Due to the range of therapists available, and utilising their previous experience and knowledge we are able to offer a Specialist team to support adoptive families and Agencies (e.g. schools, voluntary agencies).

In keeping with our practice ethos we can offer:

1. Assessment

This can be as generic as wanting to know more about what issues a family or agency are facing, how the child’s early care history may be impacting on current presenting issues, or can focus on specific things like understanding more about a particular child’s attachment history and style, neurodevelopmental challenges and identifying appropriate therapeutic input.

2. Formulation

Following on from assessment we can offer to pull together a shared understanding of what is going on within a family in light of Attachment theory and neurodevelopmental difficulties as a way of all involved arriving at a collaborative understanding. This then forms the basis of a treatment plan.

3. Treatment

From the skill base, qualifications and experience of the team we can offer a range of options including:

Dyadic Developmental psychotherapy 

This is an evidence-based therapy that aims to strengthen the parent-child relationship through achieving a deeper understanding of each others thoughts, feelings and behaviours

Family work 

This can focus on a range of issues and utilises a range of methods that can address behavioural concerns, emotional issues, communication patterns and/or goal based outcomes

Consultation and/or Training 

Addressing the complex needs of adopted children can take a team at times. It is crucial that the support systems around each child are fully informed of the child’s particular issues and are working with the same understanding and thus a unified approach. We can offer this to whole schools, a team around a child or staff within support or placing agencies

Psychotherapy

At times it is important that each individual within the family has access to their own therapeutic space in which to be helped to make sense of their feelings and experiences. We can offer this for children as well as parents

Parenting groups. 

Some team members have run successful parenting groups aimed explicitly at adoptive parents in recognition of the particular challenges facing the parenting of adopted children. Based on the familiar structure of the ‘Incredible years’ programme, but with tried and tested alterations, additions and amendments (first researched by The Coram Foundation) this course can be available for up to 10 parents at a time