Your First Steps Toward Becoming an Adoptive Parent
All our applicants begin their adoption learning with our preparation training. We run this regularly, in groups throughout the year. It’s also the first phase of our adoption support, designed to increase your knowledge and awareness of parenting through adoption and build your skillset for becoming a secure, happy family.
Training is delivered by our skilled, experienced, and friendly training team, who continually develop the programme in consultation with staff, adopters, children and other partners.
What is Involved in Adoption Preparation Training?
During our comprehensive preparation training you will:
- Meet other applicants at the same stage of the adoption process
- Learn more about the adoption process
- Get more information on the children who need new homes, their backgrounds, and the best ways to support them
- Learn about child development, including brain development
- Be introduced to therapeutic parenting techniques which benefit you and your child
- Meet some of our adopters hear about their experiences
You’ll also have plenty of opportunities take part in group discussions, ask any questions you might have and take part in engaging interactive activities.
Early Permanence
During preparation training, you’ll also learn more about the Early Permanence pathway to adoption. This is a more child-focused approach to adoption offered by Adoption Focus, in which adopters are also approved as foster carers. This dual-approval allows a child to be placed into foster care with people who may go on to become their adoptive parents if the courts decide that adoption is the best way to secure the child’s future.
Early Permanence has differing benefits and demands to conventional adoption. Additional preparation training is provided for people who are interested in this approach.
You can read more about Early Permanence here
FAQ - Why do we have to come to training?
The training we provide will help to prepare you for adoptive parenting. You'll meet other people looking to adopt and some who have already adopted and build the skills and knowledge you'll need for your family.
Most people who attend training at Adoption Focus find it both informative and enjoyable.
Further Preparation Training
As you progress through your adoption assessment and get closer to attending panel and being approved as an adopter, you’ll receive further preparation training with us. Among the subjects covered here will be:
- Recognising and meeting children’s needs
- The importance of online safety
- Preparation for attending panel
- Self-care for adopters
- Accessing our adoption support
- Finding your child or children
You’ll also be introduced to our linking and matching team, who will let you know how they will be working with you and your social worker to find the right child or children for you.
Ongoing Training
You'll have the opportunity to access other training before you're approved as an adopter. This includes bespoke training for people who already have children in their family, for those adopting for a second time, and sessions for people who are specifically looking to adopt brothers and sisters.
And, once you're approved, and when you have a child or children placed, learning opportunities will continue to be available through our adoption support provision.
The training was incredible, in terms of reaffirming and empowering us. We felt better equipped to move through the process and we have a better understanding of the children placed for adoption and their families. We feel that we have been taught how best to support our child and show empathy and understanding.
Approved adopter feedback