Birth Family Contact and Being Open: with Nicky Campbell and Professor Beth Neil

Nicky Campbell talks to Professor Beth Neil, an expert in post-adoption contact, about the topic. Beth is a Professor of Social Work, and Director of Research in the School of Social Work at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Before joining the Department as a Ph.D. student in 1996, she worked for several years in social care and social work. Her research interests are in the field of adoption including post-adoption contact, birth relatives’ perspectives on adoption, post adoption support, adult adoptees, and adoptive parent recruitment. Nicky himself was adopted a few days after he was born, and eventually sought out his birth parents later in life. This episode explores the complex topic of birth family contact from all perspectives, exploring the fundamentals of contact, as well as being open with adoptive children about their birth families, and how all parties can work together to ensure the needs of the child always come first. You can find more details at www.youcanadopt.co.uk, where there is also a new film featuring real life stories from an adopted child, adopted adult, adoptive parents, a birth mother, social worker, and a family member who watched loved ones go through the process. Featuring the real voices of the people depicted, the short film brings to life their stories with animated illustrations by artist and adoptive parent, Garry Parsons. PAC-UK is the country’s largest independent adoption support agency and works with all of those affected by adoption and other forms of permanent care to provide advice, support, specialist therapy and counselling. For more information please visit: www.PAC-UK.org or call 020 7284 5879.