Webwatch: Post Adoption Central Support – supporting adoptive families and permanent foster carers

Post Adoption Central Support (PACS) is a small charitable organisation based in Stirling that comprises parents, social workers and other professionals involved in adoption and long-term foster care. It offers a range of post placement support and services to adoptive families and permanent foster carers.

PACS receives a grant from Clackmannan, Falkirk and Stirling Councils to provide its services.

Services it offers include:

  • Emotional support – a listening ear and sounding board to talk over issues and concerns.
  • Training opportunities – PACS funds its local adopters and carers to attend conferences and workshops to learn and develop a deeper understanding of their role as parents. Its in-house events are led by Fiona Lettice and Barbara Godden, experienced adopters and trainers.
  • Regular PACS Newsletters – it has a circulation list of over 200, including families, social workers, education, health and other professionals.
  • Social events such as its New Year party, held jointly with Adoption UK, which provides the opportunity for adopters and adopted children to get together.

PACS has published three publications written by adoptive parents, based on the concept of attachment, which have made a valuable contribution to the understanding of children’s development:

  • Adoption, attachment issues and your school (Leaflet)
  • Stop Wasting My Time! Case studies of pupils with attachment issues in schools, with special reference to looked after and adopted children.
  • Go away people! Encounters in daily living with looked after and adopted children and young people with attachment issues (booklet)

Visit the PACS website: http://www.postadoptioncentralsupport.org/