Christine Gordon

​Many of you will have heard of the untimely death of Christine Gordon in Costa Rica on March 10th 2020. We were shocked and very sad to hear this news at CairnsMoir Connections.

Christine was well known for her decades of support to families who fostered or adopted traumatised children. She was a co-founder of Family Futures Consortium in London, and the founder of Adapt Scotland working alongside Karen Wallace.

Christine was a great friend and supporter of CairnsMoir Connections. We were proud to promote and sell books authored by her. We assisted her in the self publishing of her final book ‘Adapting Approaches’ which was then published by Jessica Kingsley Publications as ‘Parenting Strategies to help adopted and fostered children with their behaviour.’

All three of us have fond memories of Christine:

Fiona - I have known Christine for over 20 years, she was part of a group of pioneering adoptive parents whose knowledge of attachment and trauma was way ahead of the times. She was unstinting in her support for children and their families, always finding innovative ways of working. I worked with her professionally setting up a Parent Mentoring project in Scotland over a decade ago and learnt so much from her. Christine was also a great support to our family. Over the years she supported us collectively and individually, always with compassion, great wisdom and always including fun, she will be remembered by us as a warrior. Christine was a force of nature, passionate and enthusiastic in everything she did, her love of life shone through. Our family will miss her so much, as will the countless other families who she supported over the years.

Barbara - I first met Christine in the year 2000 at a Lothian Adopters Group support meeting where she was the speaker for the evening. Christine’s passion for supporting adopters and their families shone through that night. Little did I know that that evening would lead to a twenty year friendship with Christine supporting our family throughout the years. Christine’s zest for life was an inspiration and we as a family will miss her greatly.

Corinne - My first pearls of wisdom came from Christine before I had even adopted. I was advised to speak to her about a possible match, and gain insight into the needs of a child who had experienced trauma in early life. When the time was right I adopted a daughter, and then another. Our family will remember Christine's presence at activities held in the adoptive community in Scotland which became part of our new family traditions. To my girls she will always be "tombola lady".

Christine lived life to the full, climbing, cycling, and travelling the world, with many of her adventures immortalised in her YouTube channel. Christine was a unique individual, and her legacy lives on in the lives of all the families she helped to repair. We send our condolences to all her family and friends.

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