Help at hand for adoptive parents at informal support group

Mel Kemp (61) and husband Travis (66) have an adopted son and two foster sons and have been fostering for around 12 years.

But, though they are given a lot of support with the fostering side, Mel said that there is not much help geared up for people who adopt children.

She said: “As a foster carer I have lots of people I can call on for support.

“But it goes through my mind that there are possibly people out there who are adoptive parents who have not got the support I have.”

Mel said the only other adoptive parents she has ever met are people who also foster, but there must be some people in the area who are interested in meeting up with like-minded adopters .

“I do think at times you can feel isolated,” she said.

“To get a little group of people together to have a cup of tea and a piece of cake and chat in an informal setting would be nice.”

Though the difficulties that children in foster care can have are widely recognised, Mel says that adopted children can also have some deep-rooted problems because of their often traumatic backgrounds.

“People tend to think because you have adopted a child that everything’s hunky dory, but these children can still present some very challenging behaviour,” she said.

This is one of the reasons that the Kemps want to start a group where adoptive parents can share experiences without being judged.

Said Travis: “I think you look at yourself and wonder if you’re doing anything wrong. You know you’re not, but it’s nice to hear other people’s stories and feel you’re not on your own.”

Anyone who is interested in the group should email [email protected].