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

This bespoke evidence seminar delivered by Dr Morvwen Duncan will explore how adoption practitioners can provide comprehensive and well-informed mental health support for adopted teenagers and help adoptive parents do the same.

We will discuss the unique challenges faced by adopted teenagers, emphasizing the crucial aspect of identity formation during adolescence. Our agenda includes insightful sessions on the prevalence of mental health difficulties, risk factors analysis, and practical applications of renowned models like Kim Golding’s Pyramid of Needs and Bronfrenbrenner’s framework. Develop skills in the identification and onward referral treatment of adopted teenagers based on NICE guidelines, with hands-on case studies for practical application.

You will have an opportunity to engage in enriching discussions, hands-on case studies, and smaller group tasks to refine your skills in the identification and onward referral treatment of adopted teenagers based on NICE guidelines, with hands-on case studies for practical application. You will be equipped with practical tools to support adopted parents, navigate identity issues, and implement effective strategies.

By the end of this webinar, you will have acquired a well-rounded skill set, enabling you to navigate the complexities of supporting the mental health of adopted teenagers with confidence and effectiveness.

Learning outcomes

• Gain insights into the distinctive challenges faced by adopted teenagers, fostering a deeper understanding of their mental health needs
• Explore the intricacies of identity formation during adolescence
• Apply theoretical knowledge on the prevalence of mental health difficulties including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and conduct disorder
• Develop skills in the identification and onward referral treatment
• Acquire strategies to support adopted parents
• Develop a toolkit for addressing self-harm concerns and implement ACT/CBT strategies to provide comprehensive support for mental health challenges
• Embrace a holistic approach to mental health support, integrating theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and empathetic strategies to make a positive impact on the well-being of adopted teenagers

About the trainer

Dr Morvwen Duncan

Dr Morvwen Duncan is a HCPC (The Health and Care Professions Council) registered Clinical Psychologist and the founder & director of The Lotus Psychology Practice. She currently works across private practice, as an Expert Witness to the Family Courts and within the NHS as the Lead in a Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team.

Dr Duncan is experienced in working with children and young people of all ages, including children with complex needs due to neurodevelopmental co-morbidities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Dr Duncan has particular expertise in working with looked after and adopted children, having worked within the Tavistock Fostering and Adoption Team and at Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Attachment and Trauma Team.

Dr Duncan is also actively involved in research, having spoken at international conferences with several academic publications across a range of areas of mental health.

Instructions

A member of staff will be in touch with attendees one week before 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 evidence seminar is an introduction to the UEA model for supporting children’s moves to adoption and will be delivered by the Moving to Adoption team at the University of East Anglia. The UEA model was developed in the Centre for Research on Children and Families, University of East Anglia, UK. The research and development team were Elsbeth Neil, Mary Beek and Gillian Schofield.

“I liked hearing of the experiences and how the model is being used within other agencies and the successes of this. It gave me lots to think about particularly stage 1 and 3 of the model and how we can develop this better within our agency.” – Attendee, 2023

The UEA model aims to address concerns that when children move to an adoptive family, their feelings of loss and separation can be overlooked. This is especially so when moves happen over a short time period and when contact with foster carers is abruptly cut off. The model is underpinned by a framework for providing therapeutic caregiving in foster care and adoption, the Secure Base model.

“I thought the trainer delivered the course brilliantly. She had a lot of knowledge and experience too.” – Attendee, 2023

The UEA model is not prescriptive about timescales or the details of planning for the move. Rather, it suggests some ‘key principles’ that should be held in mind and applied flexibly according to individual needs and the particular circumstances of each move.  Each move should place the child’s emotional needs at the centre, while also supporting the foster carers and the adopters.

Together we will explore the model outlining three key stages of the child’s move to adoption, as follows:

• Stage 1: Getting to know each other
• Stage 2: Making the move
• Stage 3: Supporting relationships after the move

Learning 0utcomes

• The theory and research behind the UEA model
• Exploring and learning about each of the three stages, illustrated by case examples
• The benefits and challenges of using the model will be highlighted, looking specifically at how to apply and support the UEA Moving to Adoption model within the VAA sector
• Opportunities for reflection and discussion
• Practical takeaways and training materials

About the trainer

Anne Murphy

Anne is a Postgraduate Researcher in the School of Social Work at the University of East Anglia. She was part of the Moving to Adoption project team during the implementation period and is a co-author on their guidance for applying the model during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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, and other professionals working with children and families.

Details

This engaging evidence seminar delves into the unique experiences and expressions of identity among adopted children and young people, especially those from minoritized ethnic and religious backgrounds. Researchers at Coventry University have undertaken a recent study aimed at making a meaningful impact in the lives and care of children and young people with care experiences.

The focus of their research centers on understanding identity narratives, exploring the complex intersections of ethnicity, religion, identity, and care. The goal is to establish a new paradigm that informs both theoretical and practical approaches to working with children in care.

By participating in this workshop, adoption practitioners can expect to deepen their understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of adopted children’s identities. They will gain insights into the innovative ‘in-flux identity’ framework, informed by concepts like “Intersectionality” and “Lived Religion.”

Practitioners will develop a nuanced understanding of how identity narratives intersect with ethnicity, religion, and the experience of care. The workshop aims to equip practitioners with practical knowledge on utilizing the ‘Identity see-saw’ as a tool to comprehend the fluidity of identities over time and the pivotal role of individual agency in shaping identity.

Participants will also explore the broader social contexts that influence identity, encompassing the beliefs, values, and identities of the adults responsible for the care and decision-making of adopted children.

Ultimately, practitioners will leave with valuable insights and perspectives to inform their adoption practices, ensuring a more holistic and responsive approach to the unique needs of adopted children.

Learning outcomes

• Recognising the different aspects/layers to a child or young person’s identity
• Understanding identities as changing and evolving
• Confidence in allowing children and young people to lead during conversations about their identities

About the trainer

Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor

Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor is a Feminist Sociologist of Religion. She is Assistant Professor and Research Group Lead for Faith and Peaceful Relations at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University, UK. She chairs the Muslims in Britain Research Network (MBRN). Her publications include Muslim Women in Britain: Demystifying the Muslimah (Routledge 2012), Religion or Belief, Discrimination and Equality: Britain in Global Contexts (Bloomsbury 2013) and Islam on Campus: Contested Identities and the Cultures of Higher Education (OUP 2020). She led the first research exploration of the experiences of children of Muslim-heritage in the care system in Britain. She is proud adoptive mother to two children.

Kusha Anand

Kusha Anand is Research Fellow and Co-Investigator, currently contributing her expertise to two pivotal research projects at the esteemed Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations, located at Coventry University, UK. As a seasoned political sociologist, Kusha’s scholarly pursuits revolve around the nuanced intersections of identity, citizenship, and education. Drawing upon a rich decade of immersive fieldwork experience, Kusha specialises in collaborative and interdisciplinary research initiatives, with a primary focus on ethnic minoritised groups, refugees, and migrants within the UK context. Her commitment extends beyond academic curiosity, delving into a genuine passion for amplifying the voices of individuals from ethnic minoritised groups in the UK.

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

This evidence seminar will explore how family time (or ‘contact’) is managed and experienced during an early permanence placement. It will consider the perspectives of birth parents, early permanence carers and practitioners including the family time Supervisor, Adoption Social Worker and Children’s Social Worker, as well as the experience of infants.

The seminar will primarily draw on up-to-date research findings from Ruth Copson’s PhD study, and will consider the following:

• Family time arrangements – parents’ and carers’ experiences and how best to manage practical arrangements
• How infants respond to contact (with the focus of the study being on infants 12 months and under)
• The purpose of family time – how different people involved in contact have different objectives and views on the process
• How parents and carers navigate their parental identity during the EP process
• How relationships develop between parents and carers, and the challenges and benefits of these relationships
• The role of the Family Time Worker
• Building on the foundation of Family Time in EP for more meaningful post-adoption connections

“Hearing about the research was really useful. It unpacked how Family Time is for all participants and gave examples of ways it can be made more manageable for all concerned” – Attendee, 2023

Ruth will be joined by experienced concurrency contact supervisor Caroline Cronshaw from Caritas Care, who will share hints and tips on supporting and managing family time from a practice perspective.

You will have the opportunity to have discussions regarding your own practice with colleagues, and reflect on good practice examples as well as think about how to manage challenges related to supporting family time in EP placements.

“It certainly stretched my thinking about Family Time – particularly the different agendas those involved may have that aren’t always articulated.” – Attendee, 2023

Learning outcomes

• Consider and understand the unique challenges and benefits that are present in family time in EP
• Understand the different purposes and meanings that parents, carers and practitioners ascribe to family time
• Understand what support parents, carers and infants may need in relation to family time in EP
• Understand links between family time in EP and post-adoption keeping in touch arrangements
• Have the opportunity for reflection and discussion with colleagues from different agencies

About the trainer

Ruth Copson

Ruth Copson is a doctoral researcher at the University of East Anglia. Her PhD research explores how Family Time in Early Permanence placements is managed and experienced by parents, carers, infants and practitioners. Ruth is an experienced adoption social worker and has previously taken a lead role in managing Early Permanence placements for a local authority. She is also currently working as a Senior Research Associate at UEA on an evaluation of Early Permanence projects, undertaken in support of the National Adoption Strategy.

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 evidence seminar is an introduction to the UEA model for supporting children’s moves to adoption and will be delivered by the Moving to Adoption team at the University of East Anglia. The UEA model was developed in the Centre for Research on Children and Families, University of East Anglia, UK. The research and development team were Elsbeth Neil, Mary Beek and Gillian Schofield.

The UEA model aims to address concerns that when children move to an adoptive family, their feelings of loss and separation can be overlooked. This is especially so when moves happen over a short time period and when contact with foster carers is abruptly cut off. The model is underpinned by a framework for providing therapeutic caregiving in foster care and adoption, the Secure Base model.

The UEA model is not prescriptive about timescales or the details of planning for the move. Rather, it suggests some ‘key principles’ that should be held in mind and applied flexibly according to individual needs and the particular circumstances of each move.  Each move should place the child’s emotional needs at the centre, while also supporting the foster carers and the adopters.

Together we will explore the model outlining three key stages of the child’s move to adoption, as follows:

• Stage 1: Getting to know each other
• Stage 2: Making the move
• Stage 3: Supporting relationships after the move

Learning 0utcomes

• The theory and research behind the UEA model
• Exploring and learning about each of the three stages, illustrated by case examples
• The benefits and challenges of using the model will be highlighted, looking specifically at how to apply and support the UEA Moving to Adoption model within the VAA sector
• Opportunities for reflection and discussion
• Practical takeaways and training materials

About the trainer

Anne Murphy

Anne is a Postgraduate Researcher in the School of Social Work at the University of East Anglia. She was part of the Moving to Adoption project team during the implementation period and is a co-author on their guidance for applying the model during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 timely evidence seminar will explore the latest research from the Bright Spots Programme (Shirley Lewis, Julie Selwyn and Linda Briheim-Crookall) on looked after children and young people’s feelings about contact and spending time with their biological family’s.

Linda Briheim-Crookall, Head of Policy and practice development at Coram Voice will share findings from the Staying Connected report by Coram Voice and the Rees Centre at the University of Oxford.

Linda Briheim-Crookall, Head of Policy and Practice Development at Coram Voice, said: “The recent Care Review suggested the primary objective of the care system should be promoting the formation of lifelong loving relationships around children in care and care leavers. This can only be achieved if more is done to build rather than break relationships with the people who are already important to children in care. Our research showed that there is still some way to go to make this happen.”

The report draws on the views of over 7,000 children in care about staying connected with family and the people that is important to them. This report was published in 2022. As part of the session, we will discuss the direct relationship between well-being and staying connected with family for adopted children, explore children and young people’s views and experiences and hear their experiences in their own words.

Together with senior practitioners at Coram Ambitious for Adoption, we will aim to bring the report to adoption practice. We will identify key themes and we will reflect on this important topic and what the findings mean to adoption professionals in their practice as well as within the service at large.

Learning 0utcomes

• An understanding on the views of children in care to maintain relationships with their birth relatives
• Professional reflections on current practice
• How the lived experience can inform and improve adoption practice
• In-dept discussion with the leading researchers

About the trainers

Linda Briheim-Crookall and Sarah Taylor

Linda manages the Policy and Practice Development team at Coram Voice. Linda leads on the programmes that make care better by listening to, and directly involving, care experienced children and young people. Coram Voice’s projects include Bright Spots, New Belongings, Voices, A National Voice as well as peer research. Linda says that the best thing about her role is helping others to see children in care and care leavers as experts in their own experience who make care better when they are given a voice and opportunities to inform it.

Sarah has been a Social worker of 30 years and currently works in the Slough Post Adoption Team.  It is through this role that Sarah has become involved in supporting adopters and birth family members to keep in touch via the letterbox exchange.   Sarah has been involved in facilitating indirect and direct contact including reviewing and updating contact arrangements so that they reflect the changing needs of the children as they develop. Sarah welcomes the influence this research will have on current practice.  Sarah would like to see evidence of the conversations that have taken place and explanations for decisions made. Sarah is passionate about  the changes that can be made to practice and welcomes the opportunity to share ideas with all involved.

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 evidence-based seminar will explore best practice in matching children with their adoptive families.

We will consider the research that exists on the process of matching in adoption and how effective this is for children and their families. Recognising that there is a lack of recent research in this area, we will reflect on why this may be and use the day to explore areas that are under-researched, particularly given the implementation of Regional Adoption Agencies and the impact this has had on the adoption landscape.

From the adopter’s perspective, we will discuss how their matching criteria is assessed. We will highlight the effectiveness of appropriate social worker challenge in encouraging prospective adopters to widen their matching criteria where appropriate.  Specific tools that can be used to explore matching criteria will be discussed.

We will highlight the use of adopter profile videos and how these can be an effective family-finding tool in allowing prospective adopters to showcase their strengths. An example video will be shown to portray how these relatively simple videos can help adopters be noticed in what can be a competitive family-finding field.

We are hoping to have a family-finding social worker attend the seminar as a guest speaker to share what they are looking for in prospective adopters, how they shortlist families and how they decide which family’s to progress to a social work visit to.

From the child’s perspective, we will introduce the FLAG tool which is part of the One Adoption Child Focussed Family Building and Birth Parent project. This matching tool supports children’s social workers and family finding social workers to find the right adopters for their children. It involves supporting birth family members as part of the family finding activities, to include them in the process. Whilst there are challenges with this and it will not be possible for every child, the involvement of birth family members fits with the modern adoption agenda and creates unique opportunities for long-lasting relationships to form between adoptive parents and birth family members.

Finally, the signs of safety mapping tool will be showcased that Yorkshire Adoption Agency use once a link is agreed to evidence the strengths and vulnerabilities of the match. This becomes the adoption support plan which is used as evidence to support the link at matching panel and reviewed to monitor the progress of the child/ren’s placement.

Learning 0utcomes

• To understand what research tells us about best practice in matching, whilst identifying areas for future research on this topic to further inform effective matching.
• To recognise the value of adopter profile videos in family finding and have a basic understanding of how to support adopters to create these.
• To consider matching from the child’s perspective and how family finding social workers make difficult decisions about which families to choose for children.
• To be introduced to the FLAG tool and how this is used as part of the One Adoption Child Focussed Family Building and Birth Parent project and to reflect on the value of including birth family in family finding.
• To recognise the value of using a signs of safety approach to map out links as a way to evidence the strength of a match and create an effective support tool for families

About the trainer

Sarah Clarke

Sarah is the Team Manager for Training & Adoption Support at the Yorkshire Adoption Agency. She qualified as a Social Worker in 2013 at Manchester Metropolitan University, obtaining an MA in Social Work. Sarah is registered with Social Work England. She has previously worked across two Local Authorities in the fields of Child Protection, Fostering and Adoption. After initially being employed as an Adoption Social Worker at Yorkshire Adoption Agency, she has now been with the team since July 2020 and as a Team Manager since October 2022.

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 and Local Authorities) and Independent Professionals.

Details

Early life adversity can have profound and long-term consequences for neurodevelopment. There is considerable evidence that exposure to early life stress, such as neglect and maltreatment, can result in alterations to pertinent neurobiological systems associated with cognitive dysfunction and increase vulnerability to mental health problems. Most children adopted from the public care system in the UK are removed from their birth family following experiences of abuse or neglect.

“The depth of research provided that in turn inform practice was really excellent. Professor Shelton and Dr Paine were able to translate their findings into context that will really help shape and inform how we can effectively deliver services in the future” Attendee, 2022

As an intervention, adoption drastically alters a child’s circumstances in a way which may compensate for adversity experienced in early life. However, adoptees remain more likely to experience emotional and behavioural problems that endure into later life. Adopted children are also overrepresented within clinical settings and lag their classmates academically. The Wales Adoption Cohort Study (2015-2020) had the overarching aim of increasing understanding of the factors that supported successful outcomes for Welsh children adopted from care.

“Gave information about research which was new to me. A lot to consider in terms of developing or changing practice. Posed some hard questions around what the future of adoption should look like in relation to contact, given significance of social media in our lives. Allowed time to discuss with colleagues, share experiences which is always useful, and hear different perspectives..” Attendee, 2022

This evidence seminar will:

• profile the neuropsychological and mental health of Welsh children adopted from care in 2015 and consider the impact of family relationship quality on later psychological health and
• examine post adoption sibling relationships including consideration of children placed together and apart
• apply what we have learned from the Cohort Study to the policy and practice of adoption support, with specific reference to the NAS all Wales adoption support plan

Learning outcomes

• An understanding of the mental health and neuropsychological profile of children adopted from care
• An understanding of the experiences of family life in the 5 years after adoption, including relationship quality and changes in employment pattern
• A sense of how children’s mental health is associated with family functioning
• Insight into the development and preparation of the good practice guide for adoption support: the purpose and value to the sector of an agreed format covering all aspects of adoption support

About the trainers

Professor Katherine Shelton

Professor Katherine is a developmental psychologist with 20 years experience of research and teaching in the field of family functioning and child development. Her research is focused on identifying and understanding the psychological and social needs of vulnerable children and young people. Over the past 5 years, she has led an inter-disciplinary, longitudinal study investigating the experiences and early support needs of adoptive families and their children.

Dr Amy Paine

Dr Amy is an early career researcher who works at the intersection of developmental, social, and cognitive psychology, and uses observation, neurocognitive assessments, and longitudinal methods to study child development. She is particularly interested children’s interactions with family members and friends in relation to their social and cognitive skills and mental health.

Sarah Coldrick

Sarah is the legal consultant with AFA Cymru and has over thirty years’ experience in all aspects of childcare law. She and her colleague, Helen Hawksworth, were commissioned by the National Adoption Service for Wales to create four good practice guides for adoption, including the guide on adoption support. Sarah is an adoptive parent, 20 years into family life with three sisters.

Wendy Keidan

Wendy is the CEO of St. David’s Children Society which also encompasses AFA Cymru. She has 36 years’ experience in all aspects of permanency planning for children with specific emphasis on the needs of children and young people growing up in an adoptive family. She has particular interest in how we can most effectively support children and their parents in the early years and as those needs evolve and change over time. St. David’s Children Society is a partner in the National Adoption Service and celebrated 80 years of delivering adoption services in 2022.

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

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, Managers, Social Workers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies and Local Authorities), Children’s Social Workers, Support Workers and Independent Professionals.

Details

This evidence seminar draws on findings from new research on fathers and recurrent care proceedings, carried out by Dr Georgia Philip as part of a research team from the University of East Anglia and Lancaster University. Together with Debra Brady, a senior adoption practitioner at Adopt Thames Valley, we will also explore practice issues when working with birth fathers and consider what best practice could look like when supporting them.

“I thought it was very thought provoking training and helped me to think about my own practice and how I work with birth fathers.” – Attendee, September 2021

The seminar will involve sharing and discussing evidence on the scale and pattern of birth fathers’ involvement in care proceedings, and important insights about the life histories of fathers who experience child removal. It will also present key messages for developing gender sensitive practice to get alongside birth fathers and fully explore how they may be supported to retain a stake in fatherhood which benefits children.

“I enjoyed the course and would recommend to colleagues.” – Attendee, September 2021

Learning outcomes

• to gain an appreciation of the bigger picture of birth fathers’ involvement in first and subsequent care proceedings
• to gain an appreciation of the early life histories and cumulative vulnerabilities of birth fathers who have experienced child removal
• to consider the opportunities and priorities for developing practice to support birth fathers

About the trainers

Dr Georgia Philip is a Lecturer in Social Work, in the School of Social Work at the University of East Anglia, and her role involves both teaching and research. She joined the School as a postdoctoral researcher in November 2011, after completing her PhD on fathering after separation. She subsequently worked on a study on decision making for children in care and since 2014 worked as a lead researcher on two Nuffield funded projects – the first on men’s experiences of the child protection system (Counting Fathers In) and the second on the scale, pattern and dynamics of fathers in recurrent care proceedings (Up Against It). Georgia is currently working on an evaluation of the Caring Dads programme in Blackburn with Darwen, and on developing training and support for working with fathers who experienced repeat care proceedings.

Debra Brady has been working in social care for 47 years starting in 1975. Debra has worked in residential care with adolescents  in Buckinghamshire and for the London Borough Of Islington. She qualified in 1989 and moved to become a field social worker in Bucks initially in child protection and then in all other areas of children`s services. Debra has worked in Adoption since 1994 and from 2001 became a post Adoption worker and then in 2012 moved to her current post in Oxfordshire as a Birth relative support worker and letterbox co-ordinator. Debra has also been lucky enough to have a placement with PAC and complete their therapeutic counselling course. Debra has also been a member of Adoption panels.

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, Managers (Voluntary Adoption Agencies, Regional Adoption Agencies and Local Authorities) and Independent Professionals.

Details

What is known about children who are placed with parents who do not reflect their racial or ethnic heritage?  How do they fare long term?

What can social workers help parents do to manage their child’s needs in a way that promotes their heritage and their esteem and how can they ensure that the social work assessment is robust?

The ethnic identity development plays a crucial role in adolescence and emerging adulthood and may be more complex for adoptees who do not share their ethnic identity with their adoptive families. Together with Professor Rosa Rosnati we will explore the findings of her latest research study on Ethnic Identity, Bicultural Identity Integration, and Psychological Well-Being Among Transracial Adoptees. 

We will share some of the main findings stemming from the international empirical studies on these topics and we will outline some guidelines form parents and for social workers and psychologists working in the field of adoption.

We will then bring it all together in the practice part of this evidence seminar which will be facilitated by Jan Way MBE, social worker and adoptive parent. IAC- The Centre for Adoption has a long history of assessing applicants where there is a transethnic/transracial component. This part of the seminar will draw upon their experience, alongside research and input from an adoptee and an adoptive parent who have direct experience of transracial adoption.

About the trainers

Professor Rosa Rosnati, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of Social Psychology in the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences; a member of the executive board of the Family Studies and Research University Center; the Director of the biennial Master Course on Adoption and Foster Care in partnership with Istituto degli Innocenti in Florence; a member of the National Observatory on Childhood and Adolescence, 2020-22 (appointed by Minister of Family); and the ICAR7 Chair. Her prevalent research interests mainly explore family relationships; in particular, she has paid great attention to adoptive families with internationally adopted children with a specific focus on ethnic identity, Bicultural Identity Integration, discrimination by peers and intergroup and intragroup contact in adoptive families. On these topics she has authored and co-authored papers in peer reviewed indexed scientific journals and books.

Jan Way MBE has been a social worker since 1975, working in a range of settings including hospitals, local authorities, and adoption agencies. For the last 30 years she has worked in the adoption field, specialising in intercountry adoption, and working as a senior executive for a national adoption agency and charity. In 2019 she was awarded an MBE for her work in intercountry adoption. She now acts as a practice advisor and research lead for the agency. Jan is also an adopted person and an adoptive mother, having adopted a daughter from South America. In addition to her daughter, who is now 33, she has two grown up birth daughters.

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.

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