Adopters Training Program

Our prospective adopters attend a three-day training course called REAL Therapeutic Parenting, which prepares them for adopting a child who has suffered trauma through possible neglect and/or abuse.

Day 1

Learning Objectives:

  • Background factors of children in need of an adoptive home.
  • Neglect and abuse, it’s impact on children and how to help them heal.
  • What is attachment and brain development really and what will it mean for my child?

We explore the impact of trauma not only in the context of social work theories such as attachment, but by encouraging our prospective adopters to draw on their own life experiences. This supports prospective adopters to empathise with their adopted child, to accept them as they are and to support the development of a loving bond.

Day 2

Learning Objectives:

  • Understanding the Adoption process.
  • Managing separation, loss, and transition.
  • Self-care.

 We focus on the need for prospective adopters to develop resilience themselves through self-care and the development of an informed support network. By understanding the complex processes of adoption and exploring how loss can shape identity, this helps prospective adopters reach acceptance and have curiosity around managing challenging situations.

Day 3

Learning Objectives:

  • What is therapeutic parenting is?
  • What can stop you from parenting therapeutically?
  • The importance of play.

 This encompasses not only our in-house approach but also explores the principles of Theraplay® and PACE. The course includes a ‘hands-on’ workshop, giving prospective adopters the opportunity to practice some of the skills they will need in parenting an adopted child.

We also offer basic and therapeutic training to our family’s support networks though our ‘Family & Friends’ offer. This enables them to understand and reinforce the parenting approach of the families they are supporting.

We are specialists in Inter-Country Adoption and provide a separate training course for these adopters, tailored to their needs.

Modular training workshops are offered for our prospective adopters, and include the following subjects to be attended prior to adoption panel:

  • Life Story Work
  • Contact & Working with Birth Parents
  • Child Development
  • Parenting children with additional needs
  • Parenting Teenagers
  • Parenting siblings
  • Adopting Children Aged 4+
  • Multi-Cultural Placements
  • Early Permanence Placements

Lifelong Learning at Yorkshire Adoption Agency

We recognise that the learning journey of an adopter does not stop after Panel. We continue to offer the above training course and modules to all of our adoptive parents, on a yearly rolling basis. Our training programme is continually evolving according to the needs of our families.

Further modules available include:

  • Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder & Substance Misuse
  • Supporting & Managing the Behaviour if your Child
  • Mental Health Awareness *New for 2022*
  • Baby & Child First Aid
  • Dogs Trust Family Workshop *New for 2022*
  • PREVENT – Reducing the risk of radicalisation and extremism in young people and vulnerable adults.

We pride ourselves on our honest and open approach about the needs of adopted children. We will endeavour to ensure that you are as prepared as possible prior to the placement of your child or children.

 Our holistic assessment process includes a commitment from you to completing not only the above offered modules but also completing an Independent Learning Portfolio. We will support you to go on a journey which will include learning in various forms, from reading, to podcasts and YouTube.