Adoption UK Annual Conference 2022

Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne LLP is a niche family practice established in 2018 by Emily Boardman, Ruth Hawkins and Irena Osborne.

The firm offers legal advice, representation and mediators who are practising solicitors. We also have therapists who work with our clients to support them through whatever family issue brings them to the firm.

The partners and consultants all have established reputations for particular specialisms and many of them appear in both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500. The firm has twice been shortlisted for ‘Family Law Firm of the Year – South’ at the Family Law Awards.

Emily Boardman is a trustee of Adoption UK and specialises, with other members of the team, in adoption law. She advises adoption and fostering agencies as well as individuals. The team have assisted prospective adopters faced with applications by the birth family; helped to secure adoption orders and financial support for families within adoption applications; and secured the return of children removed from long term carers inappropriately (foster carers, adopters and special guardians). They have also written articles for Adoption Today.

Our ethos is based in a strong commitment to support individuals in some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives: disputes over children; involvement with social services; domestic abuse; divorce and separation. 

CHROMA was founded in 2013 by a passionate and experienced group of therapists who continue to lead and manage the organisation. CHROMA works with adoptive children and their families, adults and children with brain injuries, local authorities, NHS and private healthcare settings and case managers and their associated legal teams. Working in collaborative partnership with our clients, colleagues, commissioners and communities, we won an Advancing Healthcare Award in 2017, and have continued to gain awards and commendations ever since. With an experienced team of more than 80 art psychotherapists, drama therapists and music therapists across the UK CHROMA offers high-quality therapy services and provides a range of management information to managers and budget-holders. https://wearechroma.com/ 

We are one of the leading publishers in the areas of adoption and fostering, trauma, attachment and parenting. You might also know us for our books on autism, social work, mental health, special education and gender diversity. We are a proud partner of Adoption UK and offer a discount to all their members! Browse our books for professionals, adults and children here: https://uk.jkp.com/

The launch of Adoption West represents an exciting new chapter in how adoption services are provided. Local Authorities in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire have joined together to provide a dedicated adoption service, for the children in these areas awaiting adoptive families.

The aim of this collaboration between authorities is to deliver an adoption service that offers improved outcomes for both children and those who want to adopt. Working together as part of a larger region will help recruit new families more effectively, enable children to move into their permanent homes faster and will improve adoption support services as well as allowing us to share best practice and make our services even better.

As a recently established Adoption Agency, the team at Adoption West are very proud that the recent (January 2022) Ofsted Inspection found them to provide effective services that meet the requirements for good. https://adoptionwest.co.uk/ 

Beacon Family Services helps children and their parents, carers and teachers develop and build strong connections and healthy relationships using play-based therapies and training so that they can feel safe and secure.  Established in 2018, Beacon Family Services is a not-for-profit, therapeutic family support agency based in the West Midlands.  We believe every child has a right to grow up in a stable, nurturing family environment and that children’s self-esteem, sense of belonging, ability to trust and care for self and others is enhanced by supporting their positive social engagement with their family and community.   Many adoptive parents are providing this across the UK and like Adoption UK offering practical support is at the heart of what we do.  

Emma Spillane provides practical training and consultancy to support schools with managing the transition to becoming a trauma-informed setting. Emma also works with parents/carers who are facing challenges with obtaining the right support for their child at school.