If you’re here, you might be feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or wondering what kind of support your family needs right now.
We know that day-to-day parenting can feel hard, especially if your child has experienced trauma, separation, or loss early in their life. There may be times when you feel exhausted, stuck, or unsure what to do next, despite everything you are already doing to support your child.
At other times, things may feel OK, but you may still want to feel more connected to support that understands the reality of parenting a child who has experienced separation and early trauma, and the day-to-day challenges that can come with this.
A good place to start – your Regional Adoption Agency
When you are not sure where to begin, a helpful first step is often to contact your Regional Adoption Agency.
Their support teams are there to listen and to help you make sense of what is going on for your child and your family. They can talk things through with you and help you begin to think about what kind of support might be most helpful, both now and over time.
If you live in the West Midlands, your local Regional Adoption Agency will be one of the following:
Adopt Birmingham
Adopt Birmingham is a regional adoption agency for families in Birmingham. Their post
adoption support team offers a range of support including access to funded therapy.
Adoption at Heart
Adoption at Heart works with families from across the Black Country to provide a range of support services for children adopted from care, from the start of the adoption process to the teen years and beyond.
Adoption Central England
Adoption Central England is the regional adoption agency covering Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry.
Together for Children
Together 4 Children is a regional adoption agency for those in areas covered by Shropshire Council, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Telford & Wrekin Council. They deliver a range of services for adopted children, their families, birth families and adopted adults.
Accessing therapeutic support
For some families, therapeutic support can be helpful and is often available through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
Your Regional Adoption Agency will carry out an assessment of need, help you think about what support might be most helpful, and apply for funding on your behalf if appropriate. They will also support you in choosing a provider.
We offer therapeutic approaches that are well‑established in supporting adoptive and kinship families, including Theraplay® and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)
These approaches focus on strengthening the relationship between parent and child, recognising that connection and emotional safety are at the heart of helping children who have experienced early trauma.
Parents are an important part of the process and our support helps you understand your child’s needs and build ways of responding that support connection, regulation, and trust over time.
Explore our services here:
We also offer the lumin&us®️ app to help parents and carers to explore their own and their child’s nervous systems and find simple, playful ways to support connection and regulation at home. There is a free version and you can use code F42WKS to try out the premium version.
What if my child is struggling at school?
School can be particularly challenging for children who have experienced early trauma or loss. If things are feeling difficult, there is support available.
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/bvs
https://www.coventry.gov.uk/virtual-school
https://www.wolvesvirtualschool.co.uk
https://sandwellvirtualschool.sch.life
https://schools.warwickshire.gov.uk (search “Virtual School” for the Warwickshire Virtual School)
Children who have been adopted from care or under special guardianship arrangements are also entitled to additional funding in school, often called Pupil Premium Plus, which helps schools provide extra emotional and educational support.
You may find it helpful to talk with your child’s school about what support is in place and how it could best meet their needs. Beacon Family Services can also support schools, and you can share our information with your child’s setting if helpful.
If school is a struggle, resources such as our recorded webinar “My Child is Not Fine at School” can also offer helpful insight.
Embrace Hub Offers guidance, training and tools for adoptive parents seeking support, for schools working to build trauma-responsive classrooms, and agencies working with families preparing for the adoption process.
Alongside local services, organisations such as Adoption UK and Kinship offer advice, information, and a supportive space to talk things through.
Reaching out to them can be a helpful step, especially if you are beginning to explore what support might be right for your family.
Adoption UK community groups
Offers monthly virtual groups for adoptive parents and families across the UK.
A monthly support group meeting in person in Kings Heath
Birmingham North Kinship Carers
A monthly support group meeting in Erdington.
A monthly support group meeting in person.
Peer support
Connecting with other parents who understand can be an important source of support.
Whether through local groups or online communities, sharing experiences with others who are walking a similar path can help reduce isolation and bring a sense of understanding and reassurance.
This is a peer support community for adoptive parents living with childhood challenging, aggressive and violent behaviour (CCVAB). There is a Facebook community and Al Coates MBE also hosts a regular weekly meet up and a support group for adoptive dads seeking connection.
This is a weekly Theraplay® group hosted in Sutton Coldfield at the Our Place Family Hub. It is therapist led and adoptive, fostering and kinship families are very welcome to join.
A peer-led adoptive parent community with forums, local meetups, social support groups, training and events.
The founders – two adoptive mums, Clare and Lydia – run all kinds of events and camping trips to help both adoptive parents and children have fun and make memories, with lots of peer support.
Our favourite blogs and podcasts about adoption fostering and kinship care
- The Adoption and Fostering Podcast – Hosted by Al Coates and Scott Casson-Rennie, this blog and podcast created by two adoptive dads talks about everything related to modern adoption and fostering.
- We Made a Wish – This digital adoption and parenting magazine by adoptive mum Suzy Stanton shares experiences from all sides of the adoption triangle.
- Adoption Shared Podcast – personal stories and insights from adopters.
- Truth Be Told: Adoption Stories (Spotify) – Conversations about life after adoption.
We hope this gives you a helpful starting point as you find what feels right for your family.
If there is support, we’ve missed, or something you’ve found helpful, please let us know at info@beaconservices.org.uk.
Support for parents
If you or someone you know is struggling with family relationships, Beacon Family Services can help. We provide a range of therapies and resources to support parents, children and families.
For further support, and to see our latest parent events and services, please visit the Families hub for all families, or our Adoptive Parents hub where you’ll find peer support, school strategies, play-based therapeutic services and much more.
You can also explore our resources for instant support and read further insights and tips from qualified therapists and professionals on our blog. In addition, you can try the lumin&us® app for parent/child connection.
Support for professionals
We provide professional training to use our resources with families and in schools. We partner with support for families, support and supervision, and virtual workshop facilitation.