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12 year old moving country and school

Taylor October 13, 2019 21:41

We have 2 adopted children aged 15 and 12. We have recently moved back from Spain. Our son is settling in well and is exceeding expectations. Our daughter is struggling and is too emotionally immature to discuss her feelings and comes across rude and argumentative it doesn't help that she started her periods this year as this makes her emotions 10 x worse. I'm going to see the school this week as this has got alot worse since returning to the uk and we knew there would be a period of adjustment but really want to know how we can assist her and explain this to the school as I'm afraid she maybe getting a bit of a reputation.

Edited 17/02/2021
Simon October 14, 2019 18:36

Before you do anything else, I would recommend you ring the Adoption UK helpline for some sound/quality advice. I have cut and paste the helpline details from this website:

"Helpline Our helpline advisers offer practical suggestions, information and encouragement, or can point you in the right direction for specialist help. Wherever you are in the process, whatever difficulties you are having, make our helpline your first port of call. Nations Monday to Thursday 10.00am - 2.30pm and Friday 10.00am - 12.30pm (excluding bank holidays) England - 07904 793 974 and 07539 733079 You can also email them on [email protected]"

Some other practical suggestions:

Ensure you speak to the designated person in the school responsible for adopted children (all schools are required to have a designated person by law).

Contact your regional or local authority "post adoption" agency for advice, support and help.

Definitely worth buying and reading "The Trauma and Attachment-Aware Classroom" by Rebecca Brooks. Rebecca is a former secondary school teacher and currently education policy adviser to Adoption UK. https://www.adoptionuk.org/News/the-trauma-and-attachment-aware-classroom

Edited 17/02/2021
BeckyAUK October 15, 2019 16:15

Hi Taylor, are you living in England now, and were your children adopted in England, from a LA in England or Wales originally? If so, they will both be entitled to extra funding in school in the form of Pupil Premium Plus (although it may be too late to apply for your 15-year-old). The school is required by law to have a Designated Teacher for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After Children who should be your main point of contact whether your children were adopted within England or not. It would be worth finding out who the Designated Teacher is at your children's school, and talking to them about your concerns. There is no guarantee, but if anyone in the school is likely to have any understanding of the needs of adopted and previously looked-after children, it ought to be the Designated Teacher. As I said, there are no guarantees! I am sure there are parents on here who will be able to offer some fantastic advice, but also do feel free to email me: [email protected]

Edited 17/02/2021

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