Support … lifting the fog of adoption

There are currently three in-person Support Groups for Adopted People in Aotearoa New Zealand.‍ ‍Find out more about them here.

Communicating with people who’ve had similar experiences to you can be life changing and affirming.

Connecting with others through social media, online or in-person groups is a great way to support each other and share experiences.

Adoption support groups were active in Aotearoa New Zealand from the 1970s as opposition to closed adoptions and to the practice of adoption grew. Gradually, partly as a result of the Adult Adoption Information Act 1985, the number of in-person support groups reduced.

The internet now enables online support groups to bring people from specific adoption communities together. A quick search will provide links to adoption communities here and internationally specifically for adopted people, trans-racial and trans-cultural adoptions, international adoption communities and more.

Let us know if you’re a support group convener, or you’re wanting to start a group, please get in touch and we can post your group information on this page.

Keith Griffith developed this accessible and easy to use resource kit to help adoption support groups:

  • provide a safe, non-threatening, easy to use effective communication tool to facilitate group formation, consolidation and operation

  • focus on specific issues

  • enable each person to identify and tell their own their story, and to set their own priorities

  • provides tools that can be used when and if required, or discarded at any point in a group meeting or counselling session.

Keith wished that his resources to be shared and used widely, so please acknowledge this resource appropriately.

Author: KEITH GRIFFITH

Adopted Person’s Resource 2000 - Keith Griffith

Please note that all of Keith Griffith’s work is copyright.  If you would like to use any of his research you find on this site, please do so and acknowledge Keith’s work appropriately.

Funding and establishing a support group…

Here are some resources to help establish and fund a support group: