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Northern Ireland Newsletter January 2015
• welcome from Judith Linton & Stephen McVey
• news
• annual conference
• training opportunities & 'let's learn together' events
• support group news
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the January 2015 newsletter from Northern Ireland.
Happy New Year from us all at Adoption UK. We hope you had a lovely Christmas - time to rest, relax and have
fun with family and friends.
We had a great turnout at 'Tinseltown' on 6 December. In spite of the new venue outside of Belfast, bookings
came in thick and fast and we were very quickly booked up. Apologies to those of you who weren't able to get a
place this year.
The next few months are very busy. We have a round of 'Let's learn together' school events for teachers,
parents and others who work in school settings with adopted and looked after children. The first of these is in
Mill Strand Integrated School in Portrush on 29 January 2015. Check out the list below for a school/venue close
to you. Why not invite your child's teacher or classroom assistant?
The annual conference is on 27 February 2015 in Belfast. The topic is 'Knowing Me, Knowing You - Life Story
Work' and the speakers are Joy Rees and Louis Sydney. See below for further information.
Finally, for all of you mums who fancy a few nights away, the mum's weekend is on 6 February. See below for
details.
Hope to see you at one of our events, or feel free to call into the office at 545 Antrim Road, Belfast, for a coffee
and browse in the library (call in advance to make sure one of us is in).
Best wishes, Judith Linton
Update from Stephen McVey
The difficult economic climate in Northern Ireland is of course impacting quite heavily on the voluntary sector.
Adoption UK in Northern Ireland face increasing demands for our services and support without any increase in
funding. This may impede our ability to deliver all we had planned for in this and the next fiscal year and we are
currently reviewing our commitments. I anticipate greater funding difficulties in the next financial year and
consequently would ask all our members to look at ways you could help us.
We have been able to secure free membership for of all of our members and we hope to be able to continue to
provide family events, but any contribution would be very helpful. Please consider how you could help us.
Continuing political difficulties have halted the progress of the Department's consultation on adoption. I have
scheduled several meetings with different political parties represented on the Health Committee and confirmed a
meeting with the new Minister of Health, Jim Wells, in mid January to discuss the current situation on adoption
and how we can help to progress the consultation. I will report in our next newsletter any news or developments.
Warm regards, Stephen McVey
news...
In our last newsletter we briefly mentioned the activities that took place during the launch of National Adoption
Week. Pictured above are Stephen McVey, Priscilla McLoughlin (BAAF) and David Forde (Minister of Justice) at
an event on sibling adoption to launch National Adoption Week. At this event both parents and children shared
their personal stories with the children then participating in a three legged race and being presented with a medal
by David Forde. The following day we had over 230 attend a family event at the amazing Armagh Planetarium
where children were able to make and launch their own rockets.
NI Lending Library
We have a wide range of library material available for you to borrow from
the Belfast office. Please feel free to drop in and browse through our
library or request a library list of what's available by phoning Tracey on
028 9077 5211. If you are planning to call into the office please give us
a call beforehand to ensure that there is someone in.
Book Recommendation
The Unofficial Guide to Adoptive Parenting by Sally
Donovan
This is another book about adoptive parenting. Probably not the kind of
parenting you hear about in training, or read about in text books, but the
real stuff: dynamic, messy, baffling adoptive parenting, rooted in
domestic life. Adoptive parent Sally Donovan combines her knowledge
of trauma and attachment gleaned from training courses and therapeutic
parenting experts with her lived experience of parenting two traumatised
children and bridges the gap between the two. She offers realistic
advice on how to be 'good enough' in the face of day-to-day and more
bewildering challenges responding to meltdowns, overcoming anxieties
about changes to established routines and, most importantly, how to be
a strong parent who can protect and nurture your adopted child. This is
another book about adoptive parenting, but it is unlike any other book
you have read on adoptive parenting - read it, weep, laugh and learn.
Could you be a volunteer for us? ...... a few words
from Wesley Graham who runs North Down support
group
My wife Muriel and I became members of Adoption UK shortly after we
adopted our son William 7 years ago when he was 7 years old. We
always found the Adoption UK meetings very useful and particularly
enjoyed the family days out and all the activities associated with them.
We attended the 'It's a Piece of Cake' course (now called 'Parenting our
Children') and found this course invaluable at a time when we were
experiencing a lot of attachment issues with our son.
My job as a senior commissioner for the Health & Social Care Board
takes up a lot of my time but I was happy to become the volunteer
coordinator for North Down support group about two years ago. I get a
great deal of satisfaction from talking to and helping, in so far as I can,
our fellow adopters.
Adoption UK in Northern Ireland are always on the look out for volunteers. Right now we urgently need
volunteer coordinators for the Newry, South Down and Foyle groups and helpers for some of the other
groups. Interested and want to find out more?
Please contact anne@adoptionuk.org.uk
Belfast annual conference 2015
Knowing you, Knowing me: life story work - therapy or childs's play?
Belfast Annual Conference
Knowing Me, Knowing You: life story work - therapy or child's play?
27 February 2015
Speakers: Joy Rees and Louis Sydney
This one-day conference will help adopters, foster carers and
practitioners appreciate that life story work is an essential therapeutic tool
to be used for giving looked after and adopted children a positive sense
of who they are and hope for the future.
Joy uses her extensive experience to develop an innovative familyfriendly approach to life story work to build a sense of permanency,
identity and secure attachments for adopted children.
Joy believes that a life story book should be written in a way that helps to enhance self-esteem, stability and trust
for the child within the adoptive family. Louis applies his clinical experience to help children and families
understand the therapeutic benefits of life story work. Using a number of techniques he will offer parents
strategies to help children with their troubled life stories.
Price: Members £60 Non-members £96
visit our website for more information or to book
training opportunities...
Let's learn together
Getting Ready for Placement
29 January 2015 - 6.30-9pm
Mill Strand Integreated School, Portrush
BT56 8EW
Saturday 7 March 2015
&
Saturday 14 March 2015
5 February 2015 - 6.30-9pm
St Paul's High School, Newry BT35 7EE
10am - 4.30pm
10 February 2015 6.30- 9pm
Cedar Inegrated Primary School,
Crossgar BT30 9HJ
11 February 2015 - 6.30-9pm
St Clare's Primary School, Belfast
BT13 2SE
Gortalowry House
Cookstown
BT80 8HY
Two day workshop for approved
prospective adoptive parents
Closing date to return booking form:
16 February 2015
9 March 2015 - 6.30-9pm
Harmony Hill Primary School
Lisburn BT27 4ES
19 March 2015 - 6.30-9pm
The Hub, Campsie Drive, Omagh
An education training event with Sheila Lavery,
adoptive parent and author of the 'Let's learn
together' booklet. Sheila will give a presentation on
how best to support our children in school.
This two-day workshop will enhance knowledge of
developmental trauma and attachment and examine
the importance of making positive connections with a
hurt child.
Please take this opportunity to invite along anyone
working with your child in education: teachers,
classroom assistants, SENCOs etc.
Please let us know if you are planning to attend as
these events are incredibly popular.
Provides information on practical ways to prepare for
family life, identify ways of helping a child move into a
new family and parenting strategies which build
attachments while respecting the child's past and
maintaining safe and developmentally appropriate
boundaries.
Price:
Free
Price:
Free
download flyer
booking form
support group news
If you are interested in peer support from adopters, in getting ready for
placement or in finding out more about adoption, then why not join us at
one or more of the support group meetings below.
These groups are for anyone on the adoption journey. They are informal
and confidential. New-comers are always made welcome.
Hope to see you there!
Coleraine
Taking Care
Terry Shevlin
When:
Thursday 15 January at 8pm
Where:
Contact:
The Sandel Centre, Knocklynn Road, Coleraine
Tracey
tramar999@outlook.com
Trauma Psychotherapist, Terry Shevlin, will introduce
practical self-care techniques, including 'mindfulness', for
parents and carers of those who have experienced early
trauma. He will also talk about developing self-awareness
as a means of enabling us to improve our relationships
with our children.
Topic:
Antrim
A Night Out
Redz Restaurant
When:
Thursday 29 January at 7.30pm
Where:
Redz Restaurant, 3 Retail Park B, Junction One Retail
Centre, Antrim BT41 4LL
Fiona
fscampbell@hotmail.co.uk
Time to eat, relax and talk. Fiona will book seats at Redz.
Please let her know if you are planning to attend so she
can reserve you a place. All welcome!
Contact:
Topic:
Belfast
Coffee Morning
Belfast Agape Centre
When:
Saturday 14 February 10.30am - 12pm
Where:
Topic:
Belfast Agape Centre, 238 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9
6GH
Coby
moore@mpaul750.orangehome.co.uk
Just for a change - it's a coffee morning! Tea, coffee and
activities for parents and children. Join us for our first
meeting at the 'Agape Centre' on the Lisburn Road. New
members as well as regulars welcome. Let us know if you
are planning to attend.
When:
Tuesday 3 February at 7.30pm
Where:
Contact:
Culloden Hotel, Holywood
Wesley
wzzrsgraham@netscape.net
Secondary Trauma: All adopted children have suffered
trauma, even those adopted as babies - separation from
birth mother has been described as a 'primal wound'.
Contact:
North Down
Secondary Trauma
Anne Lakin
Topic:
Often the child's trauma is imported into their new family
resulting in high levels of stress and mental exhaustion for
carers/parents. How can we recognise and deal with this
'secondary trauma'? Anne will offer information and
facilitate peer to peer sharing on the subject of self care.
South Down
Home Schooling
Margaret Hickson
When:
Where:
Contact:
Thursday 22 January at 7.30pm
Market Hse. Square, Ballynahinch BT24 8AE
Anne
Topic:
Newry
'Scaffold'
Ciara Downes
Clinical Psychologist
anne@adoptionuk.org.uk
Home Schooling. Margaret Hickson is an adoptive
parent with a social work background. Her story is one
that many of us will identify with. Margaret's family faced
challenges trying to find a school that could meet their
son's needs, and eventually decided to home school.
Margaret will share the family's journey to this decision,
and the positive impact home schooling has made.
When:
Wednesday 28 January at 7.30pm
Where:
Contact:
Ballybot House, Newry BT65 3BB
Anne
anne@adoptionuk.org.uk
'Scaffold' was set up to offer therapeutic support to
looked after and adopted children and their families in
Southern Trust. Ciara Downes, Clinical Psychologist, will
talk about her work and the services provided by Scaffold.
Topic:
The Newry group are also meeting for a meal at The
Cobbles 7.30 Wednesday 14 January.
All welome. Please let Elizabeth know if you are coming
elizabethlyttle@adoptionuk.org.uk
Moy
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
Stephen Garrett
When:
Where:
Contact:
Topic:
Omagh
My Child is Different'
When:
Where:
Contact:
Topic:
Foyle
Face to face - NSPCC
On-line services - Adoption UK
When:
Where:
Contact:
Topic:
Tuesday 27 January 7.30pm
Moy Methodist Hall BT71 7SH
Sandra
sandrarodgers510@gmail.com
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). When a child is
exposed to alcohol in the womb it can be born with FAS.
Life can be very challenging for the child with FAS but
also for the parents. Prospective adopters are often
asked if they would consider a child with FAS or FAS
effects. Stephen Garrett will talk about how FAS has
affected his child and how he has worked with this as a
parent. He will answer questions and offer insights.
Relevant library books are available to members.
Thursday 22 January at 7.30pm
'The Hub' Campsie Drive, Omagh
Mandy
davymcq@btinternet.com
Adoptive parents often find themselves using this
statement. Parenting therapeutically is different and can
bring parents into conflict with family, friends, teachers
and others who just don't 'get' our children. Discussion will
centre around how we can best explain our children, why
a different approach is needed and the type of support
that is helpful. 'Light bites' with tea and coffee. Please let
the coordinator know if you plan to attend.
2 February at 7.30pm
Clooney Hall, 36 Clooney Terrace BT47 6AR
Anne Lakin
anne@adoptionuk.org.uk
The NSPCC offers a service called 'Face to Face' which
aims to support children and young people with life issues
and emotional well-being. An NSPCC worker describes
the service and how referrals are made.
Judith Linton will talk about the range of support services
available through Adoption UK. She will show us how to
use the Adoption UK message boards. We will look at
some of the discussions/threads going on around the UK.
Tea, coffee and time for a chat.
Mum's Weekend
Not too late to book! Please plan to join us for a fabulous weekend of self care in the Manor House Country Hotel
near Enniskillen 6-8 February 2015. Spa facilities, lovely lakeside setting, shopping in nearby Enniskillen. Cost is
£99 per person sharing for two nights B&B and one evening meal in the Belleek fine dining restaurant. Please
contact Elizabeth if you are hoping to come or for more information. Email elizabethlyttle@adoptionuk.org.uk
Coming up... workshop for intercountry adopters Saturday 14 March Lisburn: adoptive parents and adoptees
share their experiences.
Adoption UK Northern Ireland | 545 Antrim Road | Belfast |
BT15 3BU Tel: 028 9077 5211
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