After Approval (once a child/ren joins your family)
Here you will find details about the workshops on offer after you have been approved as an adopter, a match has been identified and the child/ren joins your family. Access to some of these courses* are via the Adoption Support and Special Guardianship Fund and need to be discussed with your assigned social worker or the Adoption Support Team. To book a place on any of our unfunded workshops, please speak to your assigned social worker or contact us on AdoptionEvents@adoptioneastmidlands.nottscc.gov.uk for more information about availability and specific venue locations.
Welcome to AEM Adoption Support - Essential Learning
An opportunity to meet with staff from Adoption Support as well as other families from the region in a similar position. Support is available from our experienced team and this session will take you through what this could look like, when you may want to access it and how to stay in touch with us, so you know where to come when the need arises.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Tuesday 21 January 2025 | Virtually delivered via Microsoft Teams | All 11am-1pm |
| Thursday 24 April 2025 | ||
| Tuesday 8 July 2025 | ||
| Thursday 16 October 2025 |
Life Story Work - Essential Learning
This workshop will aim to support you with: ideas and tools to be able to talk to your child about their story; ways to communicate openly and honestly about your child’s history, taking into consideration their age and level of development; recognising how your own life experiences may affect you doing this work; feeling more confident in using the life story work material available to you, the timing of telling your child about their other family in a comfortable way; and meeting other adopters and talking to them about life story work.
| 2024 | Venue | Time |
| Thursday 23 January 2025 | In person (TBC) | All 9.30am-12.30pm |
| Thursday 3 April 2025 | ||
| Thursday 17 July 2025 | ||
| Thursday 9 October 2025 |
Theraplay® and Adoption - Highly recommended
Theraplay® promotes developing secure attachment and sensory and emotional regulation. It is based on natural patterns of healthy interaction between parent and child and uses emotional, attuned, interactive and structured play and activities.
There will be an opportunity to explore the origins of Theraplay, learn about the 4 key functions, try some activities as a group, and to consider the benefits of Theraplay for your family.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Tuesday 18 March 2025 | In person (TBC) | All 9.30am-12.30pm |
| Tuesday 22 July 2025 | ||
| Tuesday 18 November 2025 |
AEM Collaboration with CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service) - Highly recommended
AEM Adoption Support have joined up with Nottinghamshire CAMHS Children Looked After and Adoption Team to offer workshops aimed at supporting adoptive parents to revisit the impact of developmental trauma on their child and their emotional wellbeing. These workshops aim to support parents with thinking about their concerns in relation to their child’s current presentation using a trauma informed approach.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Workshop Two - Friday 21 March 2025 | In person (TBC) | Three sessions, for 3 hours each, 10am-1pm |
| Workshop Three - Friday 16 May 2025 | ||
| Workshop One - Friday 11 July 2025 | In person (TBC) | Three sessions, for 3 hours each, 10am-1pm |
| Workshop Two - Friday 19 September 2025 | ||
| Workshop Three - Friday 5 December 2025 |
Education workshops - Highly recommended
Our education workshops are tailored for adoptive parents to help support their child's educational needs. They are designed to create a collaborative space for adopters to receive important information relating to the educational needs of their children. Our aim for all participants is to leave our workshops feeling that they have acquired the skills and knowledge needed to support their children as they progress through their education journey.
| Building communication and relationships in school | ||
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Tuesday 21 January 2025 | Virtually delivered via Microsoft Teams | All 9.30am-1pm |
| Tuesday 29 April 2025 | ||
| Introduction to SEND | ||
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Wednesday 22 January 2025 | Virtually delivered via Microsoft Teams | All 9.30am-12pm |
| Wednesday 30 April 2025 | ||
| Transitions in primary school | ||
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Monday 3 February 2025 | Virtually delivered via Microsoft Teams | All 9.30am-12pm |
| Monday 12 May 2025 | ||
| Transitions in secondary school | ||
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Wednesday 5 February 2025 | Virtually delivered via Microsoft Teams | All 9.30am-12pm |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 | ||
***The following courses will require an application to the Adoption Support and Special Guardianship Fund to fund attendance***
Making Connections - Highly recommended
Weekly therapeutic sessions designed to support you grow in connection, and relationship to your child/ren with a focus on developmental trauma and how to support your child through relational healing. It is open to all adoptive parents whatever age and stage of your child/ren. This will be done through connections: with your child’s world; to therapeutic parenting in practical ways; to yourself and your own needs as a parent; and building community with other parents who have a shared understanding.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Starting on Thursday 30 January 2025 (for 7 weeks) | Microsoft Teams/in person TBC | Seven sessions of 3 hours each. Four online(9.30am) and three in person (10am) |
| Starting on Tuesday 29 April 2025 (for 7 weeks) | ||
| Starting on Thursday 5 June 2025 (for 7 weeks) | ||
| Starting on Tuesday 23 September 2025 (for 7 weeks) |
Theraplay® Course - Highly recommended
Theraplay® is an attachment based intervention and is relational in nature. It supports children and parents to develop a deeper connection and attachment through play. It can promote a healthy sense of self for young people and allows children and young people to explore their emotions in a safe and contained enviroment.
This course will be a five day interactive course which will be led by a Theraplay® practitioner. This will focus on the four essential qualities found in healthy parent-child relationships. These include structure, engagement, nurture and challenge.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Starting on Friday 7 February 2025 (for 5 weeks) | In person TBC | Five sessions of 4 hours each, 11am-2pm |
| Starting on Friday 6 June 2025 (for 5 weeks) | ||
| Starting on Friday 26 September 2025 (for 5 weeks) |
Rollers & Shakers Sensory Movement Group - Highly recommended
This group is an inclusive and supportive group where you can share, learn and support others but most importantly have fun with your little one! It is a five week programme giving a chance to learn about soothing/regulating your child, your child's sensory systems, sensory play and the importance of early motor development.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| Starting on Monday 13 January 2025 (for 5 weeks) | In person TBC | Five mornings or afternoons of 1.5 hours each |
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention - Highly recommended
The TCI training program for families is a 4-day modular parenting programme designed by Cornell University. It gives parents the practical skills, knowledge, and techniques to enable them to support their child with their emotional and behavioural development using a therapeutic parenting approach.
| Dates (*subject to change) | Venue | Time |
| TBC | Online, delivered via Zoom | Four days of 5 hours each plus one day (5 hours) follow up session |