Challenging stigmas regarding adoption

Adoption is a way of providing a child with a permanent, loving home if their biological families can’t look after them for any number of reasons. It also provides couples and single people with an alternative family if they struggle to conceive naturally.

However, like fostering and the system of foster care, stigmas exist regarding adoption. These can be largely based on stereotypes and misinformation, as well as the belief that families with adopted members aren’t ‘real’ families due to the lack of blood connections.

Here are some ways in which you can break these stigmas.

Treat adoptive families as real families

This is a major stigma present across cultures as well as individuals, that biological families are the only ‘real’ families.

Shared genetics or not, a family is one built on love, trust, support, loyalty and commitment. A family built on adoption is just as real and legitimate as one based on common ancestry.

Support charities

There are many charities in the UK that raise awareness of and support adopted individuals and adopting families – from Adoption UK to Coram and Barnardo’s. They provide guidance and support for those who are involved with adoption and run campaigns, and you can even fundraise for them.

Educate others

There are plenty of blogs and news articles from people who were adopted or have adopted children. Members of the former group talk about the impact it had on their lives, while the latter group discusses how and why they opted for adoption over having their own children, covering the good and challenging parts of their journey. These inform readers of the truth about the adoption process and how it enriches lives.