Adoption & special guardianship

Our adoption and special guardianship services are almost unique in the UK as we are not a placement agency. This means we can focus on supporting people with the often tough realities of fostering, adoption and Special Guardianship.

What we do for people affected by adoption

Family Action means no-one left behind, and no-one forgotten. The voices of adopted people and birth parents are often less heard than those of adoptive families, but the impact both of being adopted and giving up a child resonate throughout life.

We understand this, and support adopted adults with specialist counselling and other services to help uncover their history and trace relatives. We help birth parents come to terms with grief, loss and the stigma that often attaches to giving up or having to give up a child for adoption.  

We support adoptive families too, as they navigate the joys and challenges of family life. Our specialist services include advice and training for families and professionals on everything from child to parent violence to Special Guardianship. We also run Adopteens in the North West of England – a group run by and for young people affected by adoption issues.

Support our work in adoption & special guardianship

If any of these issues are close to your heart, there are many ways you can support others who are affected. You can donate, volunteer, partner with us as an organisation or commission our services.

I am still attending counselling. I feel I still have a long way to go but feel much more hopeful of my future. If it wasn’t for PAC-UK I don’t know where I ‘d be now. I thoroughly recommend your service.

Service user, PAC-UK Adopted Adult Support

Our adoption & special guardianship services

If you’ve been affected in any way by the care system, fostering, adoption or special guardianships and you need support now, you can contact PAC-UK. If you are looking for help to find relatives or research your own history, you can explore our FamilyConnect website. Otherwise you can browse all our services below.

Read about our adoption services

Our memberships

Family Action belongs to a wide range of alliances and networks to create spaces and platforms for families to share their stories, and enable us to share our organisational learning from service delivery.

Through our work in adoption and special guardianship, we are proud members of the Consortium of Adoption Support Agencies.

Call, text, email or web chat FamilyLine

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, worried or upset about any aspect of your family life, FamilyLine is here for you. We offer free emotional support and guidance on family relationships, conflict, parenting, caring, financial worries and more.

Contact FamilyLine