We understand that while adoption is rewarding, like any other parenting journey, it can also be challenging. Adoption@Heart Adoption Support team offers a range of support services to families throughout their adoption journey and beyond using a tiered approach, which has been designed to offer the right level of support at the time our families need it. Find out more...

Tier 1 - Information, guidance and peer support - universal services

Messages from research and feedback from adopters highlight the value and importance of a range of adoption support services which can be accessed easily throughout the adoption life cycle.

• Daily information Line. Whenever you feel like support is needed you can access our Information line by phone or email. We have a system operating from 1-4pm.
• From here we can listen to what is going on for you at the time and help you think about where you can draw support from, whether it be family & friends, peer support or community universal services including school, health, or early help services.
• We may also signpost you to access one of our peers or workers led support groups or workshops which will help meet your immediate need whilst connecting you to other adoptive families from who you can learn and draw support from.
• Feedback from families, is that often the best form of support is that which comes from others who have a shared lived experience of adoption. We are therefore committed to identifying opportunities for adoptive families to share and learn from each other.
• Monthly Adoption Support Group
• Access to a peer support group; Adopters@Heart
• Annual Family fun day

Tier 2 – Assessment of Adoption Therapeutic Support Needs

It may be that further discussion with an Adoption Support Social Worker may be helpful and if so, you will be invited to attend an Assessment of Need meeting. This will be an opportunity to discuss with a social worker the challenges you and your family are currently facing, to reflect on what may be going on for your child and why, and together consider the presenting adoption support needs and how best these needs can be met and by who. We will always look to identify the most sustainable and empowering support resources for your family and therefore adopt a graduated response to our support offer.

We may devise a plan of support that will include support from Tier 1 Universal Services. Alternatively, it may be identified that Tier 2 provision is required for a period to meet specific needs, whether this be a therapeutic intervention or on-going access to consultation with an adoption support social worker.

Tier 2 support can include the following workshops.

• Introduction to Theraplay
• Supporting families in telling about adoption
• Friends and Family training- Understanding adoption for the wider family
• Transracial training
• Referral to a short therapeutic course including Foundations for Attachment Parenting programme
• Consultation with our in-house Adoption Support Therapist

Tier 3

Following consultation and assessment (Tier 2), if more intense or targeted support is required for your family, a referral will be reviewed by a manager who will make the decision as to whether an adoption support social worker should be allocated to carry out a piece of work to support you and your family, which may include a referral to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.

We have an inhouse Senior Adoption Support Therapist that undertakes direct therapeutic intervention and in addition, we work closely with a range of therapy providers to enable access to therapeutic services.

Therapeutic interventions including:

• Therapeutic life story work
• Play therapy
• Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy DDP for adopters and children.
• Family Therapy
• Sensory integration

ASGSF intervention will be reviewed four monthly with the aim to empower you to end support after the period of intervention. Therapists will collaborate with you in tapering sessions to scaffold and support while being focused on ending and exiting intervention. We aim to avoid overreliance on therapists and whilst we recognise that during difficult times it can be an added support having an allocated social worker, our aim is always to empower families to be able to support themselves with the right knowledge, skills, and tools. We will therefore collaborate with you to support sustainable change for your family with the aim of stepping down to a lower Tier support when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Tier 4 – Social Care referral

Our team are here to assess and support your adoption support needs. If there are any identified social care needs or safeguarding concerns that develop, we will refer to the relevant social care team or local MASH (safeguarding team) in the Local Authority in which you live. We will continue to be available to support any adoption related needs and will provide advice and consultation to the Local Authority social care teams as required.