Warwickshire News Mine

Warwickshire County Council’s Adoption Service and Family and Parent Support Team have joined with Rugby Relate to set up a mentor programme to provide help for parents during the crucial early days of adoptive placements.

The Listening Ear for Adoptive Parents Scheme (also known as LEAPS or the Adopter Mentoring Scheme) was set up by Angela Wilkin, Operations Manager for the council’s adoption service. Building on the success of Relate’s existing parent mentor projects she put the wheels in motion to adapt the scheme for Warwickshire’s adoptive parents.

LEAPS currently has seven adopter mentors who have received training and a level 3 qualification from the National Open College Network.

Mentors are linked with adoptive parents as soon as they are matched with a child, and their role is to keep up contact with the new parents on a weekly basis. This offers the new parents the opportunity to receive low level support from someone who ‘has been there, and done it’.

Angela Wilkin said: “The adopter mentors have all successfully adopted their own children but can still remember the uncertainties, fears and doubts that new adoptive parents go through in the very early months of a placement.

“For this reason they are well placed to offer support to other new parents, and we ensure they are equipped to offer this support by offering ongoing supervision and further training sessions.”

The scheme was launched in May and has so far proved very successful with 20 adoptive parents accessing the scheme. Next steps will be to expand the scheme further to offer Adopter Mentors to adoptive parents when they are going through difficult periods.

Sharon is an adoptive parent of 2 year old from North Warwickshire. She said: "My mentor has been fantastic. It is good to talk to someone as a sounding board and check out that my emotions are normal with some one who has been there."

Max, a mentor from South Warwickshire explains some of the benefits of the programme, he said: “My experience of the mentoring service is that it offers support, empathy and the sharing of the sometimes difficult elements of adoption, which can be quite daunting.
“From a personal development point of view, it has helped me to understand and expand some skills that I didn’t recognise in myself before becoming a mentor. It is also rewarding to contribute to a worthwhile cause as part of a team whose main aim is helping other adoptive parents.

Warwickshire County Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families added: “National Adoption Week raises awareness of adoption, encourages people to come forward to adopt and celebrates the work of adoption services around the country.

“The LEAPS programme with its strong network of peer mentors is a prime example of the innovative support on offer for Warwickshire’s adoptive parents.”

Warwickshire are currently looking for adoptive parents who can offer a home to children of black and ethnic minorities or children from dual heritage backgrounds, older children and sibling groups. If interested call the Adoption Team on 01926 746956 or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/adoption.

Link to WCC