Support for birth relatives

We’re here to support you with understanding, care and practical help.

If you’re a birth relative looking for guidance or someone to talk to, our team is always ready to help.

Letterbox contact (sometimes called indirect contact) is a way for people who’ve played an important role in a child’s life to stay connected.

This can include birth parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or siblings. It’s designed to share updates and information with the child and can continue right through to their 21st birthday.

If you’d like help with your letterbox exchange, our Staying In Touch coordinator is always happy to assist with writing letters, offering regular drop ins and managing face-to-face contact. Anything that makes the process easier for you.

We run a friendly birth mothers support group that meets regularly for peer support, shared experiences and guidance from our Staying in Touch Coordinator.

Each session focuses on a different theme, and many people tell us how helpful they find being part of the group. It’s been running for over 20 years and always welcomes new members.

If you’d like to join or simply find out more, just give our advice line a call.

If you’re involved in face‑to‑face contact, our Staying in Touch Coordinator is here to help you make the most of that time.

They can offer ideas, reassurance and practical suggestions whenever you need them. Just contact the advice line to get started.

You can also access one‑to‑one support from a birth relative counsellor, who can help you talk through your feelings and navigate your loss with sensitivity and care.

This support is available during court proceedings, but you can return to it at any time in the future - whether that’s months or many years later. When you’re ready, simply contact our advice line.

We also provide a dedicated support service for birth families through Parents & Children Together (PACT).

If your child has an adoption plan, you’re welcome to talk this through with your child’s social worker, call our advice line, or download our helpful leaflet(add link to PDF).

If you need support as a birth relative, you can contact our designated staying touch co-ordinator.

Email adoptionletterboxservice@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Phone 01296 387 839