I first started working with Looked After Children in 2000, initially in residential settings. In 2008, my wife and I became foster parents to a sibling group of three, who we went on to adopt in 2008.
Fostering, and then adopting, has been one of the best things I have ever done but it has also
been my greatest challenge. Therapeutic parenting of children with trauma histories is hard. Belong started with a focus on supporting foster and adoptive families with this challenge. Although I now work across a number of different fields, fostering and adoption will always be something I am passionate about.
There are many ways in which I aim to support families and the professionals around them. All of my support is underpinned by my 3B’s therapeutic model. You can read more specifically about how the 3B’s relates to fostering and adoption here.
Below are some of my support services but please do contact me if you feel there are other ways I can be of assistance.
Counselling and psychotherapy can be a hugely beneficial part of the support offered within fostering and adoption. For that reason I offer sessions for parents (individuals and couples), professionals and young people.
For more general information about my role as a counsellor and psychotherapist please click here. For further information specifically for work within fostering and adoption please click here.
Fostering and adoption work can be highly complex. Parents and professionals often find it beneficial to have a therapeutic consultation around the needs presented by a particular child or family.
Consultations highlight the issues that are present and any that are likely to emerge at a later date. They consider the reason behind the challenges and offer ideas for a way forward.
They can be particularly helpful for complex situations, when parents are new to therapeutic approaches, when children have recently been placed in a family or when wishing to ensure that all involved adults are working in a consistent and effective way.
I am able to offer consultations to parents, fostering and adoption agencies, local authorities and in education settings.
Consultations can be arranged on a one-off, ad-hoc basis or can be part of a regular plan around the child/family.
I can also consult with agencies and organisations more generally on the efficacy of the support they offer parents and consider ways in which this may be improved.
Whatever role we play around or within fostering and adoption, there are always challenges. I believe that robust, therapeutic supervision is essential and yet many parents and professionals report that this is lacking for them.
Therapeutic, clinical supervision is different to case management. It is not concerned with the meeting of targets or completion of paperwork. It focuses on the relationship between the parent/professional and the child/family. It explores what is happening for each individual and then looks to a way to overcome any issues that may be being faced.
I work with the adult to develop a greater therapeutic awareness of the child/family and to enhance their skills in their parenting or supporting role.
I offer therapeutic supervision for foster and adoptive parents, social workers, education staff and other counsellors and psychotherapists.
I work with individuals as well as within teams from the same organisation (Fostering & adoption agencies, schools and social care teams).
Through Belong I offer a range of standard and bespoke training courses for foster and adoptive parents and the professionals who work alongside them.
I am an experienced facilitator of therapeutic learning and encourages attendees to apply their knowledge, skills and experience not only to their work but also to themselves personally.
Belong’s training comes highly recommended and has been highly valued by attendees. Since we began in 2013 100% of training course attendees have rated our courses as either ‘excellent’ (99.8%) or ‘very good’ (0.2%).
I currently run courses in local authority departments, fostering agencies, adoption agencies, schools, universities and parent support groups.
Please click here for a list of my current fostering and adoption courses.
Another way I offer support is through the writing of articles which I publish on my therapeutic parenting blog. I try and get the balance of writing from my experience both professionally and personally.
Belong’s blog is read by thousands of people each month from countries all across the world.
Click here to read it. You can also chose to subscribe and receive my occasional posts direct to your inbox.
I am the author of two books for parents and professionals and four therapeutic stories for children. All of them are available for purchase on my shop.
Books for Parents:
I Can’t Do This – When Fostering and Adoption Feels Too Hard.
The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Shame – How to Feel Good-Enough as a Foster or Adoptive Parent.
Books for Children:
Why Can’t I Do That? – A Book About Brain Switches
Sometimes I Fight – What Happens in Fighting Frnakie’s Brain When He Feels Unsafe.
Sometimes I Run – What Happens in Running Riley’s Brain When He Feels Unsafe
Sometimes I Get Things Wrong – How Worrying William Deals With Shame
