About Us

In 2015, Sarah Naish (founding member of the NATP), commissioned research by the University of Bristol’s Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Parent Studies, (Dr. Heather Ottaway and Professor Julie Selwyn), to produce the first-ever national study* of Compassion Fatigue in foster parents in England, entitled “No-one told us it was going to be like this”. 

Sarah commissioned the research as she had significant personal and professional experience within the sector and had become concerned that the scale of the problem was largely ignored and ending children’s placements prematurely.

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Compassion Fatigue Research​

The research found that over 75% of foster parents had suffered some level of burnout. ​The research was presented to the central government as part of the Fostering Inquiry, and the first two pieces of evidence were published related to this research. The research team was asked to give evidence to the Commons Select Committee.

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Therapeutic Parenting Facebook Group

In 2012 Sarah set up the Therapeutic Parenting Facebook group, shortly after this it was clear that there was a need for parents and families to feel supported and listened too whilst on their parenting journal when caring for children who have experienced early life trauma, or who have additional learning needs. 

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NATP Began.

NATP was set up in 2017 in response to this need, to provide peer support for like-minded parents and supporting professionals using a therapeutic and trauma-informed approach. 

Nowadays Sair Penna and Emma Edwards are at the helm of driving NATP forward and continue to provide support for parents and families as part of The Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma. (CoECT)

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