Training/Support

We recognise that parenting through adoption brings additional challenges, and all adoptive families are likely to need assistance and resources to deal with these. We will provide information, preparation, training, support and guidance throughout the adoption process and beyond.

We aim to help you understand and deal with any issues and anxieties that may arise during the assessment process, and support and guide you if you encounter difficulties as adoptive parents.

When any child is placed for adoption, an adoption support plan is drawn up at the matching stage, and there are legal requirements for children’s services to provide ongoing adoption support to adoptive families.

Throughout the adoption journey we will be by your side offering full support. You will be supported throughout the adoption process by an adoption social worker, who will continue to visit until your child has been legally adopted.

Training and Mentoring

We will provide preparation courses during the two stages of your adoption assessment. There will be two full days in stage 1 and two full days in stage 2.

You will be matched with a mentor who is an experienced adopter. Restorative parenting – provided by the Cornerstone Partnership “Our three-day innovative and interactive programme is designed to provide support and guidance to adoptive parents. This approach is grounded in attachment theory and neuroscience and generates resilience and emotional growth”

Stage 1 workshops and preparation courses

We provide preparation courses and Stage 1 workshops during the two stage assessment process.

Post-approval training

As an approved adopter, you will be invited to a range of workshops, seminars and conferences. Topics include how to tell children about their adoption and the role of friends and family in adoption.

Out-of-hours support

We offer out-of-hours telephone support to approved Adopters of Slough children and Slough-approved adopters.

Support groups

Regular support groups are facilitated by Slough Children’s Services Trust, approximately three times a year.

We also offer an adoption conference (through Berkshire) and joint training with our foster carers. We provide a twice-yearly newsletter and one social event for adoptive families.

Financial support

Adoption allowances

Adoptive parents do not automatically receive financial help, however an adoption allowance may be payable in certain circumstances, determined by the child’s needs and your financial circumstances.

For example, this may be to keep brothers and sisters together, or to help meet extra costs associated with a child’s disability.

Equipment grant

Adopters of Slough children are eligible for an equipment grant for beds, furniture, baby equipment etc up to a maximum of £500. Similar grants may be available for children placed by other authorities.

Child benefit

All adoptive parents are entitled to claim child benefit from the date of a child’s placement if they meet the government criteria.

Court/legal fees

The Trust will pay the court administration fee when you apply for an adoption order to be made on any child we have placed.

We may also pay additional legal costs in the rare event where this proves necessary.

Adoption Support Fund

The Government has now made an adoption support fund available for post-adoption support. As an adoption agency, Slough can apply for funded support. The adoption support fund provides funds to children’s services and regional adoption agencies to pay for essential therapeutic services for eligible adoptive and special guardianship order (SGO) families.

Pupil premium

Adopted children are entitled to the pupil premium. The pupil premium grant is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England. It’s a school-level grant that gives schools extra resources to help them meet challenges, including those arising from deprivation. The aim of the fund is to improve the academic outcomes of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities and close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers across the country.