PAC has recently been involved in the development of an individualised parenting programme for adopters facing challenging problems in children aged 3-9 recently placed from care. The parenting programme, written for use by experienced adoption support workers, will be published by BAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering) in January 2012 and is entitled:
Enhancing adoptive parenting: A parenting programme for use with new adopters of challenging children by Alan Rushton and Helen Upright
Professor Alan Rushton is Chair of Trustees of PAC and Dr Helen Upright is Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Cambridgeshire Fostering and Adoption Clinical Psychology Service.
Unlike many interventions in adoption support, this programme has been rigorously tested for effectiveness in a Randomised Controlled Trial as part of the Adoption Research Initiative (funded by the Department for Education and the Nuffield Foundation). See Rushton A. and Monck E. (2009) Enhancing Adoptive Parenting: A test of effectiveness, BAAF.
The parenting programme has two main aims:
- to help adopters understand the child’s problems and how they may be related to his/her prior experiences
- to help adopters manage a range of problems such as relationship difficulties, discipline problems, fears and anxiety, over-activity, eating and sleeping problems, etc.
PAC welcomes referrals and has specially trained staff who can deliver the 10 week programme.
For futher information please email advice@pac.org.uk
