Embargoed until: 00.01 on 5th November, 2015
Big Lottery Fund awards £700k to support positive adoption outcomes
The Big Lottery Fund has awarded a grant of £700k over five years to Adoption Routes and Adoption
UK who have joined forces to provide a support programme TESSA (therapeutic, educational support
service for adopters) for Northern Ireland adoptive families.
Adoption may offer the opportunity of a bright future but it cannot erase a child’s past or the fact
that they may have experienced separation, neglect and abuse and the uncertainty of moving
through the care system. Being an adoptive parent to such a child requires a different kind of
parenting and adoptive parents need the right kind of support.
The TESSA project involves three elements and is aimed at adopted children between 2-12 years old:
 Therapeutic support for adoptive children
 Counselling support for adopters and their wider families and,
 Raising the awareness of issues faced by adoptive children in schools
Ian Slaine chief executive of Adoption Routes was delighted at the news and commented: “This is a
very generous grant from the Big Lottery Fund and we look forward to using it as we work with
Adoption UK to provide a range of therapeutic support for adoptive families.”
Stephen Mcvey Development Manager for Adoption UK Northern Ireland said: “In partnership with
Adoption Routes we hope that the combined approach of therapeutic service provision, counselling
and educational support adoptive families can gain greater stability will reduce disruption and
provide a solid base for adoptions to succeed.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1.
The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their
communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the
National Lottery for good causes and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in
health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects that make a difference to people
and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for
World War Two veterans.
Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £33 billion has been raised and more than 450,000
grants awarded.
2.
Adoption Routes is a specialist Voluntary Adoption Agency with a Northern Ireland base for
service provision. Our main aim is to find families for children who are no longer able to live with
their birth families.
3.
Adoption UK is the leading charity providing support, awareness and understanding for those
parenting or supporting children who cannot live with their birth parents. Created more than 40
years ago by adopters for adopters; now with more than 10,000 members we provide a strong
supportive community and the largest voice of adoption in the UK.
4.
For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Ian Slaine, Chief Executive at
Adoption Routes at [email protected] or 02890736080 or mob: 07587137538.
5.
To contact Adoption UK Development Manager Northern Ireland, Stephen McVey contact
02890775211 or email [email protected].