to current experiences that may be causing them distress.