Curious about adoption? Hear real stories and insights on becoming a parent.

Curious about adopting? This event is your chance to explore what life as an approved adopter really looks like. Ideal for anyone exploring adoption who is interested in finding out more about some of the experiences a Prospective Adopter (PA) will go through including Family Finding, matching to a child/siblings and becoming a parent(s) to a child before the Adoption Order is granted. You will also hear stories from families just starting out and others further along their journey as adoptive parents.

Join us for an honest, relaxed session where we will introduce you to adopters and our teams, who will talk to you about Family Finding and Adoption Support. You will hear about:

Matching children with adopters

What happens when a child comes home

The support available to families

Real stories from adopters

Our in-person event is ideal if you are interested in exploring adoption before you decide to take the first step to attend one of our one hour Online Adoption Information Events.

You can adopt 21+ years – no age limit

Single, together, extended family, with or without a faith, LGBTQ+ - any background or culture

Your home can be a flat, housing association, shared ownership, rented or mortgaged – a garden is not required

You can be claiming government benefits – financial support may be available to you

We are inclusive to anyone considering adoption

We respect everyone’s life story.

What matters most is what you can give to a child who needs a loving, forever family

We aim to make the event welcoming and relaxed for all. You will be welcomed by a member of our team in the meeting area of the voco Southampton (https://www.ihg.com/voco/hotels/gb/en/southampton/soahp/hoteldetail?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23365458157&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI85mj3uDFlwMVmJdQBh13MzNfEAAYAiAAEgJ3aPD_BwE), where we will sign you in and guide you to where our event will be held. Our room is set up with rows of chairs in twos and threes, so you are welcome to come on your own or bring along a partner, family member or friend. Please view our short video to view our Adoption Insights Live room setup.

You are welcome to sit and listen or you can ask questions if you wish at the end of the event presentations/life story time. Your privacy is really important to us . There are no name badges, and we will not be introducing you to anyone else who is attending.

We will have refreshments available including tea, coffee etc and aim to have a short break halfway through.

At the end, our team will be available to chat to anyone who would like to talk about anything they are interested in finding out more about or to book a call back discussion at a time that suits you.

No pressure, no commitment - just real insights to help you decide if adoption could be part of your future.

We really look forward to welcoming you on Thursday, 26 November 2026. Please arrive around 6:15pm for a 6:30pm start at the voco Southampton.

Last year, Adopt South matched 104 children across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, with their forever families including babies, toddlers, young children, siblings, and children with additional needs. Families of all kinds: single parents, couples, and those with existing children, opened their hearts and homes.

Description supplied by the event organiser.