Hello. 

I suppose you tried to changed deposition parameters :

- lower current density

- heating the bath

- sulfamate or sulfate bath ?

- is it possible in your application to add a film in between to improve adhesion ?

Hai Sarah.

Thanks for these suggestions.

However I have tried out first two options and in the process of trying the next two.

Is there anyother way of doing this?

Did you tried electroless deposition? Electroless can take a little bit more time, but the result deposit can be better.

Have a look 

Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption of o-Nitroaniline on Nickel Nanoparticles Synthesized by Electrochemical Deposition,  Journal of Nanomaterials

Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 515148

http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/515148

Nickel deposits tend to plate highly stressed , when done without the addition of various organic modifiers. that being said a trick is to plate a very thin intitial layer followed by a more substantial build up layer.  Subsittution of  HCL for the boric or as an adjunct might prove benifical. While you dod not detail your composition , a starting formulation might consist of 20-30g/l 20oBaume' HCL 200-300 g/l NiCl2  for small batchs an insoluable anode is acceptable.  Lastly if you use to much voltage the gas gnerated at the cathode will inhibit the plating and cause "pitting" and adhesion loss, inaddition to further increasing the stress of the deposit.