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Direct Contact prep resources




I have mostly used online resources and remembered bits I've looked at previously, but will include other resources that I've been recommended in the below so that you can pull whatever is helpful for you! 
A lot of the first ones are aimed at social workers, but still have been really useful. Not least of all, because although this is something with a lot more push than it used to have, in my case, I've found they're no more resourced and haven't necessarily had a lot of focus (training) time for this. 

Online resources I've pulled from:
  1. Good practice guide - Contact-PG_E.pdf
  2. Staying Connected: the views of looked after children and young people on their contact arrangements - Coram Voice
  3. Supporting evidence-informed practice with children and families, young people and adults | Research in Practice
  4.  Contact: making good decisions for children in public law: Frontline Briefing (2024) | Research in Practice
  5. Staying in touch: Contact after adoption | Research in Practice
  6. Pause. (2021). Time to deliver: exploring birth families’ experiences of letterbox contact. Available at: https:// www.pause.org.uk/news/its-time-to-deliver-on-letterbox-contact  (accessed 15/04/24).
  7. Social work practice changes urged to promote direct contact between adopted children and birth families - Community Care-         
  8. Assessing and managing challenges and risks | Research in Practice
  9. Assessing-strengths-and-challenges-of-adopted-children-messages-from-research.pdf


AdoptionUK or community recommendations:

Contact after adoption | Resources for practitioners (rip.org.uk)


 
Books to help parents with life story:-
  • Life Story Books for Adopted Children – A family Friendly Approach – By Joy Rees
  • Life Story Work (BAAF Publication)- By Tony Ryan & Rodger Walker
  • Talking About Adoption To Your Adopted Child Marjorie Morrison


Books to read to young children They can help explain to a child why they were adopted and can help them make sense of it.
 
  • We belong together -Todd Parr
  • The Nutmeg series of books by Judith Foxon
  • Chester and Daisy Move on by Angela Lidster
  • The Blanket Bears by Samuel Langley Swain.

For in depth therapeutic help about life story work for when they're older, I've had recommendations of a practitioner who has undertaken training from Richard Rose or follows those principals. You would need to contact the Post Adoption Team for this.

  • Therapeutic Life Story Work | Child Centred Therapy

If you are a member of Adoption UK there are webinars on the website about contact and life story work. Below is one but there may be some others.
  • Adoption UK members webinar with Ruth Scotten: Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW) | Adoption UK Charity
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