Information day for Extended Family Members

Extending the family through adoption - an information day for grandparents and family members whose families are adopting from overseas.

This informal but informative day looks at the role of grandparents & the extended family who often play a pivotal role in the lives of children adopted from overseas. Most prospective family members assume that children will arrive in the family following a pregnancy and birth, and it can come as a surprise and a shock to learn that grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc. may enter the family through adoption. From experience, IAC is aware that the extended family may have questions and sometimes worries about an adoption from overseas. For people outside the world of adoption, the thought of bringing a child from a distant country to join a family in the UK can seem daunting and frightening; those concerns are often added to by ill-informed media reports.

So what might it be like to have a child from overseas in the family?

This day aims to:

• offer information about intercountry adoption; the joys and challenges for the future
• provide a forum for prospective grandparents, aunts, uncles, guardians, to meet and share their expectations

Who is the day for?

Prospective grandparents, aunts, uncles, guardians, close family friends.

Topics covered

• The difference between adoptive and birth parenting
• Reactions to and expectations of the role
• Adoption – gaining or losing
• Managing the outside world – friends, neighbours, community
• The adopted child – their experiences before placement and how these might impact on the future
• Talking with young children about adoption – how to find the right words
• A personal testimony from an adoptive grandparent/family member

The day aims to be relaxed and informal and will be led by two experienced adoption workers, one of whom is the parent of a child from overseas.

Please contact IAC Admin. for details of the next workshop – generally held on Saturdays at our offices in Barnet, North London .

Cost

A list of the latest course prices is available here

At the current time, IAC is unfortunately unable to offer wheelchair access.

One participant commented:

'My husband’s parents, my mum and my sister all found the day hugely enjoyable and they are all full of enthusiasm. They now have a deeper understanding of the issues ahead of us all and are devouring everything we have given them to read.'

Website design: Frank Roper
- frankweb