About our Adopt a Change training
This is a rare opportunity to experience a training designed and delivered by young adopted people. The day is immersive, experiential, and creative, asking you to look at adoption from a young person’s perspective.
Who is it for?
Adoption England has commissioned this training for professionals working across education, social care, and health. It provides an opportunity to hear directly from young people about how they are affected by the systems and services designed to support them—and to help professionals understand adoption through the eyes of those with lived experience.
The goal is to ensure young people’s voices influence professional practice, enabling services to adopt best practice that is informed, inclusive, and empathetic. This approach aims to improve support for young people who often feel misunderstood.
Aimed at the following professionals
- Education: Virtual schools, Designated teachers, Educational Psychologists, Ofsted Inspectors, SEN & Inclusion.
- Social work: Adoption services (recruitment & assessment, family finding, post adoption support, panel members), Children’s social care & safeguarding, therapeutic social work.
- Health: GP’s, Occupational therapy, Providers of therapeutic services e.g. child & adolescent psychotherapists, play therapists etc.
Topics include
- Challenging assumptions and bias
- Transitions and challenges in education
- Building supportive relationships
- Young people’s views on identity
The energy and insight the young trainers bring make this a truly unique experience.
Why it’s relevant to you
Whether you work in education, adoption services, children’s services or therapy, this training will help you:
- Understand the lived experiences of adopted young people in today’s society and the unique circumstances they face.
- Explore practical strategies for supporting them in school, home, and therapeutic settings.
- Challenge your bias, beliefs & stereotypes about adoption that we all hold.
- Strengthen collaboration across sectors to improve outcomes.
Learning outcomes
- Recognise and respond effectively to the experiences and challenges faced by adopted young people.
- Gain practical tools to support and advocate for young people in your professional context.
- Understand the significance of communication and language in building trust and engagement.
- Reflect on identity and how to meet evolving needs.
Upcoming Adopt a Change training events
Newcastle: Wednesday 25th February 2026
Venue: Neville Hall, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1SE
Time: 10:30am – 4pm
Book now: https://forms.office.com/e/B3C2e6xpPv
Liverpool: Friday 27th March 2026
Venue: Liverpool Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BT
Time: 10.30am – 4pm
Book now: https://forms.office.com/e/CbjUajTZ4p
London: Monday 29th June 2026
Venue: The Lift, 45 White Lion Street, Islington, London, N1 NPW
Time: 10.30am – 4pm
Book now: https://forms.office.com/e/xyenbBTkzH
Cheltenham: Tuesday 8th September 2026
Venue: The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 6PN
Time: 10.30am – 4pm
Book now: https://forms.office.com/e/W5cTR3cxAY
Feedback quotes
“I came back and said to my team, that was the best training I have ever been on and I’ve been in the job 30 odd years. The group of young people were honest, funny and really held their own which isn’t always easy when delivering to a group of professionals. I thought it was just so powerful.”
–Service Manager – Adoption Central England“Our agency are going to update our stage two adopter training with the identity exercises from the program – such a powerful tool to reflect on the importance of knowing your story.”
– Coram Ambitious for Adoption“This training would be extremely useful to education staff particularly alongside social workers.”
– Service Manager
If you have any queries about Adopt A Change – please email tanya.killick@pac-uk.org
