The ARC Adoption team has listed some resources below that we think may be helpful to our adopters and children. We'd love to hear from you if you have found any of the resources particularly useful, or if there are other resources that you would recommend and would like to share with others. 

How to Teach Your Kids about the Brain

When children understand what’s happening in the brain, it can be the first step to having the power to make choices. Knowledge can be equally powerful to parents too. Knowing how the brain works means we can also understand how to respond when our children need our help.

How to teach your kids about their brain

A huge free printable list of 100 calm down strategies for kids. These are simple strategies kids can use to calm down when angry, upset, frustrated, or overwhelmed. The free printable makes an excellent addition to a homemade calm down kit as well.

 Calm down strategies for kids

100 SIMPLE CALM DOWN STRATEGIES FOR KIDS

The Window of Tolerance Explained

When your child has flipped their lid, the “upstairs” part of the brain is not available. The upstairs part of the brain is where we can make decisions, show empathy, have self control etc. Therefore, we need to wait until the child calms down or help them calm down, before we start trying to rationalise with them. Watch this short video here: 

Summary of the whole brain

Similarly, when your child is upset, we should first connect right brain to right brain. Yes, with empathy. Then, once they are more receptive, we are able to redirect with the left brain. Redirect does not mean to distract. It means to involve the child in making amends and finding solutions together.

Survival in School by Helen Townsend and www.innerworldwork.co.uk

http://www.fasdnetwork.org/uploads/9/5/1/1/9511748/survival_in_school_birth_trauma.pdf

 

Children’s books

The family Book – Todd Parr- celebrates all kinds of families and shows how each one is special in its own way.

The ‘I love you book’ – Todd Parr - celebrates the unconditional love between parent and child. From the heartfelt ('I love you when you need hugs') to the light hearted ('I love you when you hide my keys') and with many moments in between that are sure to make readers smile and reminisce, this is the perfect book for families to share together to remind children how much they are loved, each and every day. 

It’s OK to be different – Todd Parr - Inspires children (and adults) to embrace their individuality through acceptance of others and self-confidence

The Great Big family Book – Mary Hoffman & Ros Asquith - This is a fresh, optimistic look through children's eyes at today's wide variety of family life: from homes, food, ways of celebrating, schools and holidays to getting around, jobs and housework, from extended families, languages and hobbies to pets and family trees.

BookTrust have put together a list of favourite books for little ones that show and celebrate, diverse families. They're also brilliant, fun reads that you'll really love sharing with your child.

And Tango Makes Three

Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell Illustrator: Henry Cole

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Books

Interest age: 3+

Reading age: 5+

Roy and Silo are two boy penguins who live in the zoo in New York's Central Park. This is a really delightful story and the message behind it is subtle. It's a true story, and you can learn more about it in a note at the end.

Baby's First Words

Author: Tessa Strickland and Kate DePalma Illustrator: Christiane Engel

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Interest age: 0-3

Designed by a child development expert so it supports the way babies naturally learn language, this book is full of warm colours and down-to-earth glimpses of family life. There are over 100 words to learn in this sturdy board book.

Everywhere Babies

Author: Susan Meyers Illustrator: Marla Frazee

Publisher: Red Wagon Books

Interest age: 0-3

This gorgeous board book follows all sorts of babies – 'small babies, tall babies, winter and spring babies' – over the course of a year. It's a true celebration of babies and the joy and giggles they bring – and also highlights the diversity of everyday family life.

Mommy, Mama and Me

Author: Leslea Newman Illustrator: Carol Thompson

Publisher: Tricycle Press

Interest age: 0-3

What a treat: a warm and adorably illustrated board book about a loving family which just happens to have two mums in it. There's a fun, upbeat universality to it: the packing of lunches, the trip to the playground, the baking of cakes and the end-of-the-day bath.

The Family Book

Author: Todd Parr

Publisher: Little Brown & Company

Interest age: 3-6

Reading age: 5-8

A joyous picture book about the importance of family and all the strength it can give you, this celebrates family in all its wonderful, diverse glory. The message is subtle, but a crucial one: every family is special and the only thing that matters is love.

The Great Big Book of Families

Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Ros Asquith

Publisher: Frances Lincoln

Interest age: 4+

Reading age: 7+

The Great Big Book of Families is about the diversity of families. The simple message is that every family is unique and special and that there is no such thing as "normal" or "abnormal".

Under the Love Umbrella

Author: Davina Bell Illustrator: Allison Colpoys

Publisher: Scribble

Interest age: 3-7

Reading age: 5+

Bright, expressive and featuring joyfully diverse illustration throughout, Under the Love Umbrella provides poetic reassurance that whatever happens, children will be protected and loved.

We Are Family

Author: Patricia Hegarty Illustrator: Ryan Wheatcroft

Publisher: Caterpillar Books

Interest age: 4-7

Reading age: 5+

On each double-page spread of this vibrant, lovely book, families show the different ways they experience a variety of common experiences to us all. Overall, the great thing about families, whatever their makeup, is that they help us through the difficult times.

PACE Illustration

This PACE illustration was created by Emma Sutton with input from clinical psychologist and renowned expert on PACE and therapeutic parenting, Kim Golding.

Emma Sutton draws on the following books that she has personally read:

• Creating Loving Attachments; Parenting with PACE to Nurture Confidence and Security in the Troubled Child, by Kim S Golding and Daniel A Hughes
• Everyday Parenting with Security and Love; Using PACE to Provide Foundations for Attachments by Kim S Golding

The following books are useful resources for those looking to learn more about attachment;

• Attachment Focused parenting, by Dan Hughes
• Building the Bonds of Attachment (3rd ed) by Dan Hughes

Support for Sleep

We understand that sleep or lack of it can be a big thing for our families, or any family with children for that matter. The Little Sleep Company, founded by psychology graduate and professional nanny, Imogen, provides holistic infant sleep support to both families and organisations - considering a wide range of factors that impact a family from attachment, temperament and parental stress to nutrition and everything in between. 

On The Little Sleep Company website you can access a range of resources - both free, and available to purchase. 

Keeping Children Safe Online

Skips Safety Net is a unique educational resource designed to engage children and parents, in a concerted effort to encourage safe online practice in the home. They have produced the poster shown below in order to alert and signpost parents to a wide range of resources available to support online safety. You can access all of the parents guides mentioned in the poster via this webpage.

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If you would like to find out more about the adoption resources or you would like to access support from ARC Adoption's Therapeutic Adoption Support Team then please email [email protected] or 0191 516 6466