Each year, during the third week of October, we celebrate National Adoption Week.

National Adoption Week gives us a chance to share stories from adoptive families about the positive impact adoption has had on their lives, and allows us to raise awareness of the adoption process and how people can grow their family through adoption.

Find out more about adoption near you

National Adoption Week 2023

For National Adoption Week 2023, we brought together adopted people from different generations to celebrate how adoption has evolved.

We heard directly from people adopted between the 1960s and 2010s about the positive impact adoption has had on them, and how adoption now encourages people to explore and celebrate their family history to form a positive sense of identity.

Adopted person, Callum, sits surrounded by words he used to describe his adoption journey including safety, knowledge and understanding

Can you change a child’s life today?

Celebrating people’s unique life stories.

National Adoption Week allows us to celebrate adoptive families and their unique life stories.
The week-long campaign also gives us the opportunity to challenge misconceptions around adoption, and raise awareness of how adoption has evolved significantly over the past 50 years.
During the week, we work together with Regional Adoption Agencies, support services and charities to provide events, information, resources and support to anyone affected by adoption.
Over the last five years, there has been a 23% decrease in the number of children being adopted. Of the 2,110 waiting to be adopted in the year 2022/2023, 60% came from groups that repeatedly face long delays. These children wait, on average, seven months longer to find a permanent home.
Through National Adoption Week, we encourage prospective adopters to come forward to help change the lives of children who are still waiting for their forever family.

National Adoption Week 2022 was focused on the importance of identity and relationships for adopted people. The campaign explored adopted people’s memories from before, during, and after they were adopted, and how these memories make them who they are today.

National Adoption Week 2021 was dedicated to all those impacted by adoption whose stories are often less heard; adopted people, adopters, birth parents and the Children’s Services workforce. The campaign shared real life stories from an adopted child, a single parent, an adopted person, a birth mother, social workers, and family members who watched loved ones go through the process.

Support for those affected during National Adoption Week

Each year, during National Adoption Week, we promote and share the services and resources that are available for anyone affected by adoption. Support is available for adopted people, birth parents and adoptive parents.

We also work with partners to provide a series of events that take place throughout the week, both online and in person. Events are designed for adopted people, adoptive parents, birth parents and professionals. When the events are live you will find more information about them on our annual campaign page.

Support is available throughout the year and adopted people can contact their regional adoption agency, as well as visit PAC-UK, the country’s largest Adoption Support Agency.