The Big Consult - Questions

This survey contains the key issues that were identified for adopted teenagers and
asks them what could be improved and what they wanted support to look like.
Below is a summary of the answers from the teenagers who answered across
Yorkshire and Humber.
School and the big bad world teachers understanding, bullying, being
adopted and feeling different

a) Do the pupils at your school have a clear understanding of what

adoption is? While some people said there might be some students
who do the common answer was that people at school don't have a
clear understanding because they haven't been told about it.
b) What could schools do to improve the awareness about adoption? A lot
of people suggested that assemblies or classes that would tell students
all they need to know about adoption.
c) Do you think your friends would understand you better if they could:
i. Watch a film about adoption?
ii. Read a book about adoption?
iii. Have an assembly on what adoption is?
iv. It was thought that the best methods of making friends
understand would be to have a film about adoption or an
assembly on adoption.
d) What could schools do to better support adopted young adults? We
thought that for schools to help better support adopted teenagers they
could help them cope with their feelings more, make sure that any
bullying gets sorted and give teachers better training as to how to
support adopted teenagers.
e) How many other young people do you know that are adopted?
Answers ranged from none to 20 but the most common answers were
1 or 2
f) How many in your class? Most answers were none
g) Do you feel different because you are adopted? Mostly answered no
but where it was answered yes it was followed by 'but in a good way'.
h) Do you think teachers understand why you might feel different? Mostly
answered no.

2) What should adoption support for young people look like?

The Big Consult - Questions

a) Do you feel ok talking to other people about your experience of being
adopted?
If not why?
If yes what makes you feel comfortable to talk about this? The majority
of people answered yes and gave the reason that they don't feel
ashamed about it and it is something they are proud of. Also gave the
reason that it is the best way to make other people understand about
adoption. The people that answered no gave the reason that it makes
them feel uncomfortable and awkward.
b) What are the best ways for adopted young people to meet and stay in
touch? Groups, activities and social media including our new AT-iD
website
c) What should adoption support look like? What should it consist of?
Should consist of meeting up with other people in the same situation.
d) When do you think you should be told about what adoption support
there is? When you are adopted perhaps? Or maybe when you start
high school? When you start high school was a common answer being
emotions run high at this time in your life. But a few answers said that
maybe adoptive parents should decide when they think you need the
support
e) Thinking of your own experiences what has been good adoption
support?
Groups like AT-iD and workers.

f) Why was it useful? Helped to talk to someone and it helped with

specific problem e.g. finding birth parents
g) What adoption support could have been better?
How? Getting the help when asked for and maybe not just talking
about it straight away, in AT-iD we got to know each other first and it
was better
h) Would you use a telephone helpline if you knew the person talking to
you understood adoption? Maybe
i) Would you attend a group for adopted young people if it was run by
someone who understood adoption? Yes
What time would be best for a group like this? Summer and holidays
j) Would you prefer a group like this to be a one off?
Or a group that runs perhaps every couple of months? Every couple of
months
k) Would you want an adult to be present? Yes
l) If you would want an adult present would you want them to supervise
or be involved in the group? Would want them to be involved
m) Would it help you to talk to a professional who knows about feelings
and controlling them?
Or would you rather talk to someone who you knew? Would prefer it to
be someone we knew.
n) What would help you with understanding and controlling your
emotions? Talking to someone about them

The Big Consult - Questions

o) Do you think it would help if your parent(s) understood a bit more why it
might feel different to be adopted? Yes
p) Do you think it would help if your friends understood a bit more why it
might feel different to be adopted? Maybe
3) Issues with controlling/understanding emotions
a) Which emotions do you think are hardest to control? Anger
b) Which emotions are hardest to understand? Anger and Sadness
c) Do you believe it is ok for people to get help if they have emotions they
find difficult to understand and control? Yes
d) What would help you with this? Talking to someone/A mentor
e) Do you think it would help if there were someone who you could talk to
about understanding and controlling these emotions? Yes
f) Would you want this person to be a professional or would you want it to
be someone who you know and trust? Someone I knew
g) If you did think you would want to talk to someone about these
emotions how important would it be that this person understands
adoption? (On a scale of 1-10) Between 6 - 10
h) Do you think it would be useful to maybe use art, music or other
creative methods to talk about these feelings? Not really
i) Do you think it would help if your parent(s) knew why it was hard for
you to understand/control these emotions? Yes
j) Might that make it easier for you to talk about the emotions with them?
Yes
4) Wanting to know the truth/more about your adoption?
a) Have you always known you were adopted? All yes
b) If yes do you think it was important that your parent(s) were honest with
you? Very important
c) If no do you understand the reason your parent(s) kept it from you?
d) Do you want to know more about what why you were adopted?
Yes/Not sure
e) Would you want to know more about your early life? Yes/Not sure
Even if it might be painful to hear?

The Big Consult - Questions

f) If you did want to find out more about your early life would you know
where to look/who to go to for this information? Half yes half no
g) Would you want to know more about what was happening for your
adoptive parents before they adopted you? Yes
h) Do your adoptive parent(s) understand why it might be important for
you to know about your early life? Yes
i) Do you think your adoptive parent(s) might need some help
understanding this? Yes
j) Do you think your friends, extended family and teachers need to
understand that it is important for you to know the truth about your
adoption? Yes/ Not everyone needs to know
k) If there was information about your early life that might be painful to hear would
you want to hear this from your adoptive parent(s) or from someone else?
For example a counsellor? Parents or someone I know