A project being led by NHS Grampian in partnership with Aberdeen City Council is offering a lifeline to local birth parents whose children have been permanently removed from their care.
Now in its second year, the Birth Parents Project is expanding so that those who have benefitted from peer support and the opportunity to talk about their traumatic experiences can offer peer mentoring to others in crisis. The hope is that long-term funding can be secured so that the support offered can become permanent.
Project manager Leanne Ferries, who is part of NHS Grampian’s health improvement team, explained: “The birth parents I have met face a personal battle every day and struggle a lot with their mental health. They say joining peer support groups or one-to-one sessions has helped them feel less alone and boosted their confidence.”
The Birth Parents Project was set up in partnership with Aberdeen City Council to capture the lived experience of birth parents in Aberdeen. The idea came from Aberdeen’s children’s social work service, from staff who recognised the need for a more tailored, dedicated and empathetic support system for birth parents that acknowledges the unique circumstances of each family. It’s backed by the Scottish Government and the Corra Foundation, a Scottish charity encouraging positive change which improves quality of life.
Leanne Ferries and Michelle Macfarlane
“There is a lot of stigma out there – a misunderstanding that all birth parents whose children have been adopted are somehow bad or suffering with addiction. More often than not, they just didn’t have the support network they needed around them when they had children. They may have been abused or have been continuing to face domestic abuse,” continued Leanne.
With the support of Station House Media Unit (SHMU), the project team made a film to enable group members to be the voice of birth parents and help break down barriers: NHS Advisory Group Film (youtube.com) The women involved are keen the film is shared widely to let other birth parents whose children have been adopted know they are not alone and for professionals to think about the viewpoint of birth parents.
One mum said: “Birth parents get a lot of judgement when people don’t know the facts.”
Leanne, who worked for Childline for 12 years and has a professional background in community work, added: “I must admit I didn't have a real understanding of what many of our birth parents have been through and how they feel until I learned directly from them about their experiences.
“For all health and social care workers, it’s so important our practice is trauma-informed, meaning that the support we offer is better because we come from a place of understanding. When engaging with birth parents, it’s about acknowledging the unique and often complex and challenging circumstances of their lives.
“We want to break the stigma and make sure birth parents get the support they need.”
The Birth Parents Project is part of ‘The Promise’ to make sure care-experienced children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected in Scotland. The aim is to better support families and break cycles as care-experienced people are more likely to have their own children adopted. Any birth parent who is looking for support can email leanne.ferries@nhs.scot or call 07498321916.