On 28^th January 2026, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Adoption (APPGAP) produced a report from “The Adoptee Voices inquiry”. The Report reveals the isolation and loneliness many young adoptees feel growing up in a society that they say fails to listen, understand, or support them, revealing “isolation and loneliness many young adoptees feel growing up in a society they say fails to listen, understand, or support them.”

The key findings of the APPGAP were as follows:

• “Specialist support is missing.92% of young adoptees believe specialist help is needed to understand their past, while a third reported gaps in their life history leading to a lack of confidence about their identity.”
• “Mental health issues and neurodiversity are common, and needs are often unmet. 51% said they wanted help with their mental health, but could not find help that worked for them as adoptees. 62% identified as neurodiverse, and 52% said these needs were not understood or met by services.”
• “Education systems are not set up for adoptees.83% said adoptees need more help than their peers to manage feelings in school, yet support is inconsistent or absent.”

Overall Conclusion

Young adoptees report feeling misunderstood, unsupported and often invisible within systems meant to care for them. The findings point to a clear need for:

• Trauma‑informed and adoption‑aware mental‑health provision
• Consistent life story and identity support
• Better‑trained and resourced schools
• A societal shift towards listening to adoptee voices and recognising the lifelong impact of early trauma