The Adoption and Fostering Podcast

Hello and welcome to this follow on episode of my Churchill Fellowship. In this  episode I speak to Tracy Moisan  from Canada who is the national director of the National Consortium on Aggression Towards Family / Caregivers in Childhood & Adolescence (AFCCA). The Consortium exists to increase awareness of AFCCA across Canada, to amplify the voices of youth and their families, and to mobilize knowledge in ways that affects policy, systems, services, research, and professional practice to improve the lives of youth experiencing AFCCA and their families. Tracy has a wealth of experience and absolute insight the challenges families face and this is a fascinating discussion.  The Consortium's website is here www.afcca-apfea.ca

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.  A few months ago I was contacted by Karine Tremblay an adoptive parent, social worker and researcher in relation to her work on the impact of living with children with challenging and aggressive behaviour. So, we arranged to speak, it’s a conversation and topic that sits really comfortably within the remit of my Churchill Fellowship and Karine’s description of ‘filial trauma’ will be recognised by parents, carers and professionals.  Karine is French Canadian but her work is transferable to all who live or work in this field regardless of geography.   As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

In this episode we speak to Dee Mills, she's an adoptive parent and had written a book 'Your Adopted Child at School: Making The Right Choices & Getting The Education They Need' drawing on her extensive challenges as an adoptive parent with the school system. Dee is certainly not anti school but full of useful tips and advice born from lots of interaction with teachers and schools. We had a cracking chat and it raised lots of issues and memories for us as well.   Dee's book can be found here.  https://amzn.to/40riO06  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

In this episode, we’re talking all things school holidays and how to support children through long stretches of unstructured time while gently stretching their independence. We explore why holidays can feel overwhelming for some children (especially those with trauma histories or neurodivergence, how to build skills and resilience  without pushing too far, the importance of strong, safe relationships—so if things go wrong, you can talk it through and why your support network matters just as much as the routine. As always you can connect with us through the following - Instagram- BMBUltd Facebook – Better Me Better Us Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network.    In this episode I speak Dr Maude Champagne from Interwovern connections based in Ontario Canada. Following on from her PHD Maude  in collaboration with other professionals she has written what is, in my opinion, an excellent book. It’s called DECODING AGGRESSION, COMPLEX BEHAVIOURS AND BRAIN-BASED DISABILITIES and the link is in the show notes. It’s a practical book looking a supporting families and it’s strength is it comes from a range of perspectives to do that.  Maude is an author who has also lived experience and brings that to bare in her work.  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, Instagram, Bluesky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode we speak to Euan Preston and Gillian Elam from the Potato Group. They recently published their report 'Far, Far Beyond the Adoption Order: Lessons From Lives Impacted by Trauma' drawing on the experiences of 400+ adoptive families. The report highlight some of the complexities and challenges faced by children and parents accessing appropriate support and how services struggle to manage crisis and when adoptive children can no longer live at home.  You can visit Potato's website here and download the reports here   As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

In this episode we chat to Vicki McKeown & Lisa Etherson about the tricky subject of Shame. Drawing on their professional experiences and practice as well as Lisa's Phd they have co authored the children's book "Jake and his Shame Armour. We discuss aspects of shame and how it is linked to attachment and can influence behaviour. As always there's a bit of frivolity and chaos as we try to get the live machine to work. You can buy the book here.  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here  

Hello and welcome to what is a follow up to the conversation I had with Lee Tempest in the summer of 2024. I spoke to her then in relation to the understanding and support being offered to families living with children with challenging and violent behaviour in New Zealand. Lee works for VisAble a national charity and has authored  the first survey across New Zealand looking at families experiences of child to parent violence and abuse and in this interview she shares the findings and the work that there is to do.  You can listen to her first interview here and visit VisAble’s website here and read the report As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com   Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.  In this  episode Scott and Al speak to Sarah and Helen from the Belay Foundation. They help families access disability benefits as well as in home support.  Here's a their info  The Belay Foundation In case you are inspired to find out more ... website https://thebelayfoundation.org.uk/ - To help them in the future the survey they've launched to get input on our future services is here: https://forms.office.com/e/EDfKWKgntV (and the intro video is here: https://vimeo.com/1094294617) They are a charity so if you have any pennies to donate then  justgiving.com/charity/thebelayfoundation (OR you can donate to Helen's year-long #Belay2025in2025 fundraising challenge here: justgiving.com/page/belay2025in2025) Thank you for helping us share what we do!

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.  In this  episode I speak to Nakole Wooley, parent education & cultivate connection facilitator, licensed social worker, formed foster carer and adoptive parent through kinship. Nakole got in touch to talk about the challenges that adoptive families face specifically in relation to adoption disruption and that’s where the conversation starts.  You can find out more and view Nakole's website here  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to the 213th Episode (not the 113th as introduced!).  We catch up and unpick some of the latest news including the quality of the Gov's communication, upcoming disruption interviews and the experience of being a grandparent through adoption and the, perhaps, unique aspects of that role.  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com   Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

In this months episode, Vicki and Haley talk about preparations for the summer holidays, the heat, the lack of routine and the changes that are coming after.  It’s a lot for any parent and carer to manage and so we explore the need for preparing for that with our people, our network, our tribe to prevent breakdowns or at least minimise those difficult times and give us the energy to be the best carers we can.    As always you can connect with us through the following - Instagram- BMBUltd Facebook – Better Me Better Us Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

Hello and welcome to  Conversations from the A&F podcast  In this episode I speak to adoptive parent and former foster carer Izzy, she shares her experience of adopting a child that she fostered as well as her experience of realising that her child was living with Pathological Demand Avoidance.  Izzy explains PDA and how it impacts children and families as well as sharing her own journey to running support groups and working to support other adoptive parents working to meet the needs of their children with PDA. You can access the PDA website here  and Izzy's Facebook page 'PDA in Adoptive Families' here. As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com   Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to  episode 212 of the adoption and fostering podcast, as we creep into the summer madness is upon us so due to scheduling challenges we’re releasing an interview that we had with Dr Chris Burke in May with no #InfoBanter. The issue of maintaining family links for children remains a complex one with everybody around children often having strong feelings, worries and concerns about what is in the best interests of children and how we should address the challenges. Chris has created a model for organising decisions around safe and meaningful contact for professionals and in this interview we discussed the hows and the whys.  You can see Chris' website here We’ll be back to normal in the coming weeks, so stay well and as always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to  Conversations from the A&F podcast  In this episode I speak to adoptive parent Amiee, with her husband she proactively chose adoption and she shares their journey so far. We talk about the challenge of being linked with a child and the difficulties they experienced prior to finding their child.  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com   Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

In this episode of the A&F podcast we have a quick catch up then throw ourselves into the murky world of adoption and ethics. We may have fallen at the first hurdle but we are speaking as adoptive parents and we look specifically a the balance of morals and ethics within this world. We're not high minded lads so it's pretty rudimentary but we consider some of the challenged and consider the role of pragmatism. The court case we mention can be found here.  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com   Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

In this episode we talk about the idea of home. What does home mean to us, as individuals, as parents, as professionals? Is it a place, a person, a feeling? We reflect on how our own experiences shape the way we support children and young people especially, those where home hasn’t always felt safe or secure. For care-experienced young people, home can be a complex and loaded idea, something longed for, feared, or never truly known. As always you can connect with us through the following - Instagram- BMBUltd Facebook – Better Me Better Us Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

Hello and welcome to  Conversations from the A&F podcast  In this episode I speak to adoptive parent Julie, she became a foster carer then adopted as a solo carer and has experience working as a professional in mental health and social care. Julie shares her  experience and the challenges as professional dropped away as the local authority team moved to a regional adoption agency as well as the benefits of the adoption support fund.  Julie now support other families like hers through the not for profit Nurture Hub Therapy Service that she founded working  with birth parents, adopters, and foster carers,  understanding the unique complexities that these families face.   Julie writes: 'Nurture Hub is a specialist counselling and support organisation founded by Julie Ingram, a parent carer with an adopted daughter who has a background in social care and mental health.  Nurture Hub Therapy Service works with birth parents, adopters, and foster carers, and we totally understand the unique complexities that these families face.  The service is strictly not for profit offering low cost counselling and therapeutic groups to parents. For more info don't hesitate to get in touch with the team via the website www.nurturehubtherapyservice.co.uk'  As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to  Conversations from the A&F podcast  In this episode I speak to Dan Boxall_Simpson a Foster Carer, special guardian and fostering panel member  Dan shares his experience of becoming a foster carer with his husband and how that opened up many of the things that came afterwards including the decision to become a special guardian for two of the children they fostered. Dan is now in the process of starting an independent foster care  agency through a community interest company in his area to meet the needs of vulnerable children where he lives.  Website www.epicfamilycic.co.uk Facebook here As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here  

Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast, we're in the same country so after a very busy day at the FASD Ireland Conf we took to bed (think Morecambe and Wise) and unpacked the day's events as well as catching up with the latest news from the world of adoption and fostering and house moves! As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook page, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com   Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here