Community

Across the Adopt South region*, we organise a range of social events each year. These events provide families and young people the opportunity to connect, meet our team, and discover the support which is available.

Our family events are for children of all ages, with many open to pre-order and post-order families. For example, our twice yearly Family Fun Events bring together over 80 families from many areas and towns across our region.

Adopted children benefit greatly from meeting their peers and we know many friendships are formed at our events. Our social gatherings can be busy, so we always make sure there’s a quieter space which families might prefer. Parents also find these events a relaxed way to chat to us. We can offer advice or signposting at our events, and if you feel you need to talk something through in more detail, we can always arrange to call you afterwards at a time that suits you.

To find out more about the range of learning, events and social opportunities we offer our families and young people, please explore our Universal Offer or browse our upcoming events.

Pre-order and post-order families can book onto events through the monthly communications they receive. If you are not yet subscribed and would like to stay informed about our latest news, events, and support for post-order families, you can sign up to receive our monthly email updates.

We offer pre-order and post-order Virtual Parent Meet Ups for families.

Every six weeks, families in the pre-order stage are invited to meet up online with others at a similar point in their adoption journey. These meet ups include all family, single/solo parent or our LGBT+ one hour sessions. There is normally a theme/topic, which is relatable to families with children recently placed.

Meet ups are optional and families are welcome to join when it suits them.

For post-order families, our Adoption Support Team host a relaxed, one-hour Virtual Parent Meet Up in the evening.

One of our team or guest speakers will first share insights or research on a topic or theme such as school transitions, healthy relationships or mental health through an adoption lens. There will be around 30-40 minutes to ask questions and/or share experiences. Your host can be from our Adoption Support Team, our Multi-Disciplinary Team, Virtual Schools or other professional agencies who work with families and children.

Our Virtual Parent Meet Ups both pre-order and post-order are very popular with parents and offer practical information and lived experiences. You can view our next Virtual Parent Meet Up here, or if you are not already receiving information on our news and events for post-order families, please sign up to find out more.

Sometimes all you want to do is chat to another parent who knows how you might feel or has gone through a similar experience to you.

We are very fortunate to have adoptive parent mentors who generously give their time to other families. Many parents welcome the support they receive from our mentors as they have a very good understanding of everyday challenges faced by adoptive parents. Through our discussions with you, we may suggest speaking to one of our Adopt South Mentors who might be able to provide you with some reassurance and some practical parenting help. Mentors also make calls to see how a parent is feeling and may offer further support or signposting back to us.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please email our Mentor Coordinator: [email protected].

No parents allowed! To reduce the social isolation some adopted young people experience, Adopt South have partnered with Groundwork, a charity led organisation that specialises in organising exclusive activities and events for young people aged 7-17 years. Groundwork helps our adopted young people strengthen their identity, develop their confidence, and social skills so they can make friendships and gain experiences with other adopted young people.

Every month, Groundwork plans two or three Saturday events in the Adopt South region* which run for up to three hours. Activities can include bowling, Laser Tag, donutting, as well as arts and crafts and science-based experiences. Your child will sometimes need to bring a packed lunch, but Groundwork also run events which include things like pizza and/or snacks. These are extremely popular with adopted young people and many friendships have been formed through meeting at our youth events.

We also offer a range of social events for the whole family, providing opportunities to connect with other adoptive families in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Our popular Family Fun Events held twice a year, and Fun at the Farm sessions, give families with children of all ages the chance to come together, meet new people and build supportive friendships. At Fun at the Farm, families can enjoy spending time with the animals, take part in group activities and simply enjoy being together in an informal setting. These events are a great way for children and young people to meet others with similar experiences, while parents and carers can connect with families who understand the joys and challenges of adoption.

Through our sponsorship of Hampshire Football Association’s (HFA) #grassroots programme, we also receive free tickets for families to attend Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth football games as well as free kickabouts at HFA football grounds.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to find out more.