NEW SCHOOL PACK TO COMBAT NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS ADOPTION
06 November 2009
For immediate release
Friday 6 October 2009
Adopted young people between 15-23 years have produced a new magazine and DVD to combat the negative attitudes towards being adopted. The pack, which also includes worksheets and games, is available to secondary schools throughout the country and is being launched during National Adoption Week (9-15 November). The young people who have designed the pack, form part of a group run by two adoption agencies – Coram Adopt East Midlands and Adoption Support in the West Midlands.
The magazine entitled ‘The Adoptables’ features poems; interviews and problem pages – all of which illustrate issues faced by children and young people who have been adopted. The DVD, which is called ‘You don’t look adopted do you’ focuses on the life story book of an adopted girl - a book all adopted children should be given which contains information and pictures of their life and helps them to understand what has happened to them. The film is supported by Mediabox, a Department for Children, Schools and Families fund to help young people have a positive voice in the media.
The idea for the pack came about from adopted young people who felt that their peers at school didn’t quite know how to react when they found out they were adopted. “We wanted to show others, at school, how we wished to be treated when they found out about our lives and to also show we have a lot of bravery as young people, to carry on with day to day life considering the problems we had.” (Stacey, 17)
Lorraine Wallis, from Coram’s Young People’s project, says:
“The young people have shown such commitment and talent in making both the magazine and DVD. We hope the pack will help pupils and teachers understand what it is like to be adopted. What adopted young people want from pupils and teachers is understanding, not sympathy and certainly not bullying.”
For further information, or to order a copy of the resource pack for schools, please contact: Lorraine Wallis 01509 600 306 lorraine@coram-ema.org.uk or Steve 0121 666 6014 adoptionsupport@tiscali.co.uk
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For further media information on Coram, please contact Roberta Goldstein on 020 7520 0346 or email roberta@coram.org.uk
Notes to editor:
Coram’s Young People’s project in the East Midlands offers a place for children and young people who are adopted to share their thoughts and feelings and develop friendships. Every the year, the project organises four camping holidays for these children and young people to develop their confidence and skills through challenging outdoor activities and group work. Coram is the third largest voluntary adoption agency in the country. www.coram.org.uk
Adoption Support is a small independent charity registered as an adoption support agency based in Birmingham, and works across the West Midlands with anyone whose life has been affected by adoption. www.adoptionsupport.co.uk
The British Association of Adoption and Fostering runs National Adoption Week from 9-15 November 2009. For more information visit www.baaf.org.uk
