Meet the Team

Transracial Adoptee 1971
Born: Chase Farm Hospital, London

Adoption Agency: National Children Adoption Association, London

Hi, I’m Vik, I was born in London and adopted through the National Children Adoption Association facilitated by Chase Farm Hospital and staff. I’m a TRA who grew up in Somerset.

I’m in reunion with the paternal side of my biological family, I chose non contact with my maternal side. Both my birth parents died before I could meet them. I have 2 children who also feel the effects of adoption, particularly the hole in their medical records.

Adopted: 1966
Born: The Limes Mother & Baby Home, Stratford Upon Avon
Adoption Agency: Warwickshire County Council

I have the dubious honour of having been adopted twice, firstly as a newborn, and subsequently following the remarriage of my adoptive mother. A breast cancer diagnosis prompted me to contact my maternal side and am in a happy reunion with my half-siblings. Sadly, my birth mother passed away from secondary breast cancer before I met her.

I have hit a brick wall trying to trace my biological father.

I want to make sure that adoptees are properly supported when faced with a medical emergency.

Adopted: 1968
Adoption Agency:
Essex County Council Children’s Department; Chelmsford Diocesan Moral Welfare Association

I was born and adopted in England in the late 1960s. I was in hospital with my mother for ten days, fostered locally with a family for a few weeks then placed with my adoptive family. My adoption took place when I was six months old.

My mother did not want to give me up but had no way to support both of us and thought I would ‘have a better life’ with another family. I knew I was adopted but never knew my origins or birth story, until she searched for me once it became legal.

I am in partial reunion with my birth family. I want adult adoptees to receive the services we need and deserve and I don’t want today’s children to be gaslit and inadequately supported.

Adopted: 1974
Born: Northampton
Adoption Agency: City of Birmingham Social Services Department
Church of England Children’s Society

I’m Liz Harvie. I was born in January 1974 in Northampton, spent 10 days with my mother, before being separated as a consequence of the forced adoption practices of the time. Then moved to a foster home. At 8 weeks old, my adoptive parents met me and took me back to their home in Birmingham. My adoption was handled by the Church of England Children’s Society and then a social worker from City of Birmingham Social Services Department took over.

I’ve always known I was adopted. As a child, I was deeply curious about my beginnings and my roots, which led me to search for my mother in my early 20s. Luckily for me, she wanted to be found and we met in 2003, when I was 29. I met my father shortly afterwards. I am still in reunion with them both. I am passionate about advocating for adoptee rights and am proud to be a founding member of the Adult Adoptee Movement.

We hope to create a safe space here, for adoptees to feel seen, heard and validated.

Intercountry Adoptee: 1968
Born: London
Adoption Agency: Phyllis Holman Richards Adoption Society and Suffolk Social Services

My birth mother visited the U.K. from the Middle East to give me up for adoption at birth. I was placed in foster care for the first two months of my life and then placed with a long term foster mother in a small Suffolk town. I was raised without any true knowledge of my origins and experienced a lot of racism. My adoption was formalised as a teenager and at the same time I discovered my true identity.

I searched for a number of years and found my birth mother in my twenties. The reunion and cultural differences I experienced have had a lifelong impact on me.

I advocate for intercountry adoptees to be given intermediary tracing services and assistance from the governmental authorities who participate in their adoptions. We should also have the right of choice to return and reclaim our original nationalities.

Adopted: 1967
Born: Surrey
Adoption Agency: Moral Welfare, Surrey County Council and Weston Super Mare District Council

My mother died before I felt ready in my 50s to trace her. Through DNA testing and after a long, complicated, expensive search I am in reunion with my maternal sister and some paternal family, discovering my ethnicity and other information, including medical, that has been hugely helpful to me and my adult child.

I want lifelong support for adoptees and their children.

Jo

Co-founder