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
Hannah Merseyside coordinator Expand Hello! Our son came home in Summer 2020 and I decided to leave my role as a deputy headteacher in a primary school. Once we began to settle into our own family routines and our son started nursery, I began to seek how to meet other adopters that would ‘get it' and find a supportive community for us as parents and also for our son as an adopted person. So in May 2022, I became the community group coordinator for Merseyside and then later in June 2023 I offered to coordinate the monthly national virtual meet-ups for adoptive parents. So here I am the community coordinator organising events for members and their children who are living in and around the Merseyside area. As an adopter I had felt isolated at times before this and so it was a welcome surprise to find that there were so many adopters in my local area. There is even a family on my street! I have made some really special friendships of people who ‘get it’! But just as important, if not more so, is the opportunity this has provided for our son to meet other adoptees and to begin to build friendships with those with similar backgrounds and difficulties. I try to organise a family event and an adults event each month. We’ve had so much fun at the family events including horse rides at a public farm, bouncing through the morning at trampoline parks, SEN sessions at a soft play and park meet ups with ice cream! The adult meet ups are very chilled, just a wine or a soft drink, maybe something to eat and most importantly down time to chat, ask questions, seek support, have a moan or whatever you need with people that ‘get it’! I’d love for you to join us! There’s no expectation to come to every event or stay the whole time, just come and go when you can/need. So drop me an email if you have any questions about our events or to be put in touch with other adopters local to you! Merseyside meet-ups
Hannah Adoptive parents coordinator Expand Hello! Our son came home and I decided to leave my role as a deputy headteacher in a primary school. Once we began to settle into our own family routines and our son started nursery, I began to seek how to meet other adopters that would ‘get it' and find a supportive community for us as parents and also for our son as an adopted person. So in May 2022, I became the community group coordinator for Merseyside. As part of this I led monthly virtual meet-ups for the group, so when Adoption UK said they were looking for someone to lead the nationwide virtual community group meet-ups for adoptive parents – I was happy to increase our group remit. So here I am the coordinator for the monthly virtual meet-ups for adoptive parents. I have already met so many people who have brought so many different experiences, advice and support for any possible situation you can think of. My meet ups are an opportunity to come and ask questions, seek support, have a moan or just relax around people that ‘get’ it! I’d love for you to join me! There’s no expectation to log on every month or stay on for the whole hour, just come and go where you can/need. So do drop me an email if you have any questions about it. Adoptive parents meet-ups
Gary Adoptive parents of siblings coordinator Expand Hello I’m Gary, the coordinator of the Adoptive Parents of Siblings Virtual Community Group. My wife and I started our adoption journey when I was in my early 50’s. 18 months later our 2 adorable girls, siblings aged 2 & 6, came home to us. Our close family unit includes a much older birth son and grandchildren. Following a 30+ years Commercial Sales career I have become a full time Stay at Home Dad which is definitely my most challenging and most rewarding role to date. I have been an AUK volunteer since 2022 and enjoying supporting families with siblings who have experienced care. Throughout our adoption journey AUK have been extremely supportive, especially during Covid with advice, strategies and direction. We found that joining the various virtual groups and listening to other Adopters’ stories and experiences brought the theory from the books we read to life. Our Siblings Community Group is all about sharing, discussing the front of mind topics and learning from each other. We must remember that no two adoption journeys are the same. Occasionally we may just want to let off some steam. However, with the AUK groups we have a ‘safe to share’ environment, you will find all the group participants understand and may have that golden nugget of advice to share which helps build your strategy. We look forward to you joining us. Adoptive parents of siblings meet-ups
Now and Next Expand The resource can be a helpful tool if your child finds planning their day difficult. It includes a set of printable cards to use with the board with blank cards to create your own. Download Now and Next
Emotions Iceberg Expand Perhaps you’ve noticed a general change in your child’s behaviour lately. Or perhaps they’ve just had a huge ‘meltdown’ and you have a feeling there might be something else going on. At a time when you are both calm and regulated, this resource can be used to explore and reflect on what’s going on together. Download the Emotions Iceberg
Ange Staffordshire coordinator Expand Hi everyone, I’m Ange Sykes. I work part time for Adoption UK as a Communities and Engagement Officer and I also teach in a primary school two days a week. My husband and I began our adoption journey 10 years ago. We adopted our son just before his first birthday and then we went through Early Permanency a year later for our daughter. We enjoy family time and being outdoors best. I love helping and supporting others, so being a volunteer coordinator is great for me. I am quite new to the role, but I am already getting an enormous sense of satisfaction and enjoyment from it! I try to balance organising a range of meet ups for adopters and family meet ups. I get much pleasure from helping adoptive families to connect, get the support they need and begin new friendships. I believe connection and support is key within Adoption and I see much positivity in this. Life as an adoptive parent is super busy and unique, so I believe self-care is key to ensuring you don’t burn out or become isolated. Come and join one of our adopter or family meet ups by clicking on the link below. Staffordshire meet-ups