Our preparation groups are for Prospective Adopters beginning their adoption journey.  The groups are typically run 4 times per year, depending on the number of applications at the time.  These are delivered over three days.

Adoption has changed so much over the years and there are many aspects to think about.  Our preparation groups will give you a chance to learn more about adoption, what it means for you and your family but most importantly what it means for your adopted child.  

We will cover the following areas:

We will help you to think about the different experiences that children being placed for adoption may have had and how this may have impacted upon them. Most importantly, we will support you to understand how you as an adoptive parent can ensure they have the love, nurturing and stability that they require to enable them to settle and flourish within your family.

We appreciate that many people can find the thought of a group daunting, however, we will seek to make sure that you feel as comfortable as possible during the sessions.  We use a mix of formal and informal sessions and our staff are always available, should you have any questions or concerns.

Feedback we have received from previous participants is that they have found the preparation groups invaluable in preparing them for both the challenges and rewards of becoming an adoptive parent.

“Along with everyone in our group it seems, I was very nervous about the prep groups as I was unsure of what to expect and whether we would be judged or considered suitable. However, I am glad to say that they were very informative and interesting. Overall I would say that the prep groups have given all of us the knowledge and skills required to become good parents (I hope!)”.

“I enjoyed our small group and felt very comfortable with the relaxed, informal style of the presentations. The course work wasn’t rushed and many aspects were repeated and reinforced which helped the information sink in whilst allowing plenty of time for debate and questions”.

“It gives a reality check and a very clear portrayal of what children experience and what our role will be. It highlights the different tools required and the approach is very different to non-adopted children.”

“It’s given me a great foundation in understanding how we can meet our child’s current needs and start the healing process.”

“The group has definitely prepared me more than I thought it ever would. Very informative and I have a realistic approach to it now whereas before there were still many questions unanswered.”

“The content of the prep group was brilliant! I found it really informative and it helped me gain a better understanding of what we might face and how to deal with it”.

“These sessions have been invaluable. Before attending I had my own ideas on how a child placed with us would be. Now I’m more informed that the child will need time and everything is at their pace”.

“It has been broken down well and explained well by incorporating real life experiences and case studies. Staff are patient and answer questions well.”

“The open discussions within the group have been most enjoyable and helpful as they addressed most of our questions and also addressed things we hadn’t thought about”.

“The sessions have been very informative and helped us to confirm we are doing the right thing. St Margaret’s staff were very reassuring and made me feel I can cope (with help) with any issues raised.”