Support Organisations & Specialist Help
A signposting directory for adoptive families, adult adoptees, professionals and others looking for adoption-related support, evidence, peer connection or specialist legal advice in Scotland.
Important signposting note
The Scottish Adoption Alliance provides this page for information and signposting only. Inclusion does not mean endorsement, recommendation, partnership, legal approval or professional referral. Families and individuals should contact providers directly to check suitability, availability, eligibility, costs, legal aid status, insurance, safeguarding arrangements and professional regulation. The Alliance cannot give legal, clinical, safeguarding or crisis advice. Logos remain the property of their respective organisations and are used only to help visitors identify signposted organisations.
For Adoptive Families
Family support, post-adoption support, therapeutic services and Scotland’s Voluntary Adoption Agencies.
Adoption UK Scotland
National adoption charity supporting adoptive families and people affected by adoption, including Scotland-specific information, support and resources.
Phone: 0300 666 0006
Email: informationsupport@adoptionuk.org.uk
Hours: Mon–Fri, 10am–2.30pm
Visit Website
Scottish Adoption & Fostering
Voluntary adoption agency providing adoption, fostering, lifelong family support, therapeutic support and records-related services.
Phone: 0131 553 5060
Email: info@scottishadoptionandfostering.org
Best for: Adoption support, therapeutic family support and origins support.
Visit Website
St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society
Voluntary adoption agency offering adoption services, family support, origins work and post-adoption support.
Phone: 0141 332 8371
Email: info@stmargaretsadoption.org.uk
Best for: Adoption support, origins enquiries and family support.
Visit Website
St Andrew’s Children’s Society
Voluntary adoption and fostering agency providing family support, therapeutic life story work, Theraplay and direct work with children and families.
Website: sacsadopt.scot
Best for: Adoption support, therapeutic work and whole-family support.
Visit Website
Kibble Adoption
Voluntary adoption agency offering adoption services and support using trauma-informed, attachment-informed and relationship-based approaches.
Phone: 0800 008 6812
Email: kasrecruitment@kibble.org
Best for: Adoption support and trauma-informed family support.
Visit Website
Barnardo’s Scotland Adoption Service
Provides adoption and post-adoption support in Scotland for children, families, adult adoptees and professionals.
Phone: 0141 419 4700
Email: sass@barnardos.org.uk
Best for: Post-adoption support, life story work and family support.
Visit WebsiteFor Adult Adoptees
Support routes for records, identity, search, reunion, counselling, peer support and post-adoption support.
Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement (SAAM)
A Scottish adoptee-led organisation providing peer support, advocacy and a voice for adult adoptees. SAAM works to improve understanding of the lifelong impact of adoption.
Website: Scottish Adult Adoptee Movement
Contact: Website contact form
Best for: Peer support, lived experience, campaigning and community.
Visit Website
Birthlink
Supports adults affected by adoption through access to records, intermediary services, family tracing, counselling, mediation and Scotland’s Adoption Contact Register.
Phone: 0131 225 6441
Email: mail@birthlink.org.uk
Address: 21 Castle Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DN
Visit Website
National Records of Scotland
Provides official guidance about Scottish adoption records, accessing original birth certificates and adoption records, and statutory processes.
mygov.scot Adoption Support
Scottish Government guidance explaining support available to adopted people in Scotland, including information on records, counselling and additional help.
Website: Scottish Government public information
Best for: Official guidance and signposting.
Visit WebsiteFor Professionals
Resources for social workers, agencies, practitioners, researchers and organisations working around adoption and permanence.
AFKA Scotland
Independent charity supporting best practice in adoption, fostering and kinship care through training, consultancy, advice and policy work.
CELCIS
Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection. Provides evidence, policy support and practice resources around care, permanence and adoption.
Phone: 0141 444 8500
Email: celcis@strath.ac.uk
Address: University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Visit Website
CoramBAAF
UK-wide professional membership organisation for adoption, fostering and kinship care, offering guidance, training, publications and advice.
Scotland’s Adoption Register
National register and information hub supporting matching, agency search, prospective adopters and professionals across Scotland.
Research & Evidence
Useful sources for evidence, policy, data and national guidance.
Adoption UK Barometer
Annual evidence report highlighting adopters’ and adopted people’s experiences, support gaps, education issues and family challenges.
Best for: UK-wide adoption support evidence.
Visit Website
CELCIS Adoption Research
Research and practice resources around permanence, adoption, care experience and improving support systems in Scotland.
Best for: Scottish evidence and practice learning.
Visit Website
Scottish Government Guidance
Official Scottish Government guidance, contacts and policy information relating to adoption and looked-after children legislation.
Best for: Statutory and policy context.
Visit Website
Peer Support Through PATCH
PATCH — Passionate Adopters Targeting Change with Hope — is an adopter-led peer-support and lived-experience community. It provides a route for adoptive families to connect with others who understand the realities of adoption after the order is made.
The Scottish Adoption Alliance is the policy, evidence and reform platform. PATCH is the peer voice, family connection and lived-experience route.
Visit PATCHSpecialist Legal Help in Scotland
These firms are included as signposting only. Families should check expertise, costs, legal aid availability and regulatory status before instructing any solicitor.
Livingstone Brown
Scottish solicitors with child protection, adoption, permanence order and children’s hearings experience.
Phone: 0141 778 9657 / 0141 429 8166
Email: sh@livbrown.co.uk / cp@livbrown.co.uk
Address: Glasgow offices
Visit Website
Jones Whyte
Glasgow-based Scottish law firm with adoption solicitors and family law services.
Phone: 0141 375 1222
Email: info@joneswhyte.co.uk
Address: 105 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1PB
Visit Website
Gibson Kerr
Edinburgh and Glasgow family law firm advising on adoption and child-focused family law matters.
Phone: Edinburgh 0131 202 7516 / Glasgow 0141 404 0436
Email: info@gibsonkerr.co.uk
Address: Edinburgh and Glasgow offices
Visit Website
Drummond Miller
Scottish law firm with adoption lawyers and broader child law and family law services across Central Scotland.
Phone: 0131 226 5151
Website: Contact form available
Offices: Multiple offices across Central Scotland
Visit Website
Brodies
Major Scottish law firm with child law and adoption services, including adoption, international adoption and permanence-related matters.
Phone: 0141 428 4101 / 0131 228 3777
Email: lisa.girdwood@brodies.com
Website: Child Law Hub and adoption team
Visit Website
Harper Macleod
Scottish law firm with child law and adoption lawyers, advising on adoption and wider family law matters.
Phone: 0141 227 9545 / 0141 221 8888
Email: info@harpermacleod.co.uk
Address: 45 Gordon Street, Glasgow G1 3PE
Visit Website
Miller Samuel Hill Brown
Glasgow law firm offering Scottish family law and adoption law advice.
Phone: 0141 221 1919
Website: Online contact form available
Office: Glasgow city centre
Visit WebsiteTogether We Can Change 1000’s of Lives