PAC-UK

06/10/2026

💙 Help us shape new adoption peer support groups

PAC-UK are developing free peer support groups for adult adoptees, birth parents and birth relatives, funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and Adoption England.

We want to shape the groups with people who have lived experience of adoption and understand what support would be most useful.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on:

What support would be most helpful
The topics that matter most to you
How you’d like the groups to work
What would help make them feel safe and supportive

Your responses will help us evidence the need for support and shape the development of the group programme. Following this consultation, we will use the findings to finalise the offer and aim to advertise the group programme in November 2026.

If you are an adult adoptee, birth parent or birth relative, please take a few minutes to complete the survey:

👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MKNVNYD

The consultation closes at midnight on Sunday 25 October 2026.

A huge thank you to everyone who has already taken part - we’ve had over120 responses since the survey was published last Friday. 💙

Please share the survey link with other adult adoptees, birth parents or birth relatives who may wish to share their views.

Family Action Together for Adoption Adoption West CVAA UK Adoption Now Adult Adoptee Movement UK Adoption Counts Adopt London UK Adoption in Merseyside Coram Adopt Thames Valley Adopt South West Adopt North East Hope Pause Family Rights Group

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

02/10/2026

PAC-UK Family Action is delivering a series of free-to-attend online events during National Adoption Week 2026, which takes place from Monday 19 to Sunday 25 October. All online events will be recorded and uploaded to our PAC-UK YouTube channel for those who are unable to attend live.

Our events, which bring together people with a range of experiences and perspectives, including birth parents, adopted people, adoptive parents and carers and professionals. Speakers will share their personal views and lived experience, and we recognise that there are often different perspectives and opinions on adoption.

For further information see our Facebook Events and to book on visit: https://family-action.org.uk/get-support/pac-uk-adoption-and-special-guardianship-support/pac-uk-training-events/pac-uk-national-adoption-week-2026-events/

Adopt London UK One Adoption Adoption West Adoption Now Adoption Counts Coram Adopt South West Adoption in Merseyside Together for Adoption Adoption Matters

PAC-UK is delivering a series of free-to-attend online events during National Adoption Week 2026, which takes place from Monday 19 to Sunday 25 October. All online events will be recorded and uploaded to our PAC-UK YouTube channel for those who are unable to attend live.

11/09/2026

Wild Adoptees in the Woods Event: Friday 2 October to Monday 5 October

Event overview from Wild Adoptees in the Woods:

This autumn, we're gathering in the woods... Join us in the beautiful Gisburn Forest for a weekend created by Adoptees, for Adoptees.

Overnight accommodation is provided at Stephen Park, nestled in the heart of Gisburn Forest. A restored Grade II listed building combines rustic charm with modern comfort and accessibility. It's ideal for our weekend retreat, with a mix of double and group rooms, and a cosy living room with a log burner.

A chance to gather in the woods, reconnect with ourselves, each other and the wild.

Together we'll share: Creative workshops, woodland walks, evenings around the fire(weather permitting), good food, conversation, laughter, reflection and rest.

If you want you can arrive on the Friday evening around 6pm. We're hoping to have some soup or something on the go for folks. TBC

Workshops running Saturday and Sunday 10am-12pm and 2pm -4pm wth lunch and chatter in between.

The event finishes Sunday evening after food and a nice closing circle. You are free to leave and be released back into the world.

If you have a long journey you can stay till Monday morning 10am - Everyone has to be gone by then so me and Sue and Andy can play hide and seek in the old building hee hee but actually we have to make sure it's left as we found it.

For further information and booking visit:

This autumn, we're gathering in the woods... Join us in the beautiful Gisburn Forest for a weekend created by Adoptees, for Adoptees.

24/07/2026

NEW: Revolving Doors and Birbeck College, University Of London research publication:

(Mis)trusting Justice? Personal stories of legal proceedings in the family and criminal courts

We are pleased to have supported with this important research - read the full report here:

https://revolving-doors.org.uk/publications/mistrusting-justice-personal-stories-of-legal-proceedings-in-the-family-and-criminal-courts/

Family Action One Adoption Adoption Counts Adoption Now Together for Adoption Adoption in Merseyside Adopt London UK Coram Adoption West

Mistrust is endemic in the justice system, claims Lived Experience of the Law, a new report based on 131 in-depth interviews with people who have been through the family and/or criminal courts, and co-produced by a team of qualified peer researchers with their own experience of the courts and...

23/07/2026

Adoption England has published its 2025–26 Impact Report, highlighting the progress and key achievements from the programmes and services it has commissioned.

We're proud that Family Action PAC-UK is highlighted in the report for the services we deliver on behalf of Adoption England, strengthening adoption support and helping to ensure the voices of people with lived experience remain at the heart of service development.

Read the full report here:
https://www.adoptionengland.co.uk/news/adoption-england-launches-its-202526-annual-report

02/07/2026

PAC-UK, Family Action’s adoption support agency, responds to Government’s apology

PAC-UK knows that the practice of forced adoption decades ago has had a lifelong impact on so many people affected by adoption, particularly birth mothers and fathers and their children but many others too. While a formal apology from the UK government is important and is what many of those affected have waited for decades to hear and see, we also understand that it is not enough in itself to right all the wrongs of the past.

PAC-UK therefore welcomes the newly announced additional funding for trauma-informed and adoption specialist support and services, including our FamilyConnect service. These can help people to navigate, and, wherever possible, heal and rebuild as many of these fractured relationships as possible, before it is too late. PAC-UK is pleased to have been asked to help deliver this specialist support and services – what an honour for us but what a responsibility too.

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02/07/2026

House of Commons - Forced Adoptions Statement

Coverage of the statement in the House of Commons by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer apologising for the role of the British state in forced adoptions, where an estimated 185,000 babies were taken from their mothers in the three decades after the Second World War:

TODAY Thursday 2 July from 11.30am:

Statement by Keir Starmer apologising for the British state's role in forced adoptions.

18/06/2026

PAC-UK response to Church of England formal apology for historical adoption practices

The devastating practice of forced adoption decades ago has had a lifelong impact on so many people affected by adoption, particularly birth mothers and fathers and their children, but many others too.

While formal apologies from the Government, the Church of England, and all the other organisations involved in these practices is what many of those affected have waited a lifetime to hear, they are not enough in themselves to right the wrongs of the past.

These apologies will also reopen wounds and be retraumatising for many. This is why there needs to be specialist support available to help people to navigate the continuing impacts of forced adoption today and in the future.

If you have been impacted by historic adoption practices, please reach out to PAC-UK for support and advice:

National PAC-UK Advice Line

Our National PAC-UK Advice Line provides independent, confidential advice and information for people affected by adoption, special guardianship and other forms of permanent care. The service is staffed by qualified and experienced PAC-UK counsellors and social workers with specialist expertise in these areas.

Website: www.family-action.org.uk/pac-uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0300 1800 090

FamilyConnect Advice Line

Delivered by Family Action's adoption support agency PAC-UK, FamilyConnect provides information, support and guidance on tracing and reconnecting with family members, the services available, and whether you may be eligible for funding.

Website: www.familyconnect.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0300 1800 205

https://family-action.org.uk/news-insight/our-response-church-of-england-apologises-for-role-in-post-war-historical-adoption-practices/

PAC-UK, Family Action’s adoption support agency, responds to Church of England’s apology for role in post-war historical adoption practices.

02/06/2026

The University of Manchester research participation request:

Tell us what matters most in adoption research!

Are you an adopted person? A friend or family member of someone who is? Or a professional with adoption expertise?

Help decide future priorities for adoption research in this 15-minute survey, developed with adopted people. You’ll be entered into a £100 prize draw.

www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_01a26aEWIuhUozI

26/05/2026

Estranged young people have no support from their families or recognition from the government.

We are calling on the Government to:
➡️Legally Define: Adopt a statutory definition of estrangement.
➡️Provide Equal Rights: Give estranged young people the same statutory support entitlements as care leavers.
➡️Streamline Evidence: Create a unified verification process for estrangement to stop retraumatising estranged young people

📝Sign the letter: https://bit.ly/DearKeir
🗞️Read the report: https://buttleuk.org/news/no-easy-path-the-realities-of-lgbtq-young-people-estranged-from-their-families/

This research wouldn't have been possible without funding from the George Michael Fund via the Talent Fund