What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing Oprah Winfrey (Author, Narrator), Dr Bruce Perry (Author, Narrator), Bluebird (Publisher) Expand Through wide-ranging, and often deeply personal conversation, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Perry explore how what happens to us in early childhood – both good and bad - influences the people we become. They challenge us to shift from focusing on, “What’s wrong with you?” or “Why are you behaving that way?,” to asking, “What happened to you?” This simple change in perspective can open up a new and hopeful understanding for millions about why we do the things we do, why we are the way we are, providing a road map for repairing relationships, overcoming what seems insurmountable, and ultimately living better and more fulfilling lives. Many of us experience adversity and trauma during childhood that has lasting impact on our physical and emotional health. And as we’re beginning to understand, we are more sensitive to developmental trauma as children than we are as adults. ‘What happened to us’ in childhood is a powerful predictor of our risk for physical and mental health problems down the road, and offers scientific insights in to the patterns of behaviors so many struggle to understand. A survivor of multiple childhood challenges herself, Oprah Winfrey shares portions of her own harrowing experiences because she understands the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma at a young age. Throughout her career, Oprah has teamed up with Dr. Bruce Perry, one of the world’s leading experts on childhood trauma. He has treated thousands of children, youth, and adults and has been called on for decades to support individuals and communities following high-profile traumatic events. Now, Oprah joins forces with Dr. Perry to marry the power of storytelling with the science and clinical experience to better understand and overcome the effects of trauma. In conversation throughout the audiobook, the two focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves in the context of personal experiences. They remove blame and self-shaming, and open up a space for healing and understanding. It’s a subtle but profound shift in our approach to trauma, and it’s one that allows us to understand our pasts in order to clear a path to our future - opening the door to resilience and healing in a proven, powerful way. Grounded in the latest brain science and brought to life through compelling narratives, this audiobook shines a light on a much-needed path to recovery – showing us our incredible capacity to transform after adversity. Number Available: 1 Borrow this item
Somebody's Daughter - a moving journey of discovery, recovery and adoption Author: Zara Phillips Expand Zara H. Phillips seemed to live a charmed life - backing singer to the stars with an incredible career here and across the Atlantic - but her smile masked a difficult childhood and the reality that she was adopted as a baby in the 60s. Her life soon spiralled and as a teenager she suffered from drug and alcohol addiction, as she struggled to find her birth parents and her true identity.Somebody's Daughter is a fascinating and revealing account of how a beautiful woman's life has been dominated by her adoption and how it has affected her and those around her. Hard-hitting and emotional, Zara's memoir explores the needs of adopted children, with her characteristic warmth and wit, and the true journey it takes to find where you belong. Number Available: 3 Borrow this item
Finding Tipperary Mary Author: Phyllis Whitsell Expand Phyllis Whitsell began the search for her birth mother as a young woman, and although it was many years before she finally met her, their lives had crossed on the journey without their knowledge. When they both eventually sat down together, the circumstances were extraordinary, moving and ultimately life-changing. This is a daughter's personal account of the remarkable relationship that grew from abandonment into love, understanding and selfless care. 'I lit the candle and prayed for my birth mother, asking God to take care of her. Even at such a young age, I found it difficult to understand, but I always feared that she was in danger and needed my prayers. 'It was the only thing at the time that I could do for her. I feared that she might be coming to some harm and that she was not happy, but I was helpless and had nobody to talk to about my feelings.' Number Available: 2 Borrow this item
5. Education training for schools and parents in Wales Expand AUK Cymru training for schools or LAs to commission Our current courses available for schools / LAs to commission. Click here to register and learn more Supporting care experienced learners: Taking a trauma informed approach to behaviour Funded by Welsh Government, Adoption UK (AUK) Cymru are delighted to offer free online training to Early Years, Primary and Secondary schools and settings. In the three-hour session, explore why adopted and care experienced learners may have challenges in regulating their behaviour and learn about strategies to support them effectively and compassionately. Click here to register and learn more
Wellbeing Expand Managing Stress Digital Stress and Anxiety Grounding Technique Pomodoro Technique Sleep
Everyday life Expand Everyday Life Social Skills Money and Benefits FASD Eats Grow Your Own Way FASD Guide to Budgeting FASD Budget Planner
Education and Employment Expand Education and Employment Transitions Support in Employment FASD Study Guide Spaced Practice Technique FASD Skills Passport
Justin North Trustee Expand How did you become involved with adoption and Adoption UK? I am an adult adopted person raised in a family of four children where three of us were adopted, each of us being brought into the family at birth. I have an interest in supporting the emotional wellbeing of adopted adults as they move through the various stages of their own lives and begin to build their own relationships and families – from navigating identity formation, to dealing with familial dynamics inherent in adoption journeys. I am passionate about advocating for policy enhancement that promotes adoptees' rights to personal health data, while also providing adults subjected to forced adoptions (and their immediate family members or descendants) with the appropriate support. Any specific skills or areas of expertise relevant to the work of Adoption UK? I work closely with the leadership teams of large international corporate entities on operational strategy and process efficiency, and I have a keen interest in change management and behavioural science and the application of these areas in commercial contexts. I currently sit on the Advisory Board for BARBRI Global as the company seeks to promote greater social mobility within the legal profession. My role is to help open doors, create partnerships, and connect the company with key corporate stakeholders. I have also held roles on the advisory boards of Maanch - the first global impact platform to facilitate funding to worthy projects using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - and The Legal Forecast - a not-for-profit peer to peer organisation run by early-career professionals who are passionate about disruptive thinking and access to justice. I love making connections and aim to do so many, many times as part of my role with Adoption UK. How do you want to see Adoption UK develop over the next five years? Over the coming five years, I hope to see Adoption UK provide a dedicated support service for not just adopted children, but for adopted adults as well so that this community can receive support for the unique challenges that they face at various stages of their lives. By identifying, studying and acknowledging the needs to adult adoptees throughout every age and stage of their lives, Adoption UK can provide support across all elements of the adoption lifecycle and proactively provide assistance and support. I would also like to see Adoption UK build and maintain closer ties to the business community through corporate partnerships and collaborations, fostering mutual support and leveraging resources for greater societal impact.
Ans Aspden Trustee Expand How did you become involved with adoption and Adoption UK? My involvement is personal. As an adopted adult, my life-journey has shaped who I am today – I was cared for by foster parents at birth before being adopted by my loving family as a young baby in 1971. In my early 30s, after a decade-long search, I reunited with both birth parents, a chance encounter with a taxi driver playing a crucial role. Inspired and supported by After Adoption during my search, I volunteered with Adoption UK Cymru for many years. As an ambassador, I ran peer support groups for adopted adults and spoke publicly at AUK events in order to help raise awareness of the complexities surrounding adoption. Now, as a Trustee of Adoption UK, I'm proud to work with a dynamic team, leveraging my background to support others on their adoption journeys and help to shape the organization's strategic direction as well as advocating initiatives that raise awareness of adoption. Any specific skills or areas of expertise relevant to the work of Adoption UK? I'm the CEO of a bespoke IT Consultancy which is first and foremost, a People-centered business. I am responsible for setting our strategic direction steeped in tech innovation whilst keeping our company values and culture true as we scale. I believe passionately in a Partnership ethos and thrive on working with inspiring people to innovate and enable meaningful difference. Coupled with my professional expertise, this is one area which I'm particularly looking forward to working with Adoption UK by having new conversations, building new partnerships and helping to open new doors. Thinking of 'Together We're Family' - I'm married to Dave, am a Mam to 5 grown-up children and a Mam Mam to 4 - almost 6 - grandchildren. My family are my world and together, we continually adapt to the joys of modern day parenting (ah the joys of social media, both a blessing and a curse). Every day is most certainly a learning day! How do you want to see Adoption UK develop over the next five years? By 2029, I’d hope to see Adoption UK expanding support services tailored to the diverse needs of those touched by adoption. For adult adoptees in particular, this could take shape as a new support system focusing on themes like identity, reuniting and searching - which will be informed by research from the AUK Adoption Barometer. With my digital creative hat on, AI and new technology will be embraced by Adoption UK, where we can leverage the power of data-driven insights to begin the revolution of how adoption support services are delivered which will enhance the quality, accessibility and efficiency of these services. On a wider note, I'd envision that businesses will be actively playing a significant role in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for those touched by adoption. Initiatives such as Employer's Toolkits will have been continually improved and rolled out across the UK.
Venue and getting there Expand The conference is taking place at the Greyfriars Charteris Centre, 138/140 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9RR The venue is easily accessible by public transport or by foot from Waverley Train Station. There is pay and display parking nearby. Further information on how to reach the venue can be found via the Greyfriars Charteris Centre website.
The workshops Expand FASD & Sleep with Sleep Action Struggling with Sleep? Join Sleep Action for their workshop "Build your own sleep plan" - A practical workshop looking at sleep, with information, tips and practical ideas to create a tailored and effective sleep strategy for your child. FASD in Education with Paula Gilhooley, Education Advisor, Adoption UK Join Paula Gilhooley, Adoption UK’s Education Advisor for a workshop on FASD in Education, and tips on how to seek support for your child. FASD & Trauma with Dr. Lorraine Lockhart, Psychology and Therapy Hub (PATH), Adoption UK We’ve all heard of trauma, but what does it mean and how does it relate to our children and young peoples’ experiences of FASD? This workshop will be led by Dr Lorriane Lockhart, Clinical Psychologist in the PATH Team at Adoption UK. Sensory Issues with Psychology and Therapy Hub (PATH), Adoption UK Struggling with sensory overload? Join Adoption UK’s Occupational Therapists who will be sharing insights and strategies into how to support our children and young people. FASD: The Teenage Years with FASD Hub Scotland, Adoption UK The dreaded teens – or does it have to be? Join FASD Hub Scotland as they unpack some of the common challenges of adolescence through the FASD lens. Upskilling the workforce in FASD Diagnosis: What do you want professionals to know? This interactive workshop will allow delegates to hear about how services are developing nationally to improve access to neurodevelopmental assessments for those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. This session will offer an overview of the diagnostic process for FASD and the approaches being employed to upskill professionals across health, education and social care in FASD. This session hopes to hear from experts through experience about what you feel is important for inclusion in the training that professionals receive. This session will be facilitated by the Fetal Alcohol Advisory, Support and Training Team (FAASTT) based at the University of Edinburgh who have the remit of developing and delivering training and to undertake consultation and research in FASD in Scotland.
The speakers and panelists Expand Professor Moira PlantConference Chair Based in Edinburgh, Moira Plant is Emeritus Professor of Alcohol Studies at the University of West of England in Bristol UK and Adjunct Professor at Curtin University Perth Australia. Her main interests include women, alcohol and mental health, drinking in pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. She has published on these and related subjects in peer reviewed journals and books. Moira has worked as a researcher in the field of FASD for over 40 years. She has acted as consultant to the World Health Organisation, the UK and other governments, the Centre for Addiction Research & Education Scotland (CARES), the US Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD) and is a member of the steering group of the Scottish Heath Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP). Moira is a psychotherapist and trains and supervises counsellors. Moira also Chairs the Scottish FASD Strategy Group and contributes in many ways to the FASD community in Scotland. Professor Raja MukherjeeKeynote Speaker/Panelist Professor Raja Mukherjee is an Adult Learning Disability Consultant Psychiatrist for Surrey and Border’s Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, with interest in the management of developmental disorders across the lifespan. In September 2009 he started the first NHS based specialist Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders behavioural clinic and since then has seen over 250 cases for specialist second opinion as a National referral service. Professor Mukherjee completed his PhD on the subject of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in 2014. He has also acted as an invited advisor to the BMA board of science, The Department of Health, and the World Health Organisation on the subject of FASD. In 2015, Professor Mukherjee also gave evidence to the first All Party Parliamentary Group on FASD at the House of Commons. He has continued to support national clinical developments related to FASD. Professor Mukherjee is a member of the NICE quality standards group for FASD. He is currently the only UK representative to a US, NIH sponsored initiative to consider the research criteria for FASD. In his own time, he volunteers as a medical advisor to various FASD charities both in the UK and internationally. In 2021 he was made an Honorary Professor at the University of Salford related to his work on FASD. Dr David Junior GilbertKeynote Speaker/Panelist Dr David Junior Gilbert (AFHEA) is an interdisciplinary researcher and University Fellow in the School of Health and Society. Gilbert (as he prefers to be called) is a member of the academic network of Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS), Society for Evidence Based policing, Neurodivergence in the Criminal Justice Network, and SalfordFASD research group. Gilbert is passionate about increasing the knowledge, understanding and awareness surrounding the vulnerabilities of individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) to, and within criminal justice system (CJS) encounters. Gilbert’s research is focused on investigating the vulnerabilities of individuals with FASD to, and within the justice system. Some of the vulnerabilities Gilbert will research include impulsivity, suggestibility, executive/adaptive functioning, trauma, compliance, and confabulation in the FASD population. For his fellowship, Gilbert is currently working to investigate these vulnerabilities further, within the UK and internationally I six countries – Australia, Canada, US, UK, New Zealand, and Ireland. Miranda EodanablePanelist Miranda Eodanable is an educational psychologist (EP) for City of Edinburgh local authority, a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, a qualified EMDR therapist and Partner Tutor to the MSc Educational Psychology course at the University of Dundee. She has just finished a secondment to CAMHS NHS Lothian as the EP for the neurodevelopmental assessment pathway. Within the local authority, she is now working on the Edinburgh Neurodiversity and Disability Hub. Her PhD research in FASD explores the FASD diagnosis with young people, health and education professionals (@FASDPhDresearch). Dr Patricia Jackson OBE, FRCPCH Panelist Dr Jackson graduated from Edinburgh University Medical School and specialised in neuro-developmental paediatrics. Her previous role in NHS Lothian was the development and organisation of Learning Disability Services for children and young people. She co-chaired the SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network) 156 Group that, in 2019, published the first UK Clinical Guideline for Children and Young people exposed prenatally to alcohol. In her teaching and research roles her interest is in improving services for children and young people with additional support needs especially those with FASD, and this links well with her interest in Sleep issues in Children and Young People. She is involved in awareness raising about FASD as a lifelong condition through teaching, the development of e-Learning programs for Scottish Government, and online courses for paediatricians through the RCPCH, and educational events for GPs and other health colleagues. She links with colleagues in other statutory and third sector services to seek to improve services and resources for those with FASD and their families. She is a member of the steering group for the Healthier Pregnancies/ Better Lives Coalition, a Trustee of National FASD UK, and a member of the Scottish FASD Strategy Group. Emily FrithPanelist Emily has been CEO of Adoption UK since 2022. Emily’s previous roles include leading on policy and advocacy for the Children’s Commissioner; Special Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister on health and welfare; heading up a national commission on children’s mental health at the Education Policy Institute, and leadership of External Affairs at Turning Point, the health and social care charity. She was a member of the Oversight Board for NHS England’s taskforce for improving children’s inpatient mental health care. She played a leading role in putting children at the top of the political agenda in decisions relating to the impact of the pandemic and led a campaign which directly led to the investment of £600m in mental health care. Carol HunterPanelist Carol joined Adoption UK as Community Engagement Lead for our #EProject, engaging with children and young people as part of Adoption UK’s commitment to The Promise. As a person with FASD, she also holds the role of lead in FASD Hub Scotland’s work with Adults and Young People. Carol is an adoptee and also works within the college sector as a full time guidance adviser. She has recently completed her MA Crime and Justice, alongside volunteering with Children’s Hearings Scotland as a panel member within Fife and is a Mum to three young boys.
Conference programme Expand Registration will be from 9.15am, with the programme commencing at 10.00am. Tea and coffee will be available on arrival. The conference will close at 3.45pm, however FASD Hub and Adoption UK team members will be available until 4.15pm and attendees are welcome to take the opportunity to talk to a member of the team if they wish to do so. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. Download full programme
Making Sense of Relationships Expand This resource is to use with your child when they are finding it difficult to manage a relationship with a particular person in their lives (sibling, friend, person in their class, etc). Perhaps they try to play together but it always ends in an argument. Or perhaps they are very different and find it difficult to participate in activities that they will both enjoy. Maybe they regulate in different ways and have different sensory preferences. The resource can help you identify likes, dislikes, needs and preferences. Download Making Sense of Relationships
What Matters To Me Expand Thinking about ourselves - who we are, what we like, what we want and what we need - is vital for developing a positive sense of self and maintaining good mental health. Although this resource can be used at any time, it would be particularly useful to help prepare for times of change (e.g. moving school) or when going through a emotionally challenging time (e.g. if experiencing anxiety). Download What Matters To Me
Good Day / Bad Day Expand This resource can be used either to increase self-awareness and be kept just for you and your child to refer back to, or it can be given to family members, teachers, etc. so they can have a better understanding of your child’ s needs. Download the Good Day/ Bad Day exercise
Masking Excercise Expand Masking is a very misunderstood phenomenon, but it can be described as a strategy, consciously or unconsciously, to appear neurotypical in order to blend in and be more accepted in society. This exercise is meant for children and young people so they can discover that they can express their needs and feelings and others won ’t leave or hurt them. Download the Masking Exercise
The Chuck it Bucket Expand Ever heard of the ‘Chuck it Bucket’? This is a useful, fun way of identifying if thoughts, feelings, tasks, beliefs, worries, etc. should be given our time, energy and attention - and what can be thrown away or ‘ chucked’! Download the Chuck it Bucket