Petitions/Make Letterbox Contact a Legal Requirement for safe Birth Parents
StatusClosed
Opened3 Dec 2025
Closes3 Jun 2026
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

We call for the reform of adoption laws to make letterbox contact a legal right for safe birth parents. This can bring reassurance & healing; for children, it can preserve identity, belonging & wellbeing. Some birth parents are allowed one letter a year, which, at present, is not legally enforceable

Currently, birth parents may get to send and receive only one letter per year, and this is not legally enforceable. Letters may be left ignored and not responded to, which can leave families heartbroken and disconnected; precious bonds at risk, and children suffering in the long term. Some research shows that adopted children with steady birth family contact can grow up more secure and emotionally healthy. The court should be able to block contact if it wouldn't be safe for the child.

10,000
100,000

Constituency engagement ranking

Mary Kelly Foy
1Mary Kelly Foy MP
City of Durham
6
Luke Akehurst
2Luke Akehurst MP
North Durham
4
Mark Ferguson
3Mark Ferguson MP
Gateshead Central and Whickham
3
Laurence Turner
4Laurence Turner MP
Birmingham Northfield
2
Peter Dowd
5Peter Dowd MP
Bootle
2
Danny Kruger
6Danny Kruger MP
East Wiltshire
2
Rupert Lowe
7Rupert Lowe MP
Great Yarmouth
2
Jo Platt
8Jo Platt MP
Leigh and Atherton
2
Mr Hamish Falconer
9Mr Hamish Falconer MP
Lincoln
2
Sam Carling
10Sam Carling MP
North West Cambridgeshire
2
Make Letterbox Contact a Legal Requirement for safe Birth Parents — Petitions