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

Supporting adopted and foster children,  and young people who have experienced trauma, attachment disruption, separation and loss,  requires a multifaceted approach rooted in understanding, empathy, and specialized care.

Recognising the unique challenges these individuals encounter, adoptive parents and professionals must provide a nurturing environment that prioritizes stability, consistency, and therapeutic interventions tailored to their specific needs.

“Denise and Zach are very knowledgeable and shared practical and useful information and tips. It has improved my understanding of how I can support parents who are struggling with challenging behaviours which is great.”
(Adoption Social Worker Mar 2025)

This training course focuses on an attachment, ‘love-based’ approach which is based on techniques and strategies from The Great Behaviour Breakdown; The trainers incorporate their ideas and strategies developed from living and working with children with additional needs, as well as drawing on DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)/PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance. Curiosity, Empathy, and theraplay) techniques.

Absolutely brilliant course, with fantastic, knowledgeable and really engaging tutors. So glad that we had the opportunity to do this!
(Adoptive Parent March 25)

This training focuses on the particular difficulties faced by children and young people in managing stress and provides a to help parents, carers and professionals manage their children’s behaviours and support their regulatory development.

You will learn practical strategies and be provided with a TOOLBOX of techniques to support parents.

Learning 0utcomes

• The importance of core messages for Parents and Professionals and Positive versus Negative Parenting interventions
• Understanding the Stress Model: Regulation vs Dysregulation and the role of relationship in regulation
• Transforming the Drama Triangle into a Winners Triangle
• The Toolbox of Techniques and applying this to Transitions, Defiance and Physical and Verbal Aggression

About the trainers

Denise Golding is a senior social work practitioner and counsellor. She has 30+ years’ experience of working with children and families, including the past 25+ years working in adoption. She has worked in Child Mental Health and in Statutory as well as Independent and Voluntary Agencies. Denise now works independently as a trainer and counsellor.

Zach Gomm is a foster carer and adopter; he has fostered many children over the past years and is an adoptive father to his son who he has parented using The Great Behaviour Breakdown techniques with amazing results for the past years. Zach now works as a trainer and online coach offering parenting support.

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.

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

This expert-led training session led by Dr Helen Rodwell will help practitioners to develop an understanding of autism and neurodiversity in adopted children. We will learn about different ideas on how professionals can ‘get to know’ and then support autistic children, young people, and their families.

“I thought the entire training event was excellent and hearing the input from the adopter perspective was really very valuable and the video clips looking at sensory perceptions from the child’s perspective..” – Attendee, 2024

We will discuss the different aspects of autism and the challenges it can pose for children and parents, providing strategies for managing challenging situations.

“The content of the webinar was so very helpful and interesting. I also really liked the trainer, she shared the information in a really accessible and interesting way.”– Attendee, 2024

The training day will explore the following areas:

• Overview of autism, neurodiversity, and neurodevelopmental disorder
• Beliefs about autism, trauma & attachment
• What does research and the autistic community tell us?
• Tools & resources to support adoptive parents navigating placement transitions, contact, and explaining the past

Learning 0utcomes

• Overview of autism, neurodiversity, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Overview of autism, trauma & attachment
• Tools & resources which professionals can use to get to know the autistic child/young person and identify what might help

About the trainer

Dr Helen Rodwell

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.

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

Our work with children from the care system and their new families inevitably means we are working at times with high levels of trauma, and just by being human our bodies and nervous systems are going to be impacted by this.

“The trainer was very knowledgeable and the break out rooms were good“– Attendee, June 2024

This expert-led training recognises the need for us, as helping professionals, to both heighten our awareness of the impact of stress on our bodies and find ways of looking after ourselves and resourcing our nervous systems. Understanding the impact of trauma only goes some way towards helping us make sense of our stress levels. What is needed when supporting ourselves to manage is for our bodies to be listened to. It is the body, as Van der Kolk says, that ultimately ‘keeps the score’.

“Relevant and interesting!” – Attendee, June 2024

The body needs attention and this workshop will focus on helping the children, young people and adults learn to care for themselves, find ways to resource themselves and manage their stress responses. The workshop offers a combination of research information and psycho-education as well as practical strategies to look after ourselves.

“It was extremely interesting and relatable in both a personal and professional capacity. Good use of diagrams and exercises to bring the subjects to life.” – Attendee, June 2024

Learning Outcomes

• To think about trauma and how it is rooted in our bodies and nervous systems
• To help participants detect when there is nervous system activation/stress for children, young people and adults
• To help participants put in place ways to support children, young people and adults calm their nervous systems and stress response
• To think overall about the value of a body-based approach

About the trainer

Jay Vaughan

Jay, M.A., is a Somatic Experience Practitioner. Jay is also a state registered Dramatherapist, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and certified Theraplay therapist and supervisor as well as a Theraplay trainer. Jay is the Clinical Director at Family Futures CIC. Jay has been working with traumatised children since qualifying as a Dramatherapist in 1989, and passionately believes in the use of arts, play and body-based approaches in helping traumatised children and their families heal.

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.

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 and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

As adoption practitioners we know that there’s no such thing as adoption without trauma. Our training and practice encourages us to continually reflect on the trauma of the adopted child and how best to respond to the resulting emotional, behavioural and relational difficulties they experience.

But what if the trauma belongs to the parent?  And what if that trauma is not vicarious or secondary in nature but instead comes directly from the challenges of parenting their child?  Is there an alternative to child-centred practice that allow us to equally recognise the needs of adopters and, if so, might this actually produce better results for the child long term?

In this training course, Adopter and Psychotherapist Fi Newood shares her experience of the false allegations, violence, coercive-control, verbal abuse, adoption disruption, professional judgement and more, that led to both trauma in the moment and PTSD years later.  She asks whether we can hold empathy for the child whilst also recognising the experience of the parent?

Throughout the course, participants will be encouraged to ‘sit with the uncomfortable’ that we might learn to offer a deeper level of support and connection to adopters.

This course will be challenging as we explore the thoughts and feeling that many adopters find hard to express to the professionals supporting them.

Learning outcomes

• To reflect on the difficult experiences that impact some adopters when caring for their children.
• To recognise the difference between what may be hard for an adopter and what may be traumatic.
• To learn how to respond to adopters ‘in the moment’ in ways that feel supportive for them.
• To consider the long-term impact for adopters and support that may be helpful.
• To hear an honest, first-hand experience of an adopter and have the opportunity to ask questions

About the trainer

Fi Newood

Fi Newood has spent more than 20 years working with care experienced young people.  In 2008 she and her wife fostered a sibling group of three who they later adopted in 2015. Fi now works as an Integrative Psychotherapist specialising in support for foster and adoptive families. She is the creator of the 3B’s Therapeutic Model (Belong, Believe, Behave) and an author of 2 books for parents and 4 therapeutic stories for children.

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.

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

Throughout this session, expert trainer Hedwig Verhagen will delve into strategies for understanding and addressing the unique needs of adopters who have experienced trauma firsthand. You will gain valuable insights into trauma-responsive approaches, fostering a deeper understanding of trauma’s impact on the adoption journey.

Key topics to be covered include:

• Recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma in adopters
• Implementing trauma-informed practices within adoption agencies and support networks
• Building resilient and supportive environments for adopters and their families
• Navigating challenges and promoting healing in the adoption process

These learning outcomes will be achieved through a combination of theoretical input, small group discussions and reflection on a case study.

Learning 0utcomes

• Considering the benefits of trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practice in adoption service
• Exploring models of trauma-informed practice
• Exploring attachment patterns and the potential impact of traumatic experiences on attachment behaviours
•  Planning next steps in the process of increasing trauma-responsiveness for practitioners, teams and the organisation

About the trainer

Hedwig Verhagen is an independent therapeutic social worker and a social work lecturer at the University of Leeds. She has an MSc in Therapeutic Interventions for Psychological Trauma. She has worked in adoption and special guardianship support services for many years and was part of the small team that set up the Centre for Adoption Support in Warrington. Hedwig has a special interest in attachment, sensory processing and body-focused approaches to working with trauma.

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.

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

Supporting adopted children and young people facing trauma, attachment disruption, and neurodiversity, including conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASC) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), requires a multifaceted approach rooted in understanding, empathy, and specialized care. Recognising the unique challenges these individuals encounter, adoptive parents and professionals must provide a nurturing environment that prioritizes stability, consistency, and therapeutic interventions tailored to their specific needs.

I absolutely loved this training! I think anyone who interacts with young people in their work in any way should complete this training. I learned various new skills to use in my interactions with young people. It has changed the way I think and communicate. Thank you so much. Denise and Zach are excellent at what they do.”– Attendee, 2023

This training course focuses on an attachment, ‘love-based’ approach which is based on techniques and strategies from The Great Behaviour Breakdown; The trainers incorporate their ideas and strategies developed from living and working with children with additional needs, as well as drawing on DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)/PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance. Curiosity, Empathy, and theraplay) techniques.

I have found this one of the most beneficial training I  have attended. I will definitely be able to use the strategies within my work. the instructors are very knowledgeable, there is a good pace to the training,  with good examples given. I have already started to recommend this course to my colleagues.” – Attendee, 2023

This training focuses on the particular difficulties faced by children and young people in managing stress and provides a to help parents, carers and professionals manage their children’s behaviours and support their regulatory development.

You will learn practical strategies and be provided with a TOOLBOX of techniques to support parents.

Learning 0utcomes

• Core messages for Parents and Professionals
• Incorporating the Stress Model: Regulation vs Dysregulation
• Transforming the Drama Triangle into a Winners Triangle
• Techniques to deal with Transitions
• Managing Defiance and Physical and Verbal Aggression

About the trainers

Denise Golding is a senior social work practitioner and counsellor. She has 30+ years’ experience of working with children and families, including the past 25+ years working in adoption. She has worked in Child Mental Health and in Statutory as well as Independent and Voluntary Agencies. Denise now works independently as a trainer and counsellor.

Zach Gomm is a foster carer and adopter; he has fostered many children over the past years and is an adoptive father to his son who he has parented using The Great Behaviour Breakdown techniques with amazing results for the past years. Zach now works as a trainer and online coach offering parenting support.

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.

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

Our work with children from the care system and their new families inevitably means we are working at times with high levels of trauma, and just by being human our bodies and nervous systems are going to be impacted by this.

“I really enjoyed all of the session – the activities were really thought provoking. The group members contributions were interesting to listen to. It was a honest without judgement discussion that made me feel positive – that there are things that we can do to balance this.”– Attendee, April 2021

This expert-led training recognises the need for us, as helping professionals, to both heighten our awareness of the impact of stress on our bodies and find ways of looking after ourselves and resourcing our nervous systems. Understanding the impact of trauma only goes some way towards helping us make sense of our stress levels. What is needed when supporting ourselves to manage is for our bodies to be listened to. It is the body, as Van der Kolk says, that ultimately ‘keeps the score’.

“Really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. It has helped me to finally remember the difference between SNS and PNS – previously I had to always look it up to check!” – Attendee, April 2022

The body needs attention and this workshop will focus on helping the children, young people and adults learn to care for themselves, find ways to resource themselves and manage their stress responses. The workshop offers a combination of research information and psycho-education as well as practical strategies to look after ourselves.

“It was extremely interesting and relatable in both a personal and professional capacity. Good use of diagrams and exercises to bring the subjects to life.” – Attendee, June 2023

Learning Outcomes

• To think about trauma and how it is rooted in our bodies and nervous systems
• To help participants detect when there is nervous system activation/stress for children, young people and adults
• To help participants put in place ways to support children, young people and adults calm their nervous systems and stress response
• To think overall about the value of a body-based approach

About the trainer

Jay Vaughan

Jay, M.A., is a Somatic Experience Practitioner. Jay is also a state registered Dramatherapist, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and certified Theraplay therapist and supervisor as well as a Theraplay trainer. Jay is the Clinical Director at Family Futures CIC. Jay has been working with traumatised children since qualifying as a Dramatherapist in 1989, and passionately believes in the use of arts, play and body-based approaches in helping traumatised children and their families heal.

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.

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

Sensory processing refers to the neurological process of how the brain receives, organises, and helps us respond to the world we live in. It is fundamental to how we survive and thrive in the world. Developmental trauma refers to adverse experiences that can interfere with healthy development, including that of the sensory systems. These experiences can disrupt the development of the nervous system, leading to sensory processing difficulties.

In this expert-led training session, together with occupational therapists from the Centre for Adoption Support, we will explore how adopted children may have experienced developmental trauma and how this can impact their sensory modulation. Using a bottom-up approach, we will consider how to best help adoptive parents to support their child’s sensory development.

“It was extremely informative and the presenters had a great deal of knowledge and experience in this area” – Attendee, 2023

You will have an opportunity to learn what Centre of Adoption Support are doing in terms of specific aspects of this work, whilst at the same time having the opportunity to deepen your understanding of sensory modulation, sensorimotor development and sensory-attachment approaches.

“There was a wealth of information that was shared along with examples which was really helpful to put it into context” – Attendee, 2023

You will be able to network with practitioners from other agencies, share best practice and glean new ideas.

Learning outcomes

• Explore the importance of Sensory Modulation: a bottom-up approach
• Understand what sensory processing challenges may look like for our adopted children
• Learn about strategies that may be useful in supporting general nervous system regulation
• Consider the possible impacts of pre-natal experiences upon the developing sensorimotor systems of the child
• Explore approaches to develop under-mature sensory systems, including sensorimotor development and sensory-attachment-intervention approaches

About the trainers

This training will be co-delivered by Helen Springfellow, Aeron Gates and Hannah McNulty, Occupational Therapists at the Centre for Adoption Support (CfAS). Gleaning upon both professional and personal experience in the world of sensory processing and adoption, they support families with adopted children, and other professionals involved in their lives, to understand the impacts of sensory modulation upon children’s regulation and daily functioning. The team have developed bespoke packages of support for families; focusing on sensory modulation, sensorimotor development (using the BUSS Model, Sarah Lloyd) and Sensory Attachment Intervention (SAI) approaches.

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.

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

Together with Joanna Parker, a Child & Family Therapist at PAC-UK, we developed a practice webinar on therapeutic toolkits for adoption practitioners, so they can feel confident about providing good quality support to adoptive families. We will be looking at the multidisciplinary aspect of the this work, the need for a range of therapies, bolstered by some clinician lead training/group therapy and the challenges of Adoption Support Fund.

“The whole session was really creative and tapped into somethings that often get lost in the stress of day to day work” – Attendee, 2022

This webinar aims to introduce participants to a range of therapeutic tools, as a way of connecting to children and young people that they are working with. This will include use of the arts and play, as a form of communication, to help with both the expression and containment of a range of feelings and life events. This is not training participants to be psychotherapists, it is a snapshot of how to enhance engagement with children and young people who are facing difficulties.

“It was a very informative webinar, a lot of useful resources were shared and Jo the facilitator gave lots of examples/ideas/instructions on how to use the resources.” – Attendee, 2022

We will also discuss how we can best meet the changing needs of adoptive families. You will be able to network with practitioners from other agencies, share best practice and glean new ideas.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the basic principles of Trauma-informed practice working with families
• Clear understanding between the difference of therapy and communication using therapeutic tools
• Understanding the importance of developmental age – pitching to the right level
• Introduction to use of the arts as a form of communication, expression and containment.
• Have some practical tools for Improving interactions with families.
• Awareness of the limitations of their specific roles and when to refer

About the trainer

Joanna Parker is a UKCP registered Integrative Arts Psychotherapist MA and clinical supervisor (Dip) with over 20 years of working in a range of settings with children, young people, adults and families. Joanna currently works at PAC-UK with adoptive families, and she has a particular interest in attachment and the power of creative process. Alongside this role, Joanna works for Young Minds as a Professional Adviser to parents, is a member of the Child Therapeutic Wellbeing Practice Faculty at the Institute of Arts in Therapy and Education where she is a tutor and she is the co-founder of Studio 34, from which she runs a private practice. Prior to this, Joanna managed Young Oasis for 10 years in Brighton, a multi-disciplinary therapeutic service, which supports children and families impacted by substance misuse.

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.

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

Our work with children from the care system and their new families inevitably means we are working at times with high levels of trauma, and just by being human our bodies and nervous systems are going to be impacted by this.

“I really enjoyed all of the session – the activities were really thought provoking. The group members contributions were interesting to listen to. It was a honest without judgement discussion that made me feel positive – that there are things that we can do to balance this.”– Attendee, April 2021

This expert-led training recognises the need for us, as helping professionals, to both heighten our awareness of the impact of stress on our bodies and find ways of looking after ourselves and resourcing our nervous systems. Understanding the impact of trauma only goes some way towards helping us make sense of our stress levels. What is needed when supporting ourselves to manage is for our bodies to be listened to. It is the body, as Van der Kolk says, that ultimately ‘keeps the score’.

“Really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. It has helped me to finally remember the difference between SNS and PNS – previously I had to always look it up to check!” – Attendee, April 2022

The body needs attention and this workshop will focus on helping the children, young people and adults learn to care for themselves, find ways to resource themselves and manage their stress responses. The workshop offers a combination of research information and psycho-education as well as practical strategies to look after ourselves.

Learning Outcomes

• To think about trauma and how it is rooted in our bodies and nervous systems
• To help participants detect when there is nervous system activation/stress for children, young people and adults
• To help participants put in place ways to support children, young people and adults calm their nervous systems and stress response
• To think overall about the value of a body based approach

About the trainer

Jay Vaughan

Jay, M.A., is a Somatic Experience Practitioner. Jay is also a state registered Dramatherapist, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and certified Theraplay therapist and supervisor as well as a Theraplay trainer. Jay is the Clinical Director at Family Futures CIC. Jay has been working with traumatised children since qualifying as a Dramatherapist in 1989, and passionately believes in the use of arts, play and body-based approaches in helping traumatised children and their families heal.

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.