Adopter Champions Adoption UK April 2015

Introduction from the Chief Executive

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Adopter Champion at Adoption UK.

Adoption UK exists to make a positive difference to the lives of adopted children and other children who cannot live with their birth families. For over 40 years we have developed different ways to support adoptive families, through peer support, campaigning, and training and education. Our key stakeholders are adoptive and prospective families themselves, with an individual membership of over 10,000 adopters and prospective adopters, professionals involved with those families, adoption agencies and policy makers across the UK.

This is an important and exciting time in the world of adoption. We are expecting a Bill on adoption in Northern Ireland in the near future, we are actively involved in the development of a national adoption service in Wales and we are significantly influencing the policy and legislative developments in England. All of this activity is bringing a much clearer focus on the need for better adoption support. As a well-established provider of adoption support services we see the potential to develop and scale up our offer to families and professionals.

Current developments include partnerships with other adoption agencies, a full review of our service portfolio, work to refocus and develop our evidence base and the ability to report more effectively on the outcomes we achieve for children.

Adoption UK is a special and unique organisation, we are highly regarded, our services are greatly valued and we have a significant level of influence as a consequence of our closeness to our members and the wider adoption community. I believe that we have very strong foundations on which to build and the Board and I with the senior team are ambitious to grow both the influence and impact of the charity.

I do hope that this opportunity inspires you to take an interest and we look forward to receiving your application if you think you have the ambition, vigour and skills to play a part in the development of an organisation at a time when the political interest in adoption has never been higher.

Yours sincerely,

Hugh ThornberyChief Executive

Our Purpose

We offer the benefit of peer support, using a deeper level of understanding from experienced adoptive parents, enabling adopters and prospective adopters to benefit from those further along the path of adoption.

All adopted children have suffered the loss of being separated from their birth families.

Unfortunately many have experienced neglect and/or abuse in those families. Early trauma at a crucial time in their lives can lead to emotional, behavioural, educational and development difficulties. This in turn may affect their ability to form secure relationships in the future.

We are uniquely placed to raise awareness and understanding of the complexities of adoption by combining the knowledge and expertise from leading authorities in the field with the real-life experiences of adoptive parents.

We take the latest research and findings in child development and neuroscience and translate them into practical strategies for parents.

We offer a non-judgemental and safe environment in which to share the challenges and rewards of adoptive parenting. As a large community of adoptive parents we also have a strong voice and thus power to influence and challenge current prevailing beliefs amongst governments and the public.

Our Vision

Our vision is a world where all children and young people unable to live with their birth parents can find security and happiness with permanent families who have the right support to build brighter futures.

Our Values‘ Supportive – we are a community, always here

for each other

‘ Determined – to make a difference

‘ Hopeful – we believe all children can enjoy positive futures

‘ Understanding – we use our knowledge and empathy

‘ Open – we are transparent and accessible

Our MissionIn pursuit of our purpose we:

Provide peer to peer support through our online information, message boards, helpline and different levels of individual support, depending on need. All those providing this support communicate from their lived experience of adoption and/or professional expertise.

Influence decision makers through the knowledge and experience of our members and the wider adoption and long-term fostering communities. We carry out research, develop case studies and contribute to empirical evidence of what it is like to be an adopter or long-term carer of a child who is unable to live with their birth family in the 21st century.

Provide training and publications that set out to inform adopters, carers and professionals alike of the neurological and psychological effects of early childhood trauma and attachment difficulties. Adoption UK helps parents and carers to transform the lives of children, so that they can better overcome and come to terms with what has happened in their lives.

Adoption UK | Director of Services | September 2013 7

Role description

Job title: Adopter Champion

Responsible to: Regional Managers

Hours: 7 to 14 hours per month

Duration: Initially until 31 March 2016

Location: Home based

Salary: Voluntary (unpaid), all reasonable travel expenses paid.

Role description

The Adopter Voice initiative is funded in 2015/16 by the Department for Education’s VCS National Prospectus Grants Programme. The initiative is being delivered by Adoption UK and is designed to generate and facilitate greater adopter involvement and influence on adoption services at both a local and a national level.

Please note that the tasks listed below are often carried out by more than one Adopter Champion in some regions and therefore the role may be regional or sub-regional.

Role: Adopter Champion (volunteer)Responsible to: Regional ManagerLocation: Home-basedHours: Between seven and fourteen hours per month

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

To represent the views of adoptive families at a local and regional (or sub-regional) level via the Adopter Voice initiative.

To support opportunities for adoptive families to be involved in and influence adoption services locally, regionally and nationally.

MAIN TASKS

1. To monitor and review (Adoption UK hosted) online forum discussions aligned to local authorities within a given allocated area (regional/sub-regional);

2. To facilitate dialogue on the forums, focused around key themes agreed/approved by Adoption UK;3. To fairly and accurately report the collated (themed) views of adopters to named local authority adoption

team lead contacts;4. Where agreed, to voice thematic adopter feedback at Regional Adoption Leadership Boards;5. Where these are in place (10 pilot local authority areas) to participate in local direct engagement forums

facilitated by Adoption UK professional staff;6. To contribute to the channeling of themed adopter views to the national Adoption Leadership Board via

Adoption UK;7. To keep up-to-date with adoptive parenting issues through reading Adoption Today, Adoption UK

publications and information, and other relevant background material;8. To attend volunteer induction training and ongoing training and development, as necessary;9. To talk to, or meet with, relevant Adoption UK staff for the purpose of supervision and review, as

necessary; and10. To comply with Adoption UK’s health and safety, equal opportunities, child protection and vulnerable

adult, data protection, confidentiality and other policies.

This role description is a guide to the nature of the activities required to support delivery of the Adopter Voice initiative and may involve other such activities agreed between Adoption UK, the funding organisation and local and national stakeholders. It is not wholly comprehensive or restrictive.

Person Specification

DEMONSTRATED BYEXPERIENCE o Personal experience of adoption as an

adoptive parent (with parenting experience of at least one year after the granting of an adoption order)

o Sound knowledge of current adoption issues, or a strong interest in developing such a knowledge

CV/Application/Interview/All

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

o Good communication and interpersonal skills

o Good listening skillso Ability to represent the collective views of

adopters without personal prejudiceo Ability to organise and hold meetingso Basic IT skills (e.g., email and word-

processing)

CV/Application/Interview/All

QUALITIES o Enthusiasm for representing the voice of adoptive parents at a local and regional level

o Empathy and an understanding of the issues facing adoptive parents

o An interest in peopleo Support for equal opportunity and anti-

discriminatory practiceso A team player

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please send a completed application form. Alternatively you may submit your current CV. Applicants will be shortlisted for interview on the basis of the criteria listed in the Personal Specification for the role advertised. Please give your reasons for applying and provide further information on how your experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and qualities meet the criteria required for this role. Please also supply any other information which you feel is relevant to your application.

In accordance with the Data Protection Act, the information you provide in your application, and in any accompanying papers, will be used to assess your suitability for the role advertised. It will not be released to anyone who does not require it for this purpose. If you are appointed, this information will form the basis of your volunteering file within Adoption UK, otherwise it will be destroyed six months after the role is filled, unless you give us permission to hold it on file.

You are also invited to complete and return the equal opportunities monitoring information form. The information on the form will be treated as confidential, and used for statistical purposes. The form will not be treated as part of your application.

Finally please ensure that you have included mobile, work and home telephone numbers, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable.

Applications should be made via the Adoption UK website: www.adoptionuk.org/about-us/jobs orEmailed to hr@adoptionuk.org.ukorApplications can also be posted to:HR, Adoption UK, Linden House, 55 South Bar St, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 9AB

Timetable

Applications closing date:Monday 22 June 2015

Informal interviews will be in person – the two weeks commencing 29 June and 06 July 2015.

These dates may be subject to change and applicants will be advised in advance should this happen.

Recruitment Process

Should you decide to make a formal application, you will receive feedback within five working days of the closing date. The successful appointment is subject to a satisfactory criminal records disclosure and written references.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process or need additional information, please contact Joel Saddler Joel@adoptionuk.org.uk