Post Approval Training

Before you adopt, you will also need to prepare for the unique challenges of parenting an adopted child.

Post Approval Training

We provide a variety of training and workshops designed to ensure that our adopters have the best help and information.

Adopt Birmingham works with a number of experienced adoptive parents who co-facilitate the majority of the training. The stories they share bring to life the reality of what it means to parent through adoption, such as managing contact with first families/significant others, navigating the school system, connecting with your children during times of stress and ways to talk to your children about their adoption story.

Preparation Training

As a first-time prospective adopter, you will join a preparation group to help you consider how adopting a child or sibling group will change your family.

The Preparation Training will help you to:

Understand the backgrounds of children who need adoptive families
Understand how early childhood experiences can impact adopted children
Identify how your existing skills and experience will help you parent an adopted child
Identify skills to develop
Give you the opportunity to meet other people who are also on their adoption journey
Introduce you to the parenting models to help children recover from trauma

The training consists of three full day sessions delivered by an adoption social worker and an approved adoptive parent. The sessions take place on a monthly basis over either three consecutive Fridays or three consecutive Mondays. You will also complete eLearning modules over the three weeks.

Siblings Created through Adoption

This workshop is specifically targeted at prospective adopters who have birth children or second time adopters.

This workshop explores:

Transferrable skills and experiences
Additional elements to consider when parenting through adoption
Expectations of your existing children and preparing for adjustment challenges
Resources to assist the preparation and understanding of your existing children
The importance of your support network
Support available

Siblings Created through Adoption is a 2.5 hour online workshop, which is co-delivered by an adoption social worker and an adoptive parent.

The Power of Play

This two-part workshop has been developed by an adopter and early years practitioner together with the Adopt Birmingham Adoption Training Officer. It is held at our Aston office and is aimed towards adopters with children between the ages of 2-7 years old who would like to learn more about the Power of Play.

Session one will explore:

The importance of being aware of our stress responses and what’s happening on a physiological level when we are tipped out of our own window of tolerance.
The importance of noticing what’s happening within our body when children are communicating through their behaviour.
The benefits of the Playfulness part of P.A.C.E (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) for building and maintaining connections.
Theraplay® dimensions and strategies.

Session two you will:

Be introduced to typical sensory development.
Explore underdeveloped sensory systems in children with developmental trauma and how this may manifest.
Begin to explore simple sensory play activities and how these can help in all areas of development.

If you are interested in attending The Power of Play workshop, please email Adoption Training.

"Excellent course, which should be recommended to attend every couple of years as a refresher. Great pace, and everyone felt comfortable."

The Power of Play

Talking and Telling

Co-delivered by social workers, adoptive parents and an adult adoptee, this training session is aimed at adopters who have had their children placed for at least two years or is aged over five years old. During the session we will explore feelings and anxieties regarding talking to your children about their life story.

We will also discuss in-depth how to talk to your children about different life story backgrounds including where birth parents have had difficulties such as mental health, substance misuse and domestic violence. We will also spend time thinking practically regarding how to have those conversations and how to support a child to learn about their life story using a variety of creative tools. The training is also an opportunity to learn from and support other adopters during group discussions.

If you are interested in attending Talking and Telling training, please email Adoption Training.

Foundation for Attachment

The Foundations for Attachment Therapeutic Parenting Programme is a six session programme for parents and carers of children who have relationship difficulties; especially children who have experienced attachment problems, trauma, loss and/or separation early in their life; or for parents who are having parenting challenges and who would benefit from help to emotionally connect with their children under the age of 11 years old.

If you are interested in attending Foundations for Attachment Programme, please email Adoption Training.

Child is getting a book read by adoptive parent

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