02/03/2021 Like all prospective adopters, we had to think long and hard about our matching criteria during the approval process. When we started out, we wouldn’t have imagined adopting a child with underlying health conditions, but that’s where our journey would take us. As we navigated a far from simple route through stage two, our… Read More »Adopting a child with additional needs
13/02/2021 Adoption recruitment is essential, but so is post-adoption support and helping adopted young people understand their life stories. It’s clear that big moves are afoot in the worlds of children’s social care, adoption and permanence. The long-anticipated care review is has kicked off with a ‘call for advice’ and a process to establish an… Read More »A drive for more adopters must be mirrored by a better package of support
04/02/2021 I find myself thinking about the sensory processing issues that adopted children face more and more. Our daughter, like many has had significant sensory challenges, which relate to her early experience and in her case intersect with underlying medical conditions. I’m by no means an expert in this area, but I’ve reflected on what… Read More »Sensory overload and early trauma
28/01/2021 Let’s be honest, sometimes parenting therapeutically is hard – really hard. It might be that you’re tired, something in another part of your life is taking up a lot of brain space, or possibly a specific repetitive behaviour is just beginning to grate on your nerves. There is endless good advice out there and… Read More »Therapeutic parenting and authenticity
22/01/2021 A lot is happening in the world of adoption and children’s social care. There’s a huge ongoing focus on recruiting new adopters and a narrative coming from central Government about speeding up the process. But there are other huge issues that need to be part of the conversation, such as post-adoption support. At the… Read More »Three ways that you can have your voice heard on adoption right now
20/01/2021 It’s a mantra that all adopters here frequently. Usually it’s a loved one, who is genuinely trying to helpful when you’re describing some of the challenges of raising your child. They smile, tilt their head slightly and crack it out – “they all do that, don’t they?” It’s a simple statement grounded in a… Read More »“They all do that, don’t they?”
16/01/2021 It’s clear that post-adoption support is a huge issue. In 2020’s Adoption Barometer survey from Adoption UK, 68% of respondents who had obtained an adoption order didn’t have a written support plan in place. Respondents to the survey also spoke of being lonely and isolated, something that won’t be at all surprising to most… Read More »Thinking about adoption support
22/12/2020 (previously published)* My family has benefited significantly from the rigour of the adoption process. I was asked by someone considering adoption whether the process is ‘invasive’, to which I answered “yes, massively”. But none of it was unnecessary. Through the assessment, the local authority that we adopted through was able to learn what issues… Read More »Speeding up the adoption process at all costs is neither in the interests of children or adopters
22/12/2020 (previously published)* Lockdown is difficult for all children, but adopted children and those in the care system can experience some specific challenges related to their trauma. It was heartening to see that there has been some acknowledgement of this through the announcement that part of the adoption support fund is being brought forward to support adoptive… Read More »Early trauma, attachment and lockdown
22/12/2020 (previously published)* This year was one of turbulence, upheaval and change on the national stage, but for also for me personally. I’m not really accustomed to writing about myself. But as we approach the end of 2019, I feel compelled to. In March, my wife and I completed a three-year journey to become approved… Read More »Reflections on a year of change