The adoption support team comprises the skills and expertise to enable assessment, individual therapies, and one-to-one direct work with children, teenagers and parents. Listening to the experiences of parents and children can help to ‘signpost’ to other joint-agency specialists and influence collaborative working.

The team’s range of skills enables shared insights into current difficulties/concerns. Each child’s history and experiences are considered and analysed over how this may have influenced social and emotional functioning. This can include an evaluation of the relationship between a child and their parent/s to support the building of attachments. For example, by offering ‘Theraplay’ sessions, a dynamic and playful intervention, attachment experiences and security can be improved.

We are continually planning the delivery of relevant group-based sessions and workshops based on what we hear from parents and their families.

To ensure there is access across our geographical area ‘clinics’ are available in Dorset, Cornwall and North Devon on a regular basis.

We offer a ‘Working with Schools’ initiative. This collaboration recognises the additional support needs of adopted children and young people throughout their formal education.