Conference 2025

Conference Agenda

Our speakers:

Julie Selwyn CBE

JS’ Slides

Julie Selwyn is Professor of Education and Adoption at the Rees Centre, Department of Education, University of Oxford.   She is a qualified social worker who worked in residential, child protection, fostering, and adoption teams before becoming an academic. She has led many studies on adoption and kinship care as well as the Bright Spots research on the well-being of children in care and care leavers.  Julie has worked as a special advisor to the House of Lords, given expert advice in the courts in the UK and Australia,  and has contributed to the Family Justice Board modernising adoption report. She was awarded a CBE for services to adopted children and children in care in 2015. Julie led the Beyond the Adoption Order study that led to the introduction of the Adoption Support Fund.  She is currently working on a new longitudinal study Family Routes: growing up in adoptive and special guardianship families.  The new study follows young people aged 12-25 years and their families to get a greater understanding of the needs of families during the teenage years through to early adulthood.

Ruth Copson, Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia

RC’s Slides NV

‘Maintaining relationships’ in adoption: why does adoption need to change and how can we achieve this?’

There has been a recent shift in thinking about the approach to birth family contact in adoption, with a move towards helping more adopted children stay in touch with people from their birth families. This presentation will outline the reasons behind this shift and will explore the research evidence around the effects of different forms of post-adoption contact. The presentation builds on the adoption research carried out at the University of East Anglia, as well as the recent practice development work led by UEA and funded by Adoption England. The talk will draw on the perspectives of adopted young people and adults, adoptive parents, and birth relatives. Key messages about making safe and meaningful ‘staying in touch’ plans for children will be drawn out.

Adoption reflections – notes from an Adopted Adult

AW Conference – Contact Presentation NP

 Please follow the link (click the icon), to give your feedback for today.

You can find more information from the organisations that joined us, by clicking their logos.

Thank you for attending our conference on Maintaining Relationships, please find the thoughts discussed in the groups.

Adopter FD Notes

Professionals – to follow after half term