“We felt ready, even though we were weren’t ready, we were ready, we were as ready as we were going to be” – Exploring adoptive parents lived experience of agency supported adoption preparation using Interpretative Phenomenological analysis.

In the UK as of 31st March 2019 there were 78,150 looked after children. The number of children who were adopted between April 1st 2018 and March 31st 2019 was 3,570 (Department for Education, 2019). Research suggests that one in five placements are disrupted (Wright (2009; Rushton (2003) Research into looked after children has shown an increased prevalence of mental ill-health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (Department of Health/Department for Education, 2017) and these can impact enormously on learning, behaviour and health (Hughes, Lowey, Quigg, & Bellis, 2016). In addition, these children are impacted by numerous caregiver transitions (Fisher, 2015). Therefore, it is imperative that adults are adequately prepared to become adoptive parents. Statutory guidance on Adoption (DfE, 2013) is not explicit about what ‘Adoption Preparation’ should entail, and as a result the adoption agency or local authority can be flexible in what is delivered to adopters. This thesis seeks to explore the lived experiences of three adoptive parents, who were supported by their agency to become adoptive parents and aims to uncover their lived experience. Participants were recruited across two LA’s in the North of England. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was utilised as the methodology. Analysis generated three superordinate themes, a feeling of being nurtured, being in a position of knowing and the intense emotional nature of the process. Super-ordinate themes for a feeling of being nurtured explored the depths of the social work support experienced by the adopters, interactions with others who understand, and the sudden intensity of the transition to parenthood. Superordinate themes for being in a position of knowing explored the need to understand their child, their feeling probed and checked upon, and the uncomfortable feelings of rejection. Superordinate themes for the intense emotional nature of the process explored feeling emotionally overwhelmed, and developing and protecting our family. This analysis formulated a greater understanding of the lived experience of the adopters and promoted recommendations for educational psychology practice and future research. Recommendation for further research includes understanding the lived experiences of adopters specifically in relation to emotional well-being prior, during and post adoption, and the experiences of adopters and foster carers during transition into adoptive care. Implications for professional practice includes an increase in collaborative working between social work professional and EPs, which includes consultation opportunities to adoptive parents, and a training offer.