Fostering and adoption

 

Most of the information on this website will be relevant to any child but the resources below are specific for children in care or who are fostered or adopted and for their parents and carers.

 

Best websites

  • Becoming a foster parent and Adoption UK Gov advice on adoption and fostering in the UK

  • Fostering Network Offers advice, training, online forums, and helplines for foster parents and campaigns for better policies and support for carers.

  • CoramBAAF Provides practical guides, publications, and training for prospective and current adoptive parents.Leading adoption and fostering charity in the UK.

  • Thinking about adoption? Topics include ‘who can adopt?’, ‘support for adopters’ and ‘the adoption process (UK)
  • Become A website for young people in care or care leavers with a helpline.(UK)

  • AdoptUSKids Helps connect prospective parents with children in foster care. and offers advice for navigating foster-to-adopt processes, parenting older children, and trauma-informed care, so useful even if you are not in the US.

  • The National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) Advocacy, training, and support for foster parents in the USA.

For parents and carers

 

  • Advice for parents who are fostering or adopting (including “How to tell your child they are adopted”)
  • Thinking Allowed. This website is Bristol-based, but some of their resources on coping with e.g.attachement difficulties or challenging behaviour, are accessible to anyone.
  • The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting: Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish “Succinct, practical often humorous and jargon-free books to help foster parents, adopters and any other parent caring for a child who has suffered trauma’
  • First4adoption This website has lots of great information on both adoption and fostering, including a list of  helpful books for parents.There are also links to stories from families who have been through the adoption process.
  • Childhood trauma Beacon House have free training resources for people working with children who have suffered significant childhood trauma and some are useful for parents and carers too.

Books for children

Many of these books and comments are from an article in the Guardian (22 Oct 2015) where adopted children themselves selected their favourite books and others have been recommended by professionals.

  • William Wobbly and the very bad day, Charley Chatty and the Wiggly Worry Worm  (and other books) Sarah Naish has written a series of books aimed at children aged 3-10 years who are fostered or adopted and may be experiencing difficult feelings.
  • The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson. Told in Tracy’s own words, Jacqueline Wilson’s hugely popular series of books features a 10-year-old with a wild imagination and a short fuse who lives in a children’s home and would like a real home of her own. Touching and funny.
    “I like Tracy Beaker because she’s a naughty girl in care and she makes me laugh. She’s cheeky like me but when I’m angry I don’t go as far as she does! It’s nice to read about someone who is going through the same thing as me”  Phoebe, age10
  • Picnic in the Park by Joe Griffiths and Tony Pilgrim. It’s Jason’s birthday and he has lots of guests at his picnic in the park, from all different sorts of families.
    “I sometimes feel different to my friends, as they have a mum and dad, and brothers and sisters. This book shows how many different families there are, and all are happy, safe, and love each other, which is the most important thing. So now if anyone says something horrible to me, I tell him, I am happy with my family, then I run off and play.”  Oliver, age 10
  • A Nest for Merry: A fostering and adoption story by Eleanor de Bruin. A story for children who are leaving foster homes to be adopted recognising the fears and worries that might bring. Aimed at 5-11 yrs
  • The Teazles’ Baby Bunny by Susan Bagnall
    A picture book that tells the story of how the Teazle rabbits adopt a baby bunny and offers a gentle way to broach the topic of adoption with younger children.
    “I liked it when the Teazles danced around because they were happy that they were going to get their own boy or girl and I liked the picture of the birds playing music.” – Danny, 5
  • Nutmeg Gets Adopted by Judith Foxon
    The story of a small squirrel, Nutmeg, and his younger sister and brother who go through the process of separation, foster care and then going to live with a new, adopted family when their mother is unable to look after them and keep them safe.
    “ I liked this book because I could relate to it in a number of ways and I felt somebody else understood me even if it was just a squirrel in a book. All the issues they talked about in the book I pretty much experienced too, such as not having a safe home to live in and not enough food” Kelsey, 17
  • The Most Precious Present in the World by Becky Edwards
    Mia has different hair and eye colour from her mum and dad. Why? In a dialogue between a little girl and her adoptive mother, this simple, reassuring book explores some of the questions that adopted children ask.“When my mum chose me to be her little boy, I was happy, but I was scared too. My mum read this book to me when I was six, and we read it together, over and over. It helped me sleep. I liked it because it made me feel special and happy. – Oliver, 10
  • A Safe Place for Rufus by Jill Seeney
    Rufus the cat lives with a family who looks after him, feeds him his favourite foods and gives him lots of cuddles. He feels happy and safe, but he didn’t always feel this way. The family that Rufus used to live with were not kind to him at all. Thinking about his past makes him angry and sad and Rufus struggles to escape from his memories and find a safe place where he can just relax and be himself.

Specialised support and helplines UK