Adoption East Midlands newsletter September 2026

Come along to our next Peers4Peers coffee morning on Thursday 8 October, 10am until 12pm, (venue to be confirmed) in Derby. At the event, you will have an opportunity to meet other adopters and members of our Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) - a group of trained staff from different areas of our service.

This is a great opportunity to find out more about the support available for children, young people, and families.

There will be free food for children and a play area for them to enjoy.

We're excited to advertise our second Nottinghamshire Peers 4 Peers community group returning on Saturday 3 October, 11am to 1pm.

This friendly, supportive space is open to all our adopters and their families, offering opportunities to connect and build networks with others.

Come along, meet new people, and be part of a growing, supportive community. To get the venue details and confirm your attendance, please complete the short form.

Join our free, interactive Life Story Work session on 15 October, from 9.30am to 1pm, in Arnold, Nottinghamshire – the exact location will be conformed once booked on.

Led by experienced therapeutic social workers, the session is designed to help adopters feel more confident in talking with their child about their personal story and history. The session will also explore practical tools and ideas for having open, honest conversations that are appropriate to your child’s age and development.

We’ll also consider how your own experiences may influence this work, discuss the timing of sharing information about birth families, and provide an opportunity to connect with other adopters and share experiences.

Join our upcoming workshops, designed to help you advocate for and support your young person in education.

Monday 28 September, 10am to 12pm, Reasonable Requests explores practical adjustments schools can make, offering tips, wording suggestions, discussion opportunities and a helpful take-home booklet.

Thursday 1 October, 9.30am to 12pm, Introduction to SEND provides an accessible overview of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), helping parents understand available support, navigate education systems and confidently champion their young person's needs.

If you’d like to attend either of these free online workshops, please email us. After booking on, we’ll send you the link to join.

There’s still time for adopted young people to join our Connect Youth groups.

These welcoming monthly sessions offer a great chance for your young people to meet others who are adopted, build confidence, have fun and take part in activities shaped by their interests.

Groups are available in Nottinghamshire (ages 11 to 14 and 15 to 18) and Derbyshire (ages 14 to 17). Don't miss this opportunity for your young person to be part of a supportive community.

This October half term, we are inviting young people to join us in Rowsley, Derbyshire, for a creative and inclusive day designed around choice, creativity and having fun.

Young people will be able to explore a range of arts, sensory and creative experiences, supported by creative practitioners. The environment offers interactive arts displays, sensory-focused activities and access to quieter, regulating spaces. Young people can choose how they take part, move between activities and take breaks when required.

• Tuesday 20 October, ages 10 to 13, 10am to 2.30pm
• Wednesday 21 October, ages 14 to 18, 10am to 2.30pm
• Thursday 22 October, mixed ages, 10am to 2.30pm, offering a quieter, more relaxed day for young people who may prefer a calmer environment.

Lunch and refreshments are provided and places are limited, so please talk to your young person before booking to make sure they would like to attend.

Join experienced yoga teacher and adoptive mum, Jenna Blair, for gentle movement, mindful moments and important time out.

Running on Tuesdays at 11.30am, from 15 September 2026, the sessions are perfect for beginners and are free to attend thanks to funding from Adoption England. Join the sessions in person, online or receive a recording to practice in your own time.

If you are a parent of a child with special educational needs and disabilities, we understand that you carry a huge amount of responsibility supporting your child at every step. Often you can lack social time and feel exhausted and isolated.

At Adoption East Midlands, we know that parents must look after themselves and find small ways to recharge and this could also mean meeting other parents with similar experiences where you don’t need to explain yourself and nobody judges.

The free Looking After You Too, skills-based course offers a safe space for parents to access a free eight-week skills-based programme with therapy content and a peer support group and starts on Friday 11 September at 11.30am.