SWAC Open Sessions
These are held monthly and are open to anyone, in any role, working in or with a SWAC agency, whether as a social worker, support worker, in an administrative capacity, or as a panel chair or panel member. These sessions are also open to IROs in the local authorities linked to the three SWAC RAAs.
The Open Sessions are all held virtually via Teams. They take the form of a presentation by a speaker followed by questions and discussion, so are suitable for social workers to record as CPD. There is no need to sign up in advance for them; just join us on the day. The Teams links are embedded in this newsletter, or you can email Heather or Becky for the link. Information about Open Sessions and the Teams links is also sent out directly to as many people as possible within all the SWAC agencies.
We are now recording most of these sessions if the presenter and those attending agree to us doing so. Ask Heather if you would like access to any of the recordings. We only record the presentation, not the discussions which follow, so attendance in person is still always best.
Education in Adoption
Anne Henderson will be leading a session looking at education issues for adopted youngsters. Anne is part of Allado Education and has worked closely alongside Louise Michelle Bombèr for many years. She has over 20 years’ experience working in Primary Education. She is a strategic lead teacher and adoptive parent, and has worked as a class teacher, assistant head and a specialist teacher supporting schools, pupil groups, teachers and staff in schools from Reception to Year 11. She has continued her own professional development to complete DDP and Theraplay level 1 and level 2. Anne is also an accredited trainer and practitioner in Therapeutic Story Writing and Story Links and has completed a year-long foundation study in Drama Therapy at Roehampton University. Armed with a wealth of strategies, Anne is an experienced trainer who can contribute current, real-life cases and solution-focused thinking to those involved in education.
— 13th October 2026
Working with Teenagers
Adoption Connects, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Adopt East have been trialling new approaches with young people who are adopted to improve their adoption support offer, enhance family relationships and reduce the chances of family breakdown. When speaking directly to young people, the RAAs heard that young people did not want hours of therapy or intense psychological support. The support they needed to thrive in their home lives and beyond was more focused on peer support, surrounding themselves with others from similar backgrounds, spending time doing things they enjoy in a relaxed environment while being able to talk freely and being understood by others with shared experiences. Come and hear more about their approach!
— 25th November 2026
Adoptee Voices
Katharine Slocombe from Adoption UK will lead a session looking at what we can learn from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence (APPGAP) Adoptee Voices Inquiry, which was published in January 2026. Co-produced with adopted young people and led by a steering group of adoptees, the inquiry draws on evidence from over 300 adoptees aged 13 to 25 across England. It focuses on three key areas that matter deeply to young people growing up adopted: identity, health and wellbeing, and education.
— 1st December 2026
South West Permanence Project
Claire Downes from the South West Permanence Project will be talking about the outcomes of the project, which is the first of its kind nationally to focus exclusively on permanence for children with disabilities. The project has introduced new ways of working to improve outcomes for children and families, including:
— Early and holistic assessment, including detailed ecomaps of each child’s support network
— Improved collaboration between the child’s Social Care team and Adoption services
— Specialist adopter preparation, focused on disability understanding and long‑term support
— Honest, comprehensive child Link Maker profiles, ensuring families understand each child’s strengths and needs.
— 25th January 2027
Multidisciplinary working in adoption support – learning from ATV’s Anchor Team
Justine Manning from Adopt Thames Valley will talk to us about their innovative Anchor Team, which has transformed adoption and special guardianship support across the region. Funded by Adoption England (with grant funding from the Department for Education) and developed in consultation with families, Anchor’s multi-disciplinary team provides specialist therapeutic support for adoptive families across Berkshire and Swindon. The team, made up of highly skilled psychologists, social care practitioners, an educational psychologist, and an occupational therapist, has achieved something remarkable within the adoption sector, and families can now access an assessment within two weeks of their first contact. In a field where lengthy waiting lists have long been a challenge, and families have often been unable to access the support they need, Anchor is ensuring that help is available when it’s needed most and therefore reducing the chances of family breakdown or crisis.
— 9th February 2027
For joining details, please contact Heather Freeman at heather.freeman@ccsadoption.org or Becky Hosken at becky@ccsadoption.org.
