Systems of contact between adopted children and their birth families have remained the same for more than 20 years but momentum is growing for a major overhaul to bring them up to date.
The so-called letterbox system – whereby physical letters are sent and received at a predetermined frequency – has been in use for decades, but concerns are growing that it is outdated in an age of social media where people can be traced and contacted with relative ease, and it simply does not provide children with the meaningful interactions necessary to support their wellbeing.
A report published in September by charity Pause –which supports women whose children have been removed from their home or are at risk of being placed in care – highlighted concerns about the effectiveness of the letterbox system and the quality of support in place to facilitate it.
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