We are currently updating our Support pages. Please bear with us and contact us if you can't find the information you require.
Letterbox
ATV runs a Letterbox contact service in which birth parents, relatives and adoptive parents or special guardians write to one another to share information about their own and the child(ren)’s life. It is a formal arrangement which is managed by ATV on behalf of the local authority in order to ensure that all letter exchanges are safe and appropriate for the child in question.
Letterbox contact is often part of a formal adoption plan and is sometimes recommended in a special guardianship support plan. Letterbox contact is made between the adults on behalf of the child, however the child may wish to contribute to the exchange with letters or pictures of their own. Adoptive parents or special guardians can make the decision when and whether to share letters with the child, depending on their understanding and emotional readiness.
Addresses are not shared between birth parents and adoptive parents, and all letters are checked by Letterbox administrators to ensure that they are suitable and comply with the agreed arrangement for each child.
If you would like to contact us about an existing Letterbox arrangement please call your local Letterbox office:
Oxfordshire - 01865 323114
Swindon – 01865 894726
Reading, Bracknell, West Berks, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham – 01865 894722
Please be aware that Letterbox office hours are limited. If your call is not answered, please leave a message and a Letterbox administrator will get back to you when they are able.
If you are considering whether a Letterbox arrangement could be right for your family, please contact the Helpdesk.
Children and young people
Therapy, education and groups for children and young people.
Birth relatives
Support, groups and information for birth relatives.
Adults affected by adoption
Information and support for adopted adults and their families.
The Anchor Team
Therapeutic support for families and professionals.
Contact us
The Permanence Support Team administrator will respond as quickly as they can. Please do bear with us; we’re working through the challenges of developing our new service and of managing significant demand, but we will respond. Please leave your full name, the local authority where you live, and your contact details (phone and email if possible), to help us respond to you more effectively.
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If you would like to join the Adopt Thames Valley Permanence Support events mailing list to receive mailouts, please email us.
Adults Affected by Adoption
Adults Affected by Adoption refers to adopted adults, birth relatives of adopted adults, and descendants of adopted adults. Each group has varying rights to services, some of which Adopt Thames Valley provide directly and some are provided by other agencies.
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Resources
Free guides and information about adoption support.
View resources
Permanence Support