The POTATO group
Parents Of Traumatised Adopted Teens Organisation. parentingadoptedteens@gmail.com
Welcome all Parents of Teens, Adopted in the UK
We are a UK based group of parents who have adopted our children from the looked after system in the past 20 years. All of our teenagers are incredible survivors who need specialist parenting which can be very hard going. Despite dealing with some heavy subjects, we like to meet socially and have a bit of relaxation with other parents who understand what we are facing. These pages are by way of an introduction to our group, our aims and an overview of what we do. Our Group is a not for profit organisation committed to this community. Here is a brief (not exclusive) list of things POTATO group do.
- Demonstrate kindness to fellow adoptive parents of adopted young people in the UK by face to face, email and the private facebook facilities.
- Share our considerable expertise in areas such as housing, specialist schools/ colleges, mental health problems, therapy, addictions and other difficulties traumatised young people often bring into our lives.
- Several members are active in promoting good practice ideas and presenting to local and national authorities.
- Actively encourage “self care” within the membership, encouraging good physical and mental wellbeing in parents.
- Train & support volunteers and develop financially so we can cover volunteer expenses.
- Offer training to social care, education, social and health groups in life lived with adopted teens with practical strategies.
- Provide national events of interest for Parents of traumatised young people.
Section 20, please help the investigation.
The family rights group would like to hear from those involved in Section 20.
There's a significant group of Adoptive parents who have one or more young people who are unable to manage in a family.
Often, they end up in the position of asking for respite or a long term placement under a voluntary agreement with the local authority called section 20.
Here is a quote explaining who they would like contributions from:
We would like a range of individuals and organisations who have experience of, or have been affected by the use of, section 20 arrangements to contribute to the Knowledge Inquiry.
We would like to hear from:
• Children and young people;
• Parents;
• Kinship carers (also known as family & friends carers);
• Social workers and social work managers as well as other practitioners such as family support workers, contact workers and advocates;
• Foster carers;
• Lawyers; and
• Voluntary sector organisations, policy makers and academics.
Here is the link with instructions to follow
Blogging for Bamboo
Several members have submitted pieces and they have been accepted onto the Adoption Social website.
We have had an excellent lot of feedback from these pieces, our most recent conclusion of the Bamboo Scaffolding set of pieces.
If you would like to be inspired or just get a deeper understanding of life with older ones who have suffered repeated early trauma, you can’t go wrong reading these.
Arts Pictures
If you were wondering what sort of Art the Arts day is about- here are some pictures of the work produced.
(With permission of the artists.)
Arts Day
This weekend it is the POTATO arts day and several members are looking to attend with lots of creativity. We are a group that physically meets up as well as using our facebook and conferences plus individual face to face times.
It’s on the 24th of June 2017 in the Sheffield area. There are a few spaces left if you are a member and would like to go. Just email us parentingadoptedteens@gmail.com
Check out our website over the next couple of weeks to see photos.
Bamboo scaffolding
Welcome to this months trilogy of Blog pieces all about the wonderful founder member from our group taking her TAT (Traumatised adopted teen) away on an amazing break together.
Hugely brave and funny, this Blog is an exciting read. In awe of this members bravery and her drive to keep going.
Looking forward to reading part 2 and 3 over the next couple of weeks.
Relationships blog
This blog piece is a fascinating insight into life of a member who has a changing reality of relationships.
We understand the separation rate in adoption is similar to that of parents with children who have additional needs.
But there are a few amazing individuals who have healed, moved on and explored having a relationship. Plus the dating side can be great fun!
This weeks blog is all about this. It’s a brave thing to have written.
Blog Buster!
Thank you all for your warm support of our blog pieces. Our website traffic has increased and we have been getting lots of positive feedback.
The Adoption Social and The Open Nest have joined us in this venture. Please do check their websites for BLOG pieces and other information of interest to adoptive parents of traumatised young people.
Independence Day!
Well, not quite as it seems. More….Independence Day with frills….
POTATO group member parent writes about their incredible experiences of adoptive parenting and the wonderful experiences of encouraging and equipping their vulnerable young adult to move out.
YES! It can be done and there are some EXCELLENT tips in this Blog piece for parents looking ahead to moving our TATs (Traumatised Adopted Teenagers) on in a positive way.
Mental Health and staying in.
This blog piece is by a member of our group who has extensive experience of Mental Health issues within the family made up of adopted young people.
Fascinating insight into how it is to try and get adequate and appropriate let alone timely provision for them has been a long road.
This piece will help parents on a similiar track, but also help those who have been there make sense of some of their experiences.
Transference and an adoptive parent.
This week we have a blog post written by a group member who has experienced transference, in relation to her teenage daughters.
We have had a lot of positive feed back from the first blog post in association with The Adoption Social and the Open Nest. This piece the next in the series from The POTATO group.
There’s a lot of learning in here, not only personal experience of one member.
