New resources to support your children as they return to school

Lockdown has been a difficult time for many of our adoptive families, with many parents having to work from home, whilst entertaining their children and home-schooling.

With the Welsh Government announcement that schools can return in Wales from 29th June, parents now have the difficult decision whether to send their children back to school or not. Some parents may see this as an opportunity to use these next few weeks to slowly ease their children back to school with the new normal that awaits them in the classroom.

The adoption support workers have been busy creating some fantastic resources to support parents with this transition back to school.

Rachel one of our support workers has also created a story which aims to help children understand the changes they will now face at school. The hope is that they will be able to relate to the anxieties Sammy the Sloth has, allowing them to understand the transition of returning to school.

Here’s what Rachel had to say: “I have always enjoyed being creative and have dreamed of writing short children’s stories and illustrating them for a long time. I never imagined that the first story I would write would be about a pandemic, but in times of so much change and uncertainty I found myself thinking of the many children I’ve supported over the years through transitions and how challenging this would be for so many.

Children often find change particularly challenging, and with the changes approaching us as we begin to return to school, with it may come a mix of emotions and feelings. Stories are a natural way for children to learn about their feelings, to help them learn that their experiences of feeling worried or nervous about returning to school are faced by many. This story focuses on the familiar, particularly around relationships, as sometimes feelings of anxiety come from the unknown, and while we may not know everything about what school will look like in the coming months, by thinking of some of the things that will be staying the same, we can help our children feel more secure.”

 

Please download a copy of Sammy Sloth. Please email adoptionenquiries@carmarthenshire.gov.uk to get copies of the other resources available to assist with the return to school.

Further resources will be made available on our social media channels. Facebook: @adoptmwwales Twitter: @adoptmw_wales

Adoption Mid and West Wales celebrate Pride Month

June is LGBT+ Pride month, and to celebrate, we are sharing the adoption story of one of our same sex couples, Tom and Lee, who adopted their little boy, who was 1 years old.

Here at Adoption mid and West Wales, there are no barriers when it comes to welcoming the lgbt+ community to be assessed as adopters.

We’ve approved a number of new families from the lgbt+ community over the last few years and here’s what Tom and Lee had to say about their adoption journey.

three pairs of legs

As a same sex couple who always wanted to have a family of their own, adoption was always our first choice. Together we had a firm understanding of children’s needs through working with LAC children and coming from large families. We knew that we could meet the needs of an adopted child and knew that we could offer a loving, stable forever home. From the get-go we were welcomed with open arms by Mid and West Wales Adoption Team. From the initial phone-call we felt listened to, and that their approach was far more in-depth than the other agencies we had approached. For us we wanted the process to be thorough and for no stone to be unturned as inevitably we wanted to find the best match for us and for our child.

Like all couples considering adoption, research was our first step into this seemingly terrifying world of adoption. There are some fantastic books, podcasts and blog posts out there. Try and connect with other adopters and make sure you enter the process with an open mind. We will all approach the process with our own misconceptions, however keeping an open mind and being reflective is our top tip. Make time to listen and consider different angles and perspectives. You may have heard that the assessment process is scary, and your social worker will stare deeply into your soul, however this isn’t quite the case. Be honest, be reflective and you will wholeheartedly, weirdly enjoy some elements. You may even come out the other end knowing yourself and your partner better. It really is like free therapy!

The process definitely becomes emotionally draining and building a support network and having a supportive family is important when this happens. Our family members attended the family training course and found it very informative and helpful. Additionally, you will meet some fantastic families through adoption who will remain great friends for a lifetime. You may even meet these people on your preparation course. We remember the relief as a same sex couple after seeing another same sex couple on our training. There is something comforting about not being the only ones for sure.

After the training, it was full steam ahead with the assessments, panels and matching. Your journey will be very personal to you and no adoption journey is the same. Trust your social worker and make sure you approach every decision together as a couple. Times will be tough and it will be an emotional rollercoaster. However, no matter the hurdles it will all be worth it when you hear the pitter-patter of little feet in your house for the first time or the first time you open the door and realise that there’s a little persons shoes lying next to yours.

If you are interested in adoption and want to learn more, please visit our website dev.adoptionmwwales.org.uk or get in touch by phone 0300 30 32 505 or email adoptionenquiries@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

We are also on Facebook @adoptmwwales and Twitter @adoptmw_wales