While we at DCN encourage parents to start telling their children about their donor conception story from an early age, we know that’s not everyone’s situation. When these conversations don’t happen until later, parents often benefit from specialist support and guidance in how to start and what to say.

For many years, one of the support services we’ve offered at Donor Conception Network has been helping parents prepare to tell their teenage or adult children about their donor conception. Drawing on everything we’ve learned through that work, we’re delighted to announce the launch of Later Telling, a new booklet for professionals supporting families through these conversations. 

DCN Director Nina Barnsley said:

“We’re delighted to add another great booklet to our suite of telling and talking resources. We hope it will become a valuable resource for counsellors, psychologists, fertility professionals and anyone working with donor conception families. And for parents considering telling later in life, it’s a helpful companion to our Telling and Talking 17+ booklet.”

‘Later Telling’ brings together more than twenty years of experience supporting those families and reflects the questions, concerns and experiences we’ve seen time and again.  It explains some of the common fears parents have, how we help them prepare for these conversations, and how professionals can support them too. It was written by two of DCN’s founders, Olivia Montuschi and Walter Merricks, who developed this unique support service.

It’s never too late to ‘tell’ or to seek support, and we hope this resource gives professionals and parents greater confidence in approaching these conversations.

View the print edition and the PDF version in the DCN bookshop.