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AFC - Previously looked-after children
AfC Virtual School

Previously Looked-After Children

Support and advice for previously looked-after children's parents, guardians and schools

CATCH (Adopter Hub)

The AfC virtual school works in partnership with the adoption charity PACT to offer free subscriptions for parents and teachers to their online platform, CATCH (formerly known as the Adopter Hub). We are subsidising one free subscription to the CATCH per school in every school in the AfC tri-borough area. By allocating a subscription to you as a Designated Teachers (or as an experienced professional in another role working with previously looked-after children) we hope that you will be able to share learning from this resource with your whole school community.

If you haven't already signed up to this resource, please let us know on 0208 831 6037 or by email to the virtual school team at afcvirtualschool@achievingforchildren.org.uk and we will arrange for you to receive a login. If you have recently taken on the role of DT and would like to transfer the school login to your name, please tell us and we can organise that.

CATCH works with specialists to inform and develop elements of their online provision, including their resources about attachment and a regular programme of webinars on subjects that are directly relevant to schools and adoptive parents. They also train 'adopter peer supporters' as counsellors who then offer a listening ear through a one-to-one live, anonymous and confidential web chat to adoptive parents. If you know of any parents or special guardians whom you feel would benefit from this service, please ask them to contact emma.dyer@achievingforchildren.org.uk, and we can arrange for them to have a free subscription to the service.   

Life story work (see below) is one example of resources offered by the Adopter Hub.

New life story resources 

We often take for granted the stories we are told about our early childhood, small events that have happened that we can't remember. These stories are often missing for adopted children, so life story work is invaluable to help create a coherent story of a child's life.

We've put together resources to help you to create and build on your child's life story. Head to the Resources section of the Adopter Hub and click on Life story. There you'll find:

  • Webinar: Sharing your child's life story - Georgina Hibbert's webinar is a comprehensive introduction to life stories - why they're important and how to begin one
  • Examples of things to say to your child: Practical examples of how to tackle difficult subjects such as neglect and abuse
  • Book recommendations: Books to read if you'd like to find out more about life story work

To find out more and subscribe to the Adopter Hub, please contact emma.dyer@achievingforchildren.org.