Created by Adoption UK Cymru, ‘Getting it right for every child: A parent’s guide to working with schools’, sets out the top things parents of adopted children should look for when choosing a school, how to work with staff at the school and gives advice on how attachment issues can have an impact on a child’s progress through the education system.
The guide, funded by the Welsh Government, is based on recommendations from internationally renowned experts on trauma and attachment.
Written by Ann Bell, who is an adoptive parent and Director of Adoption UK in Wales, the content is based on contributions from other adopters, adopted children and young people, teachers and those responsible for looked after and adopted children in local authorities.
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said:
“We know that adopted children often need extra support when it comes to their education and this new guide aims to help parents make the right choices for their child as they navigate the school system. Learning can only take place if children feel safe and that often does not come naturally for children who have had bad experiences with adults in their early years.
“We want to make sure children and young people who have been adopted have the same opportunity as other children to reach their full potential in life.”
Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant said:
“Adoptive parents provide the stable family environment children need while supporting them through their education.
“This guide is designed to give those parents extra advice to help them to access the right support in school when they need it. Without that support, children and young people will continue to face barriers in achieving their true potential.”
Author of the guide, Ann Bell, said:
“As adopters, we provide stable homes and nurturing environments for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in society, and whilst parenting in such circumstances is hugely rewarding, it also presents difficult challenges, no more so than when our children enter the education system.
“I’ve written this booklet to provide the reassurance and guidance that parents need to help them choose the right school for their children, ask the right questions, and find the right support and help when they need it most. Adoptive parents are their children’s single most powerful advocate, and I hope that this informative guide provides power to their elbow.”
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