| David Pitcher
Change can cause confusion and uncertainty for children, but particularly for fostered and adopted children. This charming children's story uses Poppy and her lost panda to explore change, continuity, and anxieties about moves, changes and attachment in a way that feels safe and nonthreatening.
| Michael Rutter, Celia Beckett, Jennifer Castle, Jana Kreppner, Suzanne Stevens and Edmund Sonuga-Barke
The English Romanian Adoptees (ERA) study is a remarkable exploration of the experiences of children whose early lives in Romanian institutions were unimaginably poor and who were then adopted into English families with all the material, emotional and social advantages that this brings. This publication summarises the policy and practice implications of this internationally known study.
| Russell Deal
This clever, yet simple card set is designed specifically to help primary school aged children to identify, name and celebrate their inherent strengths, qualities and abilities. Each of the 40 hardwearing, laminated, full colour cards use vibrant illustration and gentle humour to express a particular strength.
| BAAF
This Practice Note addresses the assessment of adopters who have already adopted a child or children and are applying for a second time.
| Ian Millar and Christina Paulson-Ellis
Many people considering adoption, both couples and single people, will have experienced infertility - in fact, it is frequently a central motivating factor behind an adoption application. This practice guide explores how best to approach this subject with prospective adopters, what topics to consider in the assessment process, and how the experience of infertility can affect adoption applicants.
| Abigail Knight, Elaine Chase, and June Statham
This ground-breaking report presents findings from an in-depth study of the perspectives and experiences of children and young people arriving unaccompanied to seek asylum in the UK. Based on conversations with 54 young people from 18 countries, this study reveals young people's experiences of their journeys, arriving in the UK, being in care, and a range of health, education, social care and immigration services. This is essential reading for anyone seeing to understand and support this vulnerable group.
| Renée Wolfs
This in-depth practical guide, written by an adoptive parent for adoptive parents, explores the questions adopted children are likely to ask, with suggestions for helpful explanations and answers. Looking at different age groups in turn, the author provides a wealth of suggestions for possible dialogue with adopted children and age-appropriate answers to common questions and fears.
| Edited by Barry Luckock and Michelle Lefevre
Direct work with children and young people lies at the heart of effective social work. But what counts as direct work? Is it the undertaking of certain tasks with a child, or building a relationship that matters most? Is it more about what is done with a child or about how it is done? This book explores the commitment and skill involved in listening to, understanding and being there on a regular basis that, time and again, is demanded by young people of all ages living in care. It tackles the professional skills and techniques needed to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child.
| Michelle Bell
Memories can be good and bad, happy and sad; those we want to keep alive and others we would rather forget. Looked after children may have more difficult memories that most, because of separation and loss and traumatic events that may have taken place. In this charming picture book, Elfa the elephant discovers that sharing her memories and remembering the good things that happened is more helpful than keeping them locked away.
| Joan Hunt, Suzette Waterhouse Eleanor Lutman
This study provides invaluable information on the benefits and challenges of kinship care and what is to be done to enable it to be used effectively. The study tracked 113 children in England, removed from their parents’ care because of child protection concerns and placed with kin through the courts. The placements were then assessed in terms of: whether they lasted as long as necessary and provided good quality and safe care; the quality of the relationship between the child and carer; and how well the child was functioning.
