An Adoption Order ends the Local Authority's legal relationship with a child, but does not end the adoptive family's entitlement to advice and services, including financial. These responsibilities are detailed in the Adoption Support Services Regulations 2005.

At any stage, an adoptive family may request for the local authority to conduct an assessment of their need for an Adoption Support Service. This may be for such services as counselling for a child. For the first three years after an Adoption Order is granted, the Local Authority who placed your child would be responsible for the assessment and any subsequent funding that would not be covered by the usual Local Authority or State provisions. After three years, it would be the Local Authority in which the adopters reside that would be responsible.

The exception to the 'three year' principle is Adoption Allowances that were agreed before the Adoption Order. In these cases, the local authority who placed the child will continue to hold financial responsibility for the allowance.

The Hackney Adoption Support Service provides help to all those that may be affected by adoption:

For Adopters and adopted children

	Help with searching for birth relatives (The Hackney contact register)
	Contacts to other organizations specialising in adoption issues
	Access to therapeutic help for adoptive families
	'Letter Box' contact
	Post Adoption Contracts to ensure that adopters get all the help they need after legal adoption
	Support and advice when adoptions are in difficulty
	Birth family contact
	Identity issues

For Adult Adopters We Offer:

	The Hackney Adoption Support Service provides help to all those that may be affected by adoption:
	Support with 'Letter Box Contact': Letter box contact is an exchange of letters between adopters and birth families
	Direct contact with family members: A post adoption worker can organise the venue, supervise the contact as well as provide support for any issues that may arise
	Workshops and training opportunities, and a support group for adopters
	Helping you to communicate with adopted children about their past
	Help and guidance with challenging behaviour
	Access to specialist therapeutic services
	Assessment of your needs after adoption: therapeutic, educational, health or finance

For Adopted People We Offer:

	Helping you to decide whether to look for your birth family
	Advice on agencies that can help you in your search
	An Intermediary Service: Communicating on your behalf to try and locate your birth family
	Counselling on issues of identity for children and adults and access to specialist therapeutic agencies if you require it
	Access to The London Borough of Hackney's Contact Register: This is a register of Hackney's birth parents and/oradoptees who want to be in touch with each other.
	Access to your adoption records once you are 18 years old.
	Access to specialist therapeutic services
	Assessment of your needs after adoption: therapeutic, educational, health or finance

For Relatives of Adopted People We Offer:

	Access to The London Borough of Hackney's Contact Register: This is a register of Hackney's birth relations and/or adoptees who want to be in touch with each other
	An Intermediary Service for birth families to try and make contact with an adopted person
	Advice and access to other agencies that provide contact registers
	Counselling and advice on adoption law and the position of birth relatives
	Access to other agencies concerned with adoption issues - Post Adoption Centre, Talk Adoption, Norcap
	If you are already participating in 'Letter Box Contact' (see first section) we can help and advise you with writing letters for the adopted child

The Hackney Adoption Support service is always available for informal advice and support at any time in the future. Adopters are encouraged to get back in touch with us whenever they feel we can help on any issue.

More Information on adoption support services for Adopted adults