IN a community room at Tesco in Askham Bar, a group of mums and dads are meeting over coffee and sandwiches to chat about the trials and tribulations of bringing up children.

They swap stories about issues at school and home, challenges with teenagers - and the difficulties of accessing support for youngsters with behavioural issues.

But these are not just any parents. The children they're talking about, with such exasperated affection, are all adopted.

The meeting marks the first anniversary of Chat Adoption York - a parents' support group set up by York adoptive mum Shamim Eimaan.

Shamim adopted her daughter, now 30, when she was just a baby.

Her daughter is amazing, she says - and she is hugely proud of the way she's turned out.

But she's the first to admit bringing her up wasn't always easy.

Children who have been adopted often suffer from some form of deep-seated trauma, Shamim says.

They may feel insecure, or have abandonment and attachment issues.

There may be 'sensory triggers' such as loud noises, or something else they associate with the trauma of early childhood.

As a young mum with an adopted baby nearly 30 years ago, she felt as though there was no support and no-one to turn to for help.

"I felt really alone, isolated," she said.

Shamim went on to have a child of her own, and brought her adopted daughter and her birth son up together. "They've had exactly the same upbringing," she said.

A few years ago, she started volunteering with Adoption UK. There, she encountered other adoptive families who had experienced similar issues.

"And then I thought, wouldn't it be great to get together with some other adoptive parents, so we can all network, chat, listen to each other, share experiences, learn and support each other " she said.

The result was Chat Adoption York.

There are now more than 40 members - all parents with at least one adopted child, or else people who were themselves adopted as children.

They meet regularly to chat and offer each-other support and advice - and there are also regular presentations by professionals working in the field of adoption and young people.

Angela, who brought up two adoptive daughters, said the group is 'amazing'.

"When we first adopted, there was very little support at all," she said.

Raising adopted children can be difficult, she said. Many suffer from 'early trauma' - which can manifest as anxiety, insecurity or behavioural problems as a child grows older.

And there are often long waiting lists to get a diagnosis and access support.

"But this group is amazing," she said. "It's in places like this where you can share information and find support."

One young woman who attended the meeting had herself been adopted as a child.

There had been ups and downs as she grew up, she admitted. She suffered from anxiety, and would sometimes lock herself in her room as a child.

In her teenage years, she would sometimes act up - and was vulnerable to exploitation. Older boys would pester her to hang out with them. "I thought I was being streetwise."

But she came through it, and now works as a carer with vulnerable adults.

"I'm really lucky," she says of her adoptive mum. "She's been a great mum. I'm very proud of her!"

If you'd like to get in touch with Chat Adoption York, email chatadoptionyork@outlook.com