The Smart Wheel Expand The Smart Wheel resource is designed to get you thinking with your child about all of the skills and qualities they possess, and which Intelligence/Smart category those skills and qualities come under. The aim of this resource is to build up a detailed strengths profile of who your child is - to develop self-awareness, build self-esteem and give them the confidence to work through problems when they arise. Download The Smart Wheel
Factsheet - Therapeutic Parenting Expand Therapeutic parenting differs from ‘traditional’ parenting because it recognises that traumatised children see and experience the world around them differently from children who have not experienced early life trauma. Download factsheet
6. Special educational needs Expand Our Education Policy Advisor, Becky Brooks, spoke to Kate from IPSEA on our Family Matters Podcast. IPSEA provide free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND. They also provide training on the SEND legal framework, and influence policy at both a local and national level. Podcast episode coming soon Download resources for SEN discussion
Eye exercises Expand Eye exercises can be surprisingly powerful, especially when used intentionally to support relaxation, regulation, sleep, and sensory balance. Eye exercises.pdf
Grounding exercises Expand This resource describes 6 different grounding exercises to use when things are very stressful and feel overwhelming. They are designed to shift the person’s attention away from the stressful thoughts or sensations they’re feeling and focus on something different. Grounding exercises.pdf
Breathing for regulation Expand Here’s a selection of different breathing exercises that support emotional regulation, reduce anxiety, and enhance self-awareness—perfect for both adults and young people, including those with additional needs like FASD, ADHD, or sensory sensitivities. Breathing excercises.pdf
Sensory profile Expand It’s common for someone with FASD to have sensory processing issues. This means their brain processes sensory information differently. Creating a sensory profile for your child is a great way to map out their sensory likes and dislikes - what triggers or excites them and what calms them down and helps them regulate. Download Sensory profile.pdf
Registration, dates and costs Expand Costs Registration Fee £299 Option A - Minimum Sponsorship £4,500 Option B - Self-Funding £2,250 Trekking Permit £200 Airport Tax & Fuel Surcharge £250 Single Occupancy Supplement (Optional) TBC Dates 5 - 14 June 2026 Register now
More information and FAQs Expand Is this trip for me? Absolutely! This trek is suitable for all ages with the correct training. The minimum age for this trek is 18 years old (14-17 years must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian). The one thing everyone will have in common is a great sense of adventure and the desire to help a charity. Whether you are taking part as an individual or as a team with friends, team spirit will be flying high on the challenge. How fit do I need to be? This challenge has been graded as Tough (2) on our challenge grading scheme meaning the trek has been designed to be challenging but achievable as long as you train beforehand. You will be trekking for 5 consecutive days, and at high altitude and in varied temperatures, a good cardiovascular fitness is required – the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the challenge! We will provide you with a full training guide once you register, this is also available to download via our website. Why not join one of our challenge training weekends – it’s a great opportunity for you to meet our team and other challengers, and train together prior to the event. Our policy is to encourage and support as many people as possible to take part in our challenges. But they may not be suitable for all people due to restriction posed by limitation in mobility, physical or cognitive disability, pregnancy or other various medical conditions. If you have any doubts regarding your suitability for your challenge please contact our office to speak to one of the team. What is the challenge grading scheme? All our challenges are graded on a scale from 1 to 3 to indicate the level of difficulty, 1 being the lowest challenge grade and 3 being the most challenging. (1 = Challenging, 2 = Tough and 3 = Extreme). Do I have to carry my own luggage? No. Participants will only have to carry a day pack (for items such as sunscreen, water, sun hat, camera, etc.) A small kit bag will be issued to you in Cusco and this is for you to fill with items you require for your trek (limited to 5kg) and will be carried from camp to camp by our porters. You will be able to leave your main piece of luggage at the hotel in Cusco. Do I need specialist kit? We will supply you with a kit list of what to take once you register to take part. Apart from broken in trekking boots, some trekking poles and a good quality sleeping bag you do not need any specialist kit. Food Matters... All meals will be provided except for dinner on day 7 and lunch on day 8. We can cater for most dietary requirements as long as we know in advance – just fill in the appropriate section on your registration form. Peruvian food is very varied and nutritious with plenty of vegetables and potatoes. What support is there on the challenge? There will be a strong support team with a professional Global Adventure Challenges leader, as well as local guides and porters. Full, comprehensive first aid kits will be taken and radios will be used to ensure your safety and security at all times. A UK Doctor will also be joining the trek. Can I stay in Peru after the challenge? Yes you can, but this is subject to us being able to amend your booking from our flights inclusive package to our ground only package. For further information on how our ground only packages work, please visit our guide to ground only challenges. If you have already registered and would like to request a change to our ground only package, please contact [email protected]. What happens if I get tired? There will be regular rest stops for drinks and snacks – there is no problem with you taking more rest stops should you need them. A guide will be bringing up the rear of the group ensuring no one is left alone. Remember this is not a race! The main physical problem you may encounter is altitude sickness, which can occur over 2,500m – the maximum altitude on this challenge is approx. 4,200m. Will the altitude affect me? Your physical fitness will not affect your ability to cope with the altitude, however the fitter you are the better you will cope in general whilst on the mountain. Altitude sickness is caused by decreased oxygen concentration in the blood due to the lower atmospheric pressure at high altitude. All individuals are affected differently, but symptoms can include breathlessness, nausea and headaches. Please be assured that this trek has been designed to maximise your chances for sufficient acclimatisation i.e. the speed at which we trek, the route taken, acclimatisation days taken and the number of highly trained experts in the support team. How do I go about raising the sponsorship? Once you have signed up you will receive a fundraising pack from Adoption UK in order to make your fundraising as easy as possible. You will also receive a few tips and ideas from Global Adventure Challenges to help you on your way.
Inclusions Expand What's included Before your challenge Your own personalised account hub that houses all your challenge support information to ensure you are fully prepared for your challenge Support documents to aid your preparation including but not limited to further information about your challenge, detailed challenge itinerary, kit lists, training plan/schedule, fundraising advice Discount vouchers with affiliate partners such as Nomad Travel A dedicated Customer Care team supports each participant from registration and is always on hand to answer queries Financial Protection Risk Management including but not limited to challenge specific risk assessments, emergency management plans and medical screening. On your challenge Return flights from London Airport to Cusco All transfers per the itinerary including to and from the in-country airport 7 nights accommodation – 4 nights hotel accommodation, twin share with private bathroom, 4 nights camping twin share. Please note that accommodation in Peru will be different to what we are used to in the UK, hotels will have a local category rating of 3 stars. All meals and celebratory dinner starting with breakfast on day 2 through to breakfast on day 9, with the exception of dinner on day 7 and lunch on day 8 A superb team of porters, cooks and professional, experienced English speaking local guides (Global Adventure Challenges have been working alongside our in-country ground team for more than 10 years) Global Adventure Challenges Leader from the UK An experienced English speaking Doctor Tents and other necessary camping equipment (participants must bring their own sleeping bags) Portable altitude chamber Comprehensive first aid/medical kits Water on trekking days Challenge Medal GAC 24 hour emergency on call team What's not included Airport Tax and Fuel Surcharge Contribution – Please refer to Dates and Costs section. These are approximately £250 and payable 8 weeks prior to departure Personal trekking kit (trekking boots, poles, etc) Personal travel insurance Alcoholic drinks Tips and gratuities Sleeping bags Any associated local departure taxes in Peru which are to be paid for in person, cash Please note, the Inca Trail permit is not included in the registration fee or challenge balance – the permit costs approximately £150 and will be invoiced approximately 8 months before departure. The permits are non-refundable or transferable. Dinner on day 7 and lunch on day 8 Please note that for bespoke challenges, inclusions and exclusions may differ
Challenge itinerary Expand Day 1 - Depart UK We depart the UK on our overnight flight to Cusco. Day 2 - Arrive Cusco We arrive in Cusco where we are met by our local guides and then we transfer to our hotel.The rest of the day is free to acclimatise to the high altitude and explore this fascinating city, hidden deep in the Andes Mountains. We are now at an altitude of 3,300m so we need to take it easy whilst we adjust to the decreased pressure and oxygen levels. Slight headaches, sleeplessness, dizziness and breathlessness are common. At dinner tonight we will get a full briefing about the adventure ahead. Day 3 - Acclimatisation Trek to Inca Sites Today it is essential that we take some exercise to adjust to the high altitude. We have a fairly early breakfast before transferring to Tambo Machay, the Inca ruins high above Cusco. We trek down to Sacsayhuaman, having our lunch en route, then return to Cusco. A full trek briefing will be held before our challenge tomorrow – The Inca Trail! Trekking distance – approx. 8 – 12km Day 4 - Cusco - km82 (2,650m) to Wayllabamba (3,000m) Following breakfast, we transfer to km82 where we register at the checkpoint for our Inca Trail permits. En route, we’ll make a short stop at Ollantaytambo where there will be time to do some last minute shopping for trekking provisions – crackers, cookies, walking sticks etc. Once we arrive at km82, we begin our trekking adventure! We follow the Urubamba River before the trail becomes more undulating and reaches the Patallacta lookout, from where we will have the impressive view down to the Inca town of Patallacta (2,700m). We then continue to the Kusichaca Valley, through Tarayoq and Hatunchaca to Wayllabamba, which is our first campsite. Trekking distance -approx. 11km / 5 – 6 hours Day 5 - Wayllabamba (3,000m) to Pacaymayo (3,600m) Our most challenging day as we climb steadily from 3,000m to 4,200m, to Warmihuañusca or ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’. On the way we will see impressive cloud forest, beautiful lichens, bromeliads, orchids, birds, also the Huayanay glacier and part of the Vilcabamba mountain range. The ascent will take approximately 5 – 6 hours but the feeling of elation on conquering the pass will stay with you forever.From this point we trek for another hour and descend into Pacaymayo Valley, our campsite for the night. Trekking distance -approx. 8km / 7 – 8 hours Day 6 - Pacaymayo to Wiñayhuayna (2,700m) This is another tough day when we conquer the two remaining mountain passes. Once we reach the second pass at Runkurakay (3,950m), the trail heads downhill for approximately one hour until we reach Sayacmarka, another archeological site. On the way to the third pass, Phuyupatamarka (3,600m), we’ll pass through our first Inca tunnel. The views today are truly unforgettable with lush green mountains and snowy peaks as far as the eye can see! Continuing down the original Inca stairway and passing through another Inca tunnel, we descend to Wiñayhuayna, our last campsite on the way to Machu Picchu. Trekking distance – approx. 18km / 7 – 8 hours Day 7 - Wiñayhuayna (2,700m) to the Sun Gate (2,850M) and Machu Picchu (2,400m) We wake early in order to reach the Sun Gate for the optimum view of Machu Picchu in the morning. There is one last steep push on Inca steps until we catch our first glimpse of the famous lost city of the Incas, and rest awhile to take in one of the world’s most breathtaking sights. We then descend to explore the fascinating buildings and ruins that make this city in the clouds so special. Our guide will explain the history and there will be some free time for exploration! Glowing with success, we catch the bus down to Aguas Calientes – a bustling market town hidden below Machu Picchu – then board our train back to Cusco. Trekking distance – approx. 6km / 2 – 3 hours Day 8 - Cusco There is so much to see in Cusco that we spend the day doing just that (and giving our legs a rest!) The day is free to spend at your leisure. In the evening, we all get together for our celebratory meal and to reflect on our achievements. Day 9 - Return flight to UK Following our early breakfast, we transfer to Cusco Airport for our flights back to the UK. Day 10 - Return to UK Arrive in the UK. Please note, this is a complex itinerary and subject to change, including the timings and distances detailed. Mountain weather conditions, the group’s ability and any other factors outside our control can impact on the schedule.
Lee Adoptive Dads coordinator Expand I'm Lee, the coordinator of the Adoptive Dad's Virtual Community Group. My wife and I started our adoption journey in 2020 during Covid. In November 2021 our 2 children, siblings aged 3 & 5, came home to us. Our family includes a much older birth daughter and a grandson who is a very recent addition to our close family. The adoption journey has been a roller coaster but looking back I wouldn't change anything. I have learnt so much from attending virtual groups, meet ups, talking to other adopters and attending therapeutic sessions with our two children. Professionally I work in sales in the food industry, holding various positions over the years but the most rewarding role is being an Adoptive Dad, our two children have been challenging but now so rewarding to see how they have become very settled and watch their confidence grow. I wanted to join Adoption UK to share with other adoptive Dad's my journey and provide listening, support and discussion to another adoptive Dad where ever they are on the adoptive journey. The power of conversation is never to be underestimated, no question is too small or too big. Sharing experiences is truly beneficial to everyone as all adoption journeys are different. The Adoptive Dad's Virtual Community Group is a 'safe place to share' environment and maybe a place where you can give or receive valuable advice for free We look forward to you joining us. Adoptive Dads meet-ups
The Trust Puzzle Expand We all need help and support from time to time, and we rely on the people we love and/or trust to be there for us when we need them. This resource is designed for you and your young person to co-create together. When it’s finished, your child will have a unique jigsaw puzzle with all the people they can rely on if they ever need help. Download The Trust Puzzle pdf
What is FASD? Expand FASD is a condition that may occur when a fetus is exposed to alcohol prenatally. Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) can occur at any point during the pregnancy, including before the pregnancy is detected. Alcohol is included within the group of substances called teratogens, or poisons, meaning that it is a substance that can cross to the developing fetus and cause harm at any stage of pregnancy. There is no known safe amount or time to consume alcohol during pregnancy, and the UK’s Chief Medical Officer’s advice is that those who are pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, should abstain from alcohol.
Common symptoms and characteristics of FASD Expand The impact of FASD on an individual involves a wide range of common challenges including impulsivity, difficulties with cognition, memory, the sensory system, motor skills, executive functioning, social skills and affect regulation. These are often seen as dysregulation, developmental dysmaturity, a spikey profile of ability and inconsistent performance ‘can’t do today what they learnt yesterday – on and off days’. You can find out more in our FASD factsheets area.
Do people with FASD look different? Expand FASD is a ‘hidden disability’, meaning that you cannot tell by looking at someone whether they have the condition. Around 10% of individuals have specific facial features that are indicative of PAE, these are a thin upper lip, smooth philtrum, and narrow eye opening. The remainder of individuals with a history of PAE do not have these features, which has historically brought challenges for the individual and their families in terms of professionals recognising the impact of PAE.
How common is FASD? Expand Within the general population the prevalence of FASD is around 3-5%, meaning that up to 1 in 20 people in Scotland could have FASD. In comparison Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is thought to affect 1 in 94. Some groups are, however, disproportionally affected by FASD including the care-experience community. Research in Peterborough (Gregory et.al 2015) revealed that 75% of children put forward for an adoption medical had been prenatally exposed to alcohol.
Section 1 and 2 Expand Section 1 This asks what support works for adoptive and kinship children and young people and respondents to the questions are invited to type their answers into a free text box. What support do you think helps to maintain or improve children’s and young people’s mental health and wellbeing? Answers should focus on children and young people who are either adopted or in kinship care, based on their specific contexts. This is an opportunity to reflect on support that may currently exist, that you feel improves mental health and wellbeing. Examples might be: access to peer support or youth groups, therapeutic support (e.g. via ASGSF or CAMHS), educational support measures such as EHCPs, Pupil Premium Plus, and virtual schools; or a teacher that is trauma trained. These may be types of support that are directly related to adoption support services, or they may sit within broader public services. It is also an opportunity to highlight support you think helps but that may not be readily available, for example certain types of therapy, peer support for young people, or trauma trained teachers in schools. This also provides an opportunity for adult adoptees to set out the lack of support available to them, and what would help. Why does this support help? This is an opportunity to share your personal experience of where this support has had a positive impact on your child or your family. There may also be broader evidence to draw on. For example, The Adoption Barometer or our Break the Barriers Report include lots of examples of the types of support that adoptees and families report has a positive impact. What could be improved about this support? This is an opportunity to highlight the issues you have had in accessing the support measures you have highlighted as helpful, including availability, resourcing, timeliness, consistency, and quality. Section 2 This section sets out eight government proposals to reform the adoption and kinship support system and invites you to rate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of them on a given scale (from strongly agree to don’t know) and then invites you to give your reasoning in a free text box. You don’t have to answer all the questions.