Books published by CoramBAAF

Although written with adopted children and adult adoptees in mind, Coming Home to Self is a book that can help anyone who has experienced an early childhood trauma or feels the need to re-examine their life and who they are. From understanding basic trauma and the neurological consequences of trauma to step by step methods of healing, Verrier''s book will help readers discover their true self, take responsibility for that self and discover their personal spiritual path.

Food and eating issues can be common in children - but for those who are looked after and adopted, these problems can last a lot longer or reoccur at later ages, affecting family life and meaning that children are less able to benefit from supportive care. For this group, everyday techniques to help children with eating issues may not be enough, as they do not address the underlying causes - these children''s difficult early experiences. This book provides authoritative, clinical guidance for carers and adopters on why eating issues can occur and what can be done about them.

Now in its seventh edition, this popular quick reference guide to the law in England relating to the care of children has been updated in 2019 to include reference to all recent legislation, including new regulations, guidance and standards. Contains sections on: parents, parental responsibility and private family life; private arrangements for the care of children; local authority responsibilities to children and families; child protection; children looked after by local authorities; reviews; representations, complaints and advocacy services for children; adoption; and the courts.

This practical handbook explores traumatic experiences and their effects on children at different stages of development. The first half of the book examines what constitutes trauma in childhood, including its symptoms, prognosis and treatment. It outlines specific parenting tasks, addresses educational and social issues and answers a range of frequently asked questions. In the second half, single adopter Matthew Blythe describes his experience of parenting twin boys who have experienced significant trauma.

Comprehensively revised and updated this new third edition of Fostering Now presents current law, including regulations, guidance and standards relating to fostering today, in easily digested bite-sized chunks. It also includes the 2011 National Minimum Standards.

Children separated from their birth families are often denied the opportunity to know about their past and to clarify past events in terms of the present. Losing track of the past can make it difficult for them to develop both emotionally and socially. The technique discussed in this volume, ''life story work'', can be used by adults to help prevent this to vulnerable children.

Kate Cairns is a social worker by profession who has also fostered 12 other children who remain part of their family group. In this compelling book she draws on the wealth of her personal and professional experience to offer a vivid glimpse into family life with children who have experienced attachment difficulties, loss, abuse and trauma, and shows in a range of everyday situations how the family responded to the powerful feelings and difficult behaviours the children displayed.

Chosen brings together writing and poetry by over 50 adopted adults born between 1934 and 1984. Some are established writers, others are new and emerging whilst some have never been published before. They capture a broad range of perspectives: adoption within the extended family; late-discovery adopted adults; transracial and transnational adoption; those who have searched for birth family, and those who did not search but were found by a relative. The themes of identity and belonging, roots and searching and acceptance and healing permeate these accounts.

Rufus the cat lives with a family who looks after him, feeds him his favourite foods and gives him lots of cuddles. He feels happy and safe, especially when he is lying on his favourite blue cushion. But he didn''t always feel this way. The family that Rufus used to live with were not kind to him at all and he struggles to escape from his bad memories. For young children, change and transition can cause confusion and uncertainty if they have moved from one family to another. Like Rufus, they can be helped by finding a ''safe place'' of their own.

The story of Dennis Duckling has been used by carers and childcare professionals for over 25 years. This newly illustrated edition is ideal for very young children who are leaving their birth families for the first time to be cared for by foster carers. Dennis is sad because his parents can no longer look after him. He goes to live on a river where he makes new friends and is cared for by other grown-up ducks. Through Dennis'' story, this colourful picture book allows children to express some of the emotions they are feeling when faced with upsetting and confusing events.

This brightly illustrated book for children aged five to 10 years tells the story of Ben, who was adopted by his gay parents, Dad David and Baba Chris, when he was four years old. They live happily together in an ordinary house, on an ordinary street and do ordinary things. But when Ben joins primary school, his life is turned upside down. Some children begin to tease him because he lives with two dads. But Baba Chris and Ben''s school teacher, Miss Patel, help Ben understand that what matters most is that children are loved and cared for.

Everyone has memories of happy and sad times - and everyone wants to remember the good things and forget the bad things. But what happens when there''s no one to share memories with, and they start to fade? In this colourful picture book, Elfa the elephant carries her precious memories around with her in a brightly coloured box. When she discovers that some of them are missing, she sets out on a journey to revisit some of the key people, places and events in her past. A perfect aid to life story work, helping children come to terms with their troubled pasts.

All young children have worries. But those in adoption or fostering environments often have more worries than most as they lack the security of a stable family life. This charming story for young children describes Morris the mole as he finds out that talking about his problems and facing his worries with the help of others is much more helpful than hiding his fears. The exact nature of Morris''s worries is left unsaid however, enabling adults to use this story with any child suffering with any worries.

Fully illustrated children''s book, which tells the story of Jason''s birthday picnic and his guests who help him to celebrate. The story introduces children to a range of family structures, including two- annd one-parent families; adoptive and foster families; gay and lesbian families; step-families and more, whoing a diverse range of adults and children. Each page introduces a new set of guests who bring food and presents. Picnic in the Park can be used with any child in any setting to introduce them to modern-day family structures.