Keeping Birth Parents in mind throughout the Adoption Journey

Who this is for

Adoption practitioners and managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities, and independent social workers), children’s social care services, children and family social workers, foster carers, kinship carers, designated teachers, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

The Adoption Journey consists of Kate Garside and Caroline Milner who have many years’ experience of working with birth relatives whose children are on the path to adoption in the Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes areas.

This workshop focuses on the services provided by the Adoption Journey – it’s model, mechanics and lessons learnt. We will talk about the benefits of the groups we run and our successful birth relative/adopter meetings which have laid the groundwork for direct and indirect contact.In the changing world of keeping in touch, the Public Law Working Group has now produced a paper which outlines what is expected in maintaining relationships with birth family and highlights the resources required.

This collaborative workshop will address the challenges that professionals who work in this field face. We will talk about our response to this initiative, advocating for birth relatives and engaging the wider social work community in the advantages of these plans.. There will be video footage from birth relatives and adopters who are navigating this ever-changing complex area.

There will be opportunities for all participants to explore their own practice and a case study in breakout rooms.

The Adoption Journey are passionate about working with the frequently forgotten service users in the adoption story.

Learning 0utcomes

• To learn about a distinct model of working with birth relatives.
• To consider the key points of the Public Law Outline on Keeping in Touch – the realities and challenges.
• To explore service user engagement strategies and the ongoing role of birth relatives in the child’s adoption journey.
• To understand the powerful impact of group work in this area.
• Opening the minds of all those involved in the adoption journey on the positive role that the continued involvement of birth relatives can have.

About the trainer

Kate Garside

A qualified Social Worker, with over 30 years’ experience in the fields of child protection, fostering and adoption. For the last 17 years, Kate has delivered local authority contracts supporting birth relatives whose children were on the path to adoption via both individual and group sessions. Additionally, Kate sits on an adoption panel where she raises the awareness of birth relatives.

Caroline Milner

Qualified as a social worker in 2009. Following this worked within the Domestic Abuse field for 6 years. Since 2015 Caroline has worked within Adoption services both assessing adopters and offering post adoption support, including birth parent support and access to records. Caroline is also trained in Therapeutic life story work and creating Therapeutic stories. She uses many of these techniques in working with birth relatives.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week prior to the event to share a pre-event delegate pack.

If you have any questions regarding this webinar, please contact us at info@cvaa.org.uk. We will aim to answer your query within two working days.

CVAA accept online payments only. In case you do not have instant access to your company card, we suggest using your personal card instead to book a training event and claim it back with your agency in your expenses. Requesting an invoice to pay for our standard practice events is not possible.