 ADOPTION charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) has been chosen to lead one of the first Regional Adoption Agencies under a new government scheme to find adopters quicker for children in care.
PACT’s bid alongside Medway, Milton Keynes and Brighton and Hove local authorities was given the green light by the Department for Education (DfE). They were one of 14 groups from across England who were handpicked by the government to form some of the country’s first Regional Adoption Agencies, brand new groupings of local council and charity adoption agencies that join forces with one single purpose – to place children waiting for adoption with their forever family without delay. PACT Chief Executive Jan Fishwick said: “We are delighted that our bid was successful and are excited to be joining forces with our partners at Medway, Milton Keynes and Brighton and Hove councils. “This is a new and innovative way of delivering adoption services and our vision has the children at the very heart of it.” Source: http://pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news  Parents And Children Together (PACT) is a registered charity and relies on fundraising and donations to enable it to continue its work with vulnerable children and families. At PACT we have been saddened by recent headlines about vulnerable people being targeted by aggressive fundraising methods.
We would like to reassure all our supporters and donors that PACT does not use, and has never used, these methods of fundraising.
PACT has a small fundraising team which works hard to gain funding for our work from trusts and foundations and to support people who choose to make donations or take part in fundraising activities in whatever way they can. We are fortunate to have many people who believe in PACT’s work and do some incredible things to raise money for us. We would like to thank all of you who run marathons, skydive, do sponsored walks, cake sales, organise events or have become a Friend of PACT. We are so very grateful for your support. If you’d like to find out how you could support PACT please take a look at our website or get in touch with Laura Senior at laura.senior@pactcharity.org. We won’t put any pressure on you but we’d love to hear from you! Source: http://pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/pact-statement-charity-fundraising  FUNDS raised for charity at the biennial Dorchester Festival have topped £45,000 – more than twice their previous record.
The Dorchester Festival, a community festival run entirely by local volunteers and based around Dorchester Abbey, was held from 1st to 10th May and more than 4,000 people attended almost 50 events. Proceeds from the event were split equally between Dorchester Abbey and family support charity Parents And Children Together (PACT). The final sum donated to PACT was £23,874. Highlights of the festival included sellout events by The Tallis Scholars and John Rutter, a CGI evening with OSCAR winner Ben Morris, a Food Fair with cookery demonstrations and a wide variety of children’s entertainment including a scarecrow trail and duck race! On the second day of the festival, 10 intrepid charity supporters abseiled down the 100ft tower at Dorchester Abbey, raising over £15k in sponsorship to add to the total. Abseilers included PACT chief executive Jan Fishwick, Rector of Dorchester Abbey Sue Booys, former High Sheriff of Oxfordshire Richard Dick and South Oxfordshire District Council Leader John Cotton. PACT has been building and strengthening families since 1911 through adoption, long-term fostering, award-winning therapeutic services and community projects across London and the south. It hopes to use the funds raised from the festival to provide therapeutic support services to Oxfordshire families to help adopted and fostered children to address painful issues from their past. Jan Fishwick said: “We are overwhelmed by the final total raised and would like to thank the festival organisers for choosing PACT, and for holding such an amazing festival. “This money will help many PACT families in Oxfordshire. Children who have been adopted or fostered have usually had a traumatic start in life and our award-winning therapeutic services help the whole family come to terms with what has happened and to look forward to a bright future together.” Festival Director Steph Forman said: “We are delighted to have raised such a significant amount of money for Dorchester Abbey and PACT and have been thrilled by the huge audiences who have come along to support us this year. We’d like to thank our sponsors, advertisers and, most of all, all the volunteers who make this event possible.” Source: http://pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/record-breaking-funds-raised-dorchester-festival  EXCITEMENT is building for the Dorchester-on-Thames Festival which is taking place this May.
The biennial event is one of Oxfordshire’s leading festivals and will be held at Dorchester Abbey from 1st - 10th May. More than 3,000 people are expected to enjoy almost 50 events including The Tallis Scholars, a Come and Sing with John Rutter, OSCAR winner Ben Morris, a Food Fair with cookery demonstrations and a wide variety of children’s entertainment. Family support charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) is the official charity partner of the event and will share the proceeds with Dorchester Abbey. PACT has been building and strengthening families since 1911 through adoption, long-term fostering, award-winning therapeutic services and community projects across London and the south. It hopes to use the funds raised from the festival to provide therapeutic support services to Oxfordshire families to help adopted and fostered children to address painful issues from their past. PACT chief executive Jan Fishwick said: “We are looking forward to the excellent programme of shows and performances. “I am personally taking part in the fun by abseiling down the Dorchester Abbey Tower – an enormous challenge for me but something I am prepared to do because I am passionate about the work PACT does.” Festival Director Steph Forman said: “This year’s festival programme is the best yet and we are delighted to have so many well-known people contributing their time to raise money for two great local charities.” Also taking part in the abseil on Saturday 2nd May are Rector of Dorchester Abbey Sue Booys, SODC Leader John Cotton, PACT Trustee Graham Sykes, TV presenter Saira Khan, PACT adopter Julie Bignone and parish counselor Sue Graney. Find out more at http://dorchesterfestival.com/familychildrens/grand-opening-and-tower-abseil-saturday-2nd-may-12noon/ Tickets for all the events can be purchased via the website at www.dorchesterfestival.com. Source: http://pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/countdown-dorchester-festival-2015  ADOPTION charity Parents And Children Together has helped create 30 LGBT families through adoption and fostering since a landmark law change in 2005.
It has been 10 years since the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act which gave LGBT couples the same rights as heterosexual adopters. In that time PACT has been at the forefront of enabling people from the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community to become parents. As part of LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week, a PACT dad has shared his experiences of adopting three children. David* and his partner adopted their daughter and first son through their local authority but came to PACT for their third child. “PACT has been great and our latest addition arrived five weeks ago - a beautiful baby boy aged one. “PACT has been so supportive and upfront with the whole process. They have always demonstrated to have our interests at heart and they are a constant source of contact and support should the need arise.” You can read David’s full story at www.pactcharity.org/davids-story PACT Director of Adoption and Fostering Shirley Elliott said: “Around 18%** of the adopters we are currently working with are from the LGBT community. “We confirmed our commitment to offering an excellent service to LGBT people wishing to adopt by launching our Inclusive Adoption service last year and opening a new office in Brighton. “We are proud to be a member of New Family Social – the UK network for LGBT adopters and foster carers – and delighted to be a part of LGBT adoption and fostering week.” PACT supports families across the London and the south through adoption, fostering, award-winning therapeutic services and community projects. A free PACT Guide to Adoption is available from the PACT website atwww.pactcharity.org/PACT-Guides along with dates of Information evenings onwww.pactcharity.org/info. Source: http://pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/pact-marks-lgbt-adoption-and-fostering-week  ADOPTION charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) has launched a new service to help gay and lesbian people adopt a child.
PACT’s new Inclusive Adoption service specialises and focuses on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Brighton. The project has been funded by the Department for Education (DfE) to help find more loving and secure families for some of the 4,550 children in care. The project was launched yesterday (25th September) at PACT’s new office at Community Base in Queens Road, Brighton, and was attended by PACT adopters and representatives of local and LGBT groups including New Family Social – a support network for LGBT adopters. Speaking at the event, PACT Chief Executive Jan Fishwick said: “This is a very proud day for PACT. This is the official opening of our Brighton office – our fifth - and also the launch of our Inclusive Adoption Service. “PACT is proud of its excellent reputation amongst the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and its thanks to a grant from the DfE that we have been able to extend our services to the Sussex area in order to attract much needed loving families for the 4,550 children in care in the UK today. “PACT is delivering this new service in partnership with New Family Social, a UK network for LGBT adoptive and foster families. “There are many people in the LGBT community who would like a family, and PACT wants to engage with those people to bust the myths associated with adoption, and demystify the adoption process. We have staff and volunteers who understand the common barriers that might prevent prospective adopters from the LGBT community from enquiring. “This is a very special occasion for PACT and we look forward to creating many more forever families for children currently in care.” The ribbon to officially open the service was cut by PACT dads Jacek Kacprzak and Andrzej Kubinski who adopted their two sons through PACT 18 months ago. The new Brighton office will be the fifth location for PACT’s adoption service. Current offices are located in Reading, Oxford, Pimlico (London) and Old Street (London). Anyone interested in finding out more about adoption is invited to attend an information evening at the Brighton office on Wednesday 1st October or Monday 24th November. To find out more or register to attend visit www.pactcharity.org/info. Source: http://www.pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/pact-launches-new-lgbt-adoption-service-sussex  FAMILY support charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) has been chosen as the official charity partner of the Dorchester-on-Thames Festival 2015.
The biennial event is one of Oxfordshire’s leading festivals and will be held at Dorchester Abbey from 1st – 10th May 2015. More than 3,000 people are expected to enjoy over 40 events including The Tallis Scholars, a Come and Sing with John Rutter, a Food Fair with cookery demonstrations and a wide variety of children’s entertainment. PACT was chosen from a shortlist of six charities bidding to be the official event partner and share the Festival proceeds with Dorchester Abbey. PACT has been building and strengthening families since 1911 through adoption, long-term fostering, award-winning therapeutic services and community projects across London and the south. It hopes to use the funds raised from the festival to open a new family therapy room in Oxford which will help adopted and fostered children to address painful issues from their past. PACT chief executive Jan Fishwick said: “We are honoured and excited to have been chosen as the official charity partner of the Dorchester-on-Thames Festival in 2015. “We opened our first family therapy room in Reading in 2013 which has provided a safe and calm space for many families to work through difficult times and help the adoption or foster placement succeed. “We would love to use the funds we receive as a result of this partnership to be able to open a new family therapy room in Oxfordshire.” PACT’s therapeutic services FACTS won Voluntary Adoption Service of the Year in the BAAF National Adoption Week Awards in November 2013. An Ofsted inspection in January rated PACT’s adoption service as outstanding across all four assessed areas. Source: http://www.pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/pact-charity-partner-dorchester-festival  Parents And Children Together (PACT) has unveiled a new website to reflect its recent growth and success.
The site at www.pactcharity.org has had a complete overhaul and now includes new adoption and fostering myth-busters and redesigned careers, news and information events pages. The launch of the new website comes after an amazing few months for PACT. The charity’s therapeutic support for adopted and fostered children was named Voluntary Adoption Service of the Year in the BAAF National Adoption Week Awards in October 2013. In January, PACT was rated as “outstanding” across all four assessed areas by Ofsted and, in June, it received the bronze award from Investors in People. And, hot off the press, PACT’s flagship community project – Alana House – won the Howard League for Penal Reform award for Community Programme for Women yesterday (15th July). PACT’s new website was designed by digital branding and communications agency Dusted and is a key channel in attracting potential adopters and foster carers. PACT’s Website Content Manager Tom McIlvenny-Cox said: “Our new website represents PACT now and where we are heading. "This is an evolving space for PACT and the services we offer and will continually be optimised and reviewed to make sure we remain leaders in our field, but also retaining the information we provide to our prospective adopters, foster carers and families.” PACT supports vulnerable families through outstanding adoption services, permanent fostering, award-winning therapeutic support and community projects in London and the south. Source: http://www.pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/new-website-pact  PACT and New Family Social will be running focus groups on Thursday 17th July to help design a new campaign to attract more LGBT adopters. We are inviting adopters to share their ideas and views on marketing materials and planned activities. Your input will be key in helping the campaign to find new LGBT families for some of the 6,000 children still waiting to be adopted. Can you attend one of two sessions?
Each session will be for 5 – 8 people and last up to two hours long comprising of an informal discussion. You won’t need to do any preparation or have any prior knowledge of marketing – just a willingness to share your ideas about the general perception of adoption, barriers and myths, and how PACT can increase awareness of its services. Refreshments will be provided. PACT will pay travel expenses and each participant will also be given a £10 M&S voucher. RSVP by Thursday 10th July. For more information or to sign up to attend, please contact Francesca.Fogell@pactcharity.org. Source: http://www.pactcharity.org/news-events/latest-news/invitation-lgbt-adoption-promotion-focus-groups  Please apply for employment roles using the PACT application form after downloading the relevant job description and person specification. Please be aware that the application forms part of the selection process. If you have further queries please email recruitmentvacancies@pactcharity.org or call 0118 938 7600.
PACT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults therefore please note our recruitment procedure includes DBS checks and overseas checks (where applicable). Please note prospective employees will need to evidence they have the relevant permission to work in the UK. Current opportunities: Senior Social Worker -Assessment & Placement Team Maternity cover, beginning the end of July 2014 Pro rate salary in the range: £25,456 - £31,112 pa Based: Reading Part-time, 30 hours per week Would you like to work for one of the leading adoption and fostering charities in the UK? We place children with secure and loving families through our adoption service, recently rated Outstanding by Ofsted in all assessed areas. We also offer long term fostering and our pioneering Dual Approval service. We support families for life through our award-winning therapeutic services, FACTS. Last year we recruited over 100 families and that number will be even higher this year. Due to our exceptional progress we are creating a two stage service to ensure that the excellent experience current applicants receive is sustained as we continue to expand in 2014 and beyond. This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to join our Stage 2 Assessment and Placement team. If you are a skilled and HCPC registered social worker with a minimum of three years post-qualification experience with a background in adoption and/or fostering we would love to hear from you. Click here for the job description and person specification Closing date: noon, 1st July 2014 Interview date: 10th July 2014 No agencies please PACT Fostering Mentors There is a shortage of foster carers for sibling groups, and PACT is running a campaign to find more families to train as foster carers and keep brothers and sisters together. Current foster carers have told us that those interested in fostering like to hear from someone who knows what it is really like to foster - that’s where the Fostering Mentors come in. What is involved in the role of fostering mentor?
Working within your local community is easier than you think, you may already be a member of your local church, attend a sports club, have contacts with local businesses or regularly attend the local school - all you need to do is ask if you could set up a time to talk about fostering, take along some leaflets and just chat about your fostering experiences. Fostering Mentors will be asked to do two talks per month. Fostering Mentors will also contribute to online forums, for instance does your local parish church have an online forum that you could contribute to? We will provide training in generating awareness through social media and suggest forums and blogs that you can use. Who can be a Fostering Mentor? Any current, or previously approved, foster carer who can commit to regularly attending community groups and building relationships within the local community can apply for the role. Fostering Mentors will be expected to work a minimum of 4 hours per week. There are no set hours and you can work at times to fit round all your other commitments. As this is a new role it will initially be for a 6 month period in order to monitor outcomes. Will I get paid? Yes you will get paid an hourly rate and you will get paid expenses for mileage. Pay will be at the rate of £10.70 per hour. How do I find out more and apply for the role? Click here for the job description and person specification For more information call Francesca Fogell, 01189 387604. You can apply by completing our application form and returning this to recruitmentvacancies@pactcharity.org Closing date: 11th July 2014 Interviews: TBC Source: http://www.pactcharity.org/jobs |
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