So happy to spend a wonderful afternoon with Sarah Fry, founder of the The Belay Foundation, and her lovely colleagues who are celebrating Belay’s 5 year anniversary. I have no doubt that Belay will continue to grow and strengthen Vickand I am so grateful to support in whatever small way I can 💕

Our big #BelaySurvey is out! Are you a #specialguardianship #SGO #kinship or #adoptive family? Can you share how you feel about in-home practical support ("respite") and your experiences? We'd be VERY grateful! Intro video: vimeo.com/1094294617 Straight to the survey: forms.office.com/e/EDfKWKgntV

Out on Saturday as a podcast! A great conversation and what @thebelayfoundation.org.uk do is quite simple but very well thought thru and managed. Have a listen when it drops on Saturday. 🎧

So we did a "thing" ... we were "live" on the Adoption and Fostering Podcast earlier this evening! If you missed it and want to watch along ... here's the link ... or the podcast should be out on Saturday for your listening pleasure any time at all ;) fb.watch/B10BZCiUu2/

Our big #BelaySurvey is out! Are you a #specialguardianship #SGO #kinship or #adoptive family? Can you share how you feel about in-home practical support ("respite") and your experiences? We'd be VERY grateful! Intro video: vimeo.com/1094294617 Straight to the survey: forms.office.com/e/EDfKWKgntV

Interested in finding out more about what we do at #Belay, and thinking about what practical support for Special Guardian, Kinship and Adoptive families actually looks like? Join us as we chat live to @gayadoptiondad.bsky.social and @alcoates.bsky.social on the A&F Podcast tonight at 7pm!

Helen has made it to 1250 me-powered miles ... can you help her keep going with her #Belay2025in2025 challenge, and support #Belay at the same time?

This was US! On our 5th birthday! Hosted by our wonderful leader, the lovely @sarahfry.bsky.social - thanks for sharing @drvickysutton.bsky.social ... none of it would have happened without you!

The Benefact Group Children & Young People Special Draw is open for 7 days from today. Please nominate us! youth.movementforgood.com/index.php?cn...

PhD studentship at Cambridge! Closing date for applications: 26/07/25 You need to be a woman and eligible for UK home fees. And interested in doing a PhD in developmental cognitive neuroscience and education, based in Cambridge, UK (not hybrid/remote)

Helen is halfway to her 2025 miles in 2025 target! *1012.5 miles done* We are very excited ... and if you are able to sponsor her a few pounds to keep her motivated she'd be even happier. She even cycled *despite the weather forecast* today! justgiving.com/page/belay2025in2025 #Belay2025in2025

Quick ad for upcoming free #DLA and #PIP Sessions PIP 9-10 am 14th June (THIS SATURDAY) DLA 10-11am 17th June DLA 10-11am 7th July DLA 7.30-8.30pm 9th July Book here for PIP: calendly.com/training-the... Book here for DLA: calendly.com/training-the... All free, albeit donations always welcome!

He did it! And in style! Congratulations to Olly from all of us at @thebelayfoundation ... and a huge thank you too. Olly has (already) raised an incredible £670! Could you help us raise that even higher? www.justgiving.com/page/olly-cr... Thank you everybody!

Interested in whether your child may be eligible for Disability Living Allowance? There’s still time to join our free zoom session on #DLA this evening at 7.30 if you would like! (Future sessions also bookable at the same link) More info here: calendly.com/training-the...

So many families raising care-experienced children rely on disability benefits to stay afloat - as their ability to work gradually reduces and the needs (and the costs of meeting those needs) of their beloved (but also traumatised) children goes up and up. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The lovely Olly is running his first ever run - a massive 10k - this Sunday. And he's doing it on behalf of @TheBelayFoundation! How amazing is Olly?! More about Olly, his very personal reasons for supporting Belay, his run this Sunday, and about Belay all here: www.justgiving.com/page/olly-cr...

On a train on the way to London to support and steward at the @asgsfprotest.bsky.social - with the amazing @sarahfry.bsky.social #FundNowOrPayLater #CareNotCuts #ACutTooFar

This is why we do what we do. This is why we are marching in London. #ACutTooFar #FundNowOrPayLater #ACutTooFar Please watch ... www.facebook.com/share/v/1HJK...

With thanks to @munirawilson.bsky.social for advocating for families. #FundNowOrPayLater #ACutTooFar #CareNotCuts fb.watch/zjhs6zKCIj/

On behalf of our families, and the wider adoption, special guardianship and kinship communities, @TheBelayFoundation will be marching on Saturday with @asgsfprotest.bsky.social to stand up for the support our children need and deserve. #FundNowOrPayLater #CareNotCuts #ACutTooFar #ASGSFProtest

Thank you. Anyone planning to attend, would be grateful if you would indicate on the Protest Facebook page. Please choose 'Going'. www.facebook.com/events/11358...

Join us for the march on Saturday? #ASGSF asgsfprotest.com

Parenting or caring for care-experienced children? Ever thought about whether your child/ren may be eligible for Disability Living Allowance (#DLA)? Join us for a (free) overview to find out more tomorrow at 10 (or other options too): Sign up here: calendly.com/training-the...

More wonderful organisations and peer groups have joined us in our protest against the cuts to #ASGSF www.equipttherapy.com @thebelayfoundation.org.uk ourpatch.org.uk blossomingminds.org.uk #CareNotCuts #CutNowPayLater #ACutTooFar

ANNOUNCEMENT || Information re Protest March on Downing Street here and attached asgsfprotest.com/information/ #FundNowOrPayLater #CareNotCuts #ACutTooFar @adoptionuk.bsky.social @kinshipcharity.bsky.social @thepotatogroup.bsky.social @thebelayfoundation.org.uk @cvaauk.bsky.social

Please sign and share the #ASGSF petition - it takes moments but we need as many voices as possible. You don't have to be an adopter, kinship carer or special guardian yourself; but please help those of us who are get our children access to the therapy they need. www.change.org/p/action-aga...

Caring for a young person now 16 upwards who is living with early life trauma? Do they find life a challenge? If this sounds like you ... our next free Personal Independence Overview is this Saturday, 26th April, at 9am. Join us (it's free!) to find out more :) #PIP - calendly.com/training-the...

Quick reminder that if you are responsible for care-experienced young people - or any under 16 living with early life trauma, or maybe other neurodivergent challenges - it could be you should be considering applying for Disability Living Allowance #DLA Find out more: calendly.com/training-the...

The Belay Foundation is saddened and disappointed to hear that the government has decided to reduce the therapeutic support available to each child who is adopted or in kinship care through the #ASGSF. Full statement here: thebelayfoundation.org.uk/news-about-us/

The #ASGSF (Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund) will continue (£50m in this financial year coming up). Urgent question asked in the House of Commons today. If you would like to see it live >>> www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...

Anyone else waiting a little apprehensively to hear what's actually in the #SpringStatement today? So many potential changes afoot for families like so many of ours, living with #earlylifetrauma, supporting #SEND children, trying to cope as #disabilitybenefits seem to be ever more targeted ... :(

8.5 miles towards #Belay2025in2025 this morning, in the sunshine. Might even have to invest in some new gear if this glorious weather is going to continue! #LoveSpring If you would like to support my challenge for @thebelayfoundation.org.uk > justgiving.com/page/belay2025in2025 Thank you!

Please also consider signing and sharing this petition everywhere you can think of! #ASGSF you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...

Please share this onwards, raising awareness of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (#ASGSF) is, and how crucial it is for our children and our whole families it continues - thanks so much to @lisamainwaring.bsky.social for getting this out there! metro.co.uk/2025/03/17/s...

Do you have a child who is in #KinshipCare, under an #SGO, #fostered or #adopted? Do they need more care, support, help or supervision than their peers? If yes, they might just be entitled to #DLA to support them & help you care for them properly. Free online session to find out more 7.30pm today 👇

Are your children #CareExperienced? Do they need extra care and support? Maybe they are neurodivergent (ASD / ADHD / FASD / OCD / ODD / PDA etc)? Have you thought about #DLA or #PIP? Free Disability Living Allowance overview tomorrow evening at 7.30 - book here: calendly.com/training-the...

Gorgeous sunny day today - it's amazing how much difference it makes! Or just me who is determined to see this as the first welcome signs of spring?

Delighted to be at the "Maintaining Relationships" Adoption West conference in Bristol today. Introductions from Alison Lewis to kick us all off - with over 200 people in the room :) #AWConf25

Quick reminder that the next PIP session is TOMRROW (SATURDAY) at 9am :) Still spaces if you'd like to join us, so book here: calendly.com/training-the...

New 2025 dates for our free #PersonalIndependencePayment #PIP and #DisabilityLivingAllowance #DLA sessions now out! Please see the flyer for details - I'll post links below too :) Please share far and wide so we can reach as many families as possible. (Message us for a PDF of the flyer with links)

As a small charity - conceived and founded in lived experience; and now run and nurtured by a very few of us all living with #EarlyLifeTrauma day to day - our aim is to provide practical and useful #TraumaResponsive support to #CareExperienced (and sometimes also #ND) families.

Happy New Year everybody! Welcome to a (rather cold and for many of us also white) 2025!

We launched our firt Starter Pack! Check out some of the kids charities with like-minded approaches to us. You can follow, engage, and share. Come join the conversation. Have we missed any? Comment with the charity that you'd include. 💬

We are verified! Nerdy excitements but we like to count our joys wherever we can find them.

We’re just very very glad we were able to help!

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed so thoughtfully to the research behind this piece - and to @lisamainwaring.bsky.social for her excellent write up.

Really pleased this issue - that affects so many families living with #CareExperienced children (and it’s not just adopters, either) - is being brought out into the open.

Today is the day our spaghetti IT storage is going to have a spring clean and reset. Growing pains for small organisations, as for small people, are real - but at least this one is going to make us happy and make our lives easier on the other side! #SmallCharity #StartUps

So excited to have some seemingly good applicants for a #SSW re-advert we are currently running. Hopeful for the family who are in real real need. That hope is nonetheless overshadowed with sadness and distress for all the other families we haven’t currently got the capacity to help though 😢

Our amazing CEO & Founder is here! Hooray! Welcome @sarahfry.bsky.social x