Why post-adoption support matters, especially for adoptees

By Leah Lusk, content specialist

This past week I received an email from the National Council for Adoption, sharing the organization’s new Post-Adoption Support resource page. I haven’t done a deep dive yet, but the page seems to have some useful guidance and information to support adoptive families. It also highlights the fact that many adoptees have expressed a desire to receive post-adoption support but don’t always know how to access that support (this was a finding from the NCFA’s 2024 report about adult adoptee experiences).

All members of the adoption constellation need and deserve post-placement support, something that OA&FS has always acknowledged; we provide ongoing support to the families with whom we work not only in the period immediately following placement, but also through the years that follow. This can be especially critical for adoptees, who didn’t have any say in their adoption but for whom the decision will have lifelong implications.

For adoptees, post-adoption support can mean having access to dedicated spaces where they can talk about and process topics like identity, belonging, and connection. (Our adult adoptee affinity group is one such space!) It’s not uncommon for questions about origins and heritage to surface during childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood. Without support, adoptees may feel isolated in their experiences or pressured to carry complex emotions silently. Despite good intentions from adoptive parents, raising difficult topics and asking questions about adoption may not feel easy or accessible to adoptees. Structured post-adoption resources provide validation and guidance, reminding adoptees that their voices matter.

Adoptive parents may benefit from ongoing coaching, peer groups, and/or counseling as their children grow and new developmental challenges emerge. (OA&FS offers peer support cohorts and other events for this purpose!) Similarly, birth parents often experience ongoing grief, identity questions, and a need for community. (Our birth parent support group meets monthly to provide a space for those with a similar experience to feel seen and heard.) Post-adoption support ensures that no member of the adoption constellation feels left behind, and it creates a stronger foundation for family wellbeing.

In addition to NCFA’s new resource page, the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) offers counseling, training, and online workshops tailored specifically to the needs of adoptees and adoptive families. Another great resource is Boston Post-Adoption Resources. Our website also has resource pages for adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. All of these resources can help families access professional guidance and connect with others who share their experiences.