Find your tribe
83% of adoptees say HTBA has helped validate their experiences as an adopted person.
Adoptee groups in the UK
Informal adoptee meet-ups
How To Be Adopted has linked up adoptees in the following areas of the UK:
Bath, Somerset
Berkshire/Surrey/Hampshire (meet in Bracknell)
Brentford email: adoptedwestlondon@gmail.com
Brighton and Chichester (also worth contacting Dunbar Project as they’re based in Brighton)
Bristol
Cardiff / South Wales
Colchester/Cambridge/Essex
Cornwall (Penzance end) email: penzanceadopteegroup@gmail.com
Devon (North) - Bideford. Email: northdevonadopteegroup@gmail.com
East Devon & South Somerset - * NEW!*
Edinburgh / Glasgow / Fife
Hampshire - SE Hants/ Portsmouth/Eastleigh (needs reigniting/spliting into two groups as Hampshire is big!)
Manchester - Greater
The North East: neadopteesupport@gmail.com
North London (the original HTBA group, now in its fifth year)
Oxford (needs reigniting)
South London / Clapham (early days)
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Tunbridge Wells and Hastings (needs someone to take the lead)
West Midlands/Worcestershire
We also have adoptees wanting to be linked up in:
Coventry
NE Scotland
East London/Essex
Norfolk
To be linked up with your local group, use the email address above if there is one, or email: hello@howtobeadopted.com
If you know of any more adoptee peer support groups, please let us know.
If you're able to donate after being matched with an adoptee group, that will help us keep going (we're self-funded by our founder, Claire, and other adoptees). Thank you!
What adoptees are saying about HTBA
“Really got some strength and validity from the last meeting which has affected my wellbeing in a positive way. Thank you so much. I feel like I truly belong somewhere from the very start!”
— Karen, adoptee“It's so lonely this adoptee life and the work of people like you is inspiring and a lifesaver.”
— Niki, adoptee“I just wanted to send you an email to say a big thanks for organising such a wonderful event for our community.”
— Tracy, adoptee