Our approach, values and DDP

Our experienced team provides compassionate, relationship-focused support, including advice, therapy, training, and peer connection. We are here to help adoptive families, adopted children and adults, and professionals—including signposting to external services when needed, covering Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry.

Our therapeutic approach

As a certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) agency, ACE strengthens caregiver-child relationships to heal relational trauma.

We cultivate a safe environment using PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy), helping families build trust, regulate emotions, and safely process difficult experiences together.

Who can access ACE Adoption Support?

You may be eligible for support if you are:

• An ACE adopter living within the ACE region with a child subject to an Adoption Order.
• An adopter approved through another Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) where the Adoption Order has been in place for more than three years and you now live within the ACE region.
• The family of an ACE child placed outside the region within three years of the Adoption Order being granted.
• An adopter approved through a Voluntary Adoption Agency (VAA) living within the ACE region and requiring advice, information, or an assessment of adoption support needs.
• A professional seeking advice or consultation on adoption-related matters.
• An adopted adult who was placed by one of the ACE regional local authorities, seeking advice or access to adoption records.

Age range for support

ACE works with adoptive families where children and young people are:

• Up to 18 years old
• Up to 21 years old where adoption support needs continue.
• Up to 25 years old where the young person has previously had an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and identified adoption support needs that may be funded through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF)

Assessment of Adoption Support Needs

Eligible individuals have the right to request an Assessment of Adoption Support Needs. Our assessments identify the best support for your child and family.

Using a DDP-informed approach, we place the child’s voice at the centre, which may include inviting them to meet with our staff.

An assessment may consider:

• Emotional wellbeing and attachment
• The child’s lived experience
• Parenting support needs
• Identity, ethnic and cultural needs
• Family relationships
• Therapeutic support requirements
• Education-related concerns
• Contact arrangements
• Training and development needs
• Support for adopted adults

What support can ACE offer?

Depending on your circumstances and assessed needs, support may include:

• Advice, guidance and information
• Newsletters
• Check-in phone calls
• DDP-informed support from trained staff
• Adoption support assessments. (Assessment of Need)
• Therapeutic parenting support
• EMBRACE: Early Moments, Building Relationships and Connecting Experiences
• Consultation with a clinical psychologist
• “Talking and telling” consultations and drop ins
• Therapeutic services funded through the ASGSF (subject to eligibility and Department for Education criteria)
• Adopted Young People's Groups (11-17 years)
• Maintaining Connections Service (formerly Letterbox)
• Space for Reflection sessions for adopters, individually or as a couple. – 4 free sessions to reflect on your own well being with a Systemic Family Therapist
• Peer support groups – one for parents of primary school aged children, one for parents of secondary school aged children. Family network groups
• Picnics and social events

Available training:

• Talking and Telling About Adoption
• Eat, Sleep and Play
• Education Circle Time – facilitated by ACE region Virtual School Advisors
• Parenting Teens
• Monthly Lunchtime Learning Sessions
• Relational-based Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) Parenting Programmes
• Strengthening Relationships: A Therapeutic and Sensory Approach
• Bi monthly Friends and Family training – in partnership with Barnardo's, Adoption Focus and Birmingham Children’s Trust

Adoption Support Services Adviser (ASSA)

Every local authority must appoint an Adoption Support Services Adviser (ASSA) to guide families on available services. Louise Hathaway, ACE Service Manager, is the appointed ASSA for our region. Within ACE, initial enquiries are managed by our duty social workers, with oversight from team managers and the ASSA.

Please contact Spoke Duty for advice and support 0300 369 0556

Your rights to adoption support

Under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and Regulations 2005, anyone affected by adoption is entitled to support services. ACE partners with local authorities to deliver these services in a coordinated way. While ACE manages most support functions, specific statutory responsibilities remain with the local authorities.

Local authority responsibilities

While ACE delivers many support services, your local authority retains responsibility for:

• Safeguarding and Child Protection - Assessments and interventions are managed by Children’s Services where the child lives.
• Adoption Allowances and Financial Support - Decisions and assessments rest with the local authority (ACE can signpost you).
• Respite and Short Break Services - Provision is managed by the local authority where the family lives (ACE can signpost you).
• Education Support - Handled via schools, Virtual Schools, and local authority education teams.
• Mental and Physical Health Services - Mental and physical health needs are met through GPs, CAMHS, and NHS services.
• Access to Adoption Records - For adoptions after 30 December 2005, the responsible local authority manages adult access to records.

Here when you need us

ACE helps adopted children, young people, and their families thrive. Whether you need information, therapy, training, peer connection, or an assessment of need, we are here to support you.