In December 2023, the law in England changed so that therapists offering adoption-related counselling to adults no longer need to be registered with Ofsted. This update was brought in to help remove barriers and make it easier for adult adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents to access the support they need.

Key points about the change:

• Ofsted registration is no longer required for counsellors working with adults (18+) on adoption-related issues.

• Access to therapy has improved, with professional bodies such as BACP welcoming the decision as it increases the availability of qualified counsellors.

• Safeguards remain important—therapists must still be registered with a professional body (such as BACP or UKCP) and work within an ethical framework.

• Intermediary work is still regulated: anyone offering tracing or contact services must still be Ofsted registered.

• Children and young people (under 18) continue to fall under the original regulations, meaning therapists need to work within or alongside an Ofsted-registered Adoption Support Agency.

My Thoughts

I fully support this change, as it helps adults affected by adoption access therapy more freely. At the same time, I believe that adoption work is highly specialist and requires additional understanding, sensitivity, and training.

For this reason, I have undertaken post-qualifying training in adoption support counselling to ensure I can work safely, ethically, and effectively with adults and the complexities adoption can bring such as identity, loss, belonging, attachment, relationships, and cultural or family dynamics.

Accessing Support

If you’re an adult affected by adoption, you can now reach out directly for counselling without needing to go through an Ofsted-registered service. You also don’t need counselling by law before accessing your birth records (for adoptions after 12 November 1975), though many people find supportive space helpful during this time.

You can also find more information or referrals through specialist organisations such as PAC-UK or Adoption UK, as well as professional bodies like BACP.

Adoption Support and the Law Changes