| Renée Wolfs
This in-depth practical guide, written by an adoptive parent for adoptive parents, explores the problems that adopted teenagers (up to 18 years old) are likely to confront and provides suggestions for helpful solutions, helping parents discuss the known – or unknown – aspects of their adopted teenager’s history and be well-equipped to communicate difficult issues.
| Nancy Newton Verrier
Healing the primal wound
| Henrietta Bond
Seventeen-year-old Holly Richards is tough, practical, determined, and has her whole future carefully mapped out. So for her, leaving foster care to move into her own flat should be no problem. This realistic and engrossing novel, the first in a trilogy, for young people is ideal reading for all those over the age of 13, with a care background or not.
| Hedi Argent
This short, colourful booklet is part of CoramBAAF’s series of publications for children and young people, which aim to explain concepts in adoption and fostering that they may find difficult to understand.
| Mike Butcher
What happens when IVF goes wrong? Published as part of the Our Story series, in Frozen Mike Butcher recounts his, and his wife Lesley’s, experience of undergoing IVF treatment. But when Lesley suffers a near-fatal reaction to the treatment, the couple’s lives and plans for a family are thrown into turmoil. After an escalating series of setbacks and heartache, Mike and Lesley are almost resigned to giving up their dreams of parenthood – until they pick up a flyer from a local adoption agency.
| Jules Belle
Published as part of the Our Story series, this is the story of how Daisy and her parents adopted Tom. Although written by her mother, it is really six-year-old Daisy’s adoption story - reflecting her feelings about the family's decision to adopt Tom, bringing them vividly to life.
| Julie Selwyn, David Quinton, Perlita Harris, Dinithi Wijedasa, Shameem Nawaz and Marsha Wood
This pioneering study explores the care pathways of minority ethnic children in three authorities in England, and considers possible differences in decision making and outcomes for them, in comparison with white children, especially in relation to permanence. This study raises key questions about our understanding of ethnicity and culture and how these are reflected in and affect social work practice.
| Lorna Miles
This compelling story, published as part of the Our Story series, tracks Wayne’s journey from first being fostered by Lorna at the age of nine, in a therapeutic fostering placement, through nearly four years of family life. Wayne is traumatised by his early experiences of neglect and domestic abuse. Even when surrounded by a team of experienced foster carers, counsellors and therapists, helping him grow and heal will be a long and difficult process. But Lorna and her family are determined not to give up hope…
| Jim Wade, Jo Dixon and Andrew Richards
Since its introduction in 2006, special guardianship has become a well used option for finding permanence for children. But how is it working out in practice? This pioneering research study provides a critical assessment of the implementation of special guardianship, how it is being used, and the policy and practice issues that have arisen.
