“I could talk about things that I couldn’t with other people” “Thank you for listening to me. I needed someone to tell me I wasn’t wrong for feeling like this” For these young people adoption often presents further conflict rather than a happy ending. They may have had difficult early experiences in their birth family or in the care system, which has led to them having challenging relationships with family, at school or with their social workers. They can need considerable support if they are to overcome these challenges and settle happily into their new family. A third of adopted children keep their adoption a secret as they are worried about being teased, or don’t want people asking questions about it. Many adopted children can feel isolated because of their adoption and feel that they don’t fit in anywhere. It can be hard for adopted young people to talk about their feelings regarding their adoption, particularly with their adoptive family as they worry about causing upset. Our trained counsellors are available to listen to any issues they have and provide much needed support. Our experience demonstrates that for some young people having someone to talk to can really be a lifeline. As the length of time that children are waiting to be adopted increases, the more complex are the difficulties they face. TALKadoption offers an impartial listening ear, as well as a secure online forum, and by giving children a route through which to channel difficult feelings, can help them live more happily with being adopted, and can improve harmony in their adoptive family. TALKadoption only works if these children and young people know about it. We are seeking funding to develop and underwrite the costs of a marketing campaign that will promote TALKadoption through the channels that young people respond to best.