1. Choosing a school Expand Blog: Choosing Your Child’s School This article looks at some of the questions you might ask when looking at new schools for your adopted child. Read the blog
2. Adoption, Trauma, Attachment and Education Expand Video: Trauma in the School Setting Produced by Adoption UK Wales (but relevant across the UK) this five-minute video is about the importance of understanding adopted children and their needs in the education environment. The video was funded by the Welsh Government as part of an ongoing programme of work to raise the attainment of adopted children in school in Wales. (The video displays the old Adoption UK helpline number. For the new number, click here) Video: Trauma in the Classroom: Learning Lessons for Neglected and Abused Children Featuring author Louise Bomber as well as interviews with adopted young people and adoptive parents, this powerful five-minute video explores the difficulties that adopted children may encounter in an educational setting as a result of the separation, loss and trauma that they have experienced in their early lives. Blog: After-School Restraint Collapse If your child seems ‘fine’ all day in school but often melts down after the end of the school day, they may be experiencing ‘after-school restraint collapse’. This blog explains more about the phenomenon and offers some strategies and tips for supporting a smoother transition at the end of the day. Read the blog here
3. Flexi-schooling and home educating Expand Factsheet: Flexi-schooling Although relatively uncommon, flexi-schooling can be an effective alternative way to approach your child’s education. In this short guide we explore what flexi-schooling is and look at the legal position across the UK. Download factsheet Factsheet: Elective Home Education Home education is becoming an increasingly common choice among adoptive families. If you are looking for alternatives to school-based education, this short guide explains some things you will need to know before you embark on this family journey. Download factsheet
4. Supporting behaviour and learning Expand Resource: Pupil case studies These seven printable case studies feature common behavioural challenges faced by some adopted children. Each study describes the challenge, explores the reasons behind it and suggests a range of strategies for schools to try. Topics covered include executive function, toxic stress, hypervigilance and sensory processing. Download case studies The Story Tellers toolkit : Feelings are funny things This resource is written by Esther Thomas who is the lead director for Children Looked after in central self consortium (CSC) , Wales. In the introduction it states "The ‘Feelings are Funny Things’ Programme aims to contribute to learners’ emotional health and a positive attitude to learning through helping them understand more about their emotions, thoughts and beliefs and how these influence the choices they make" It includes stories or links to stories available on the internet with lesson plans linked to those stories as well as other resources to develop emotional literacy- something that is crucial for our vulnerable learners. Download Storytellers' toolkit - English Resource: Trauma-Proofing the Curriculum A handout exploring how common curriculum topics and activities can pose particular difficulties for children who have experienced trauma, and especially care-experienced children. Trauma-Proofing the Curriculum Handout Blog: Confiscation: the unintended consequences for care-experienced children This short article explores why confiscating items from children who are care-experienced can result in surprising and unintended consequences, and suggests alternatives. Read the blog Blog: The Consequences of Consequences These two articles featuring extracts from ‘The Trauma and Attachment Aware Classroom’ by Rebecca Brooks explain why systems of escalating consequences common in many schools so often fail to meet the mark for children with a history or trauma, neglect and loss.Read part 1Read part 2