Claim OwnershipThe Adoption and Fostering Podcast
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Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
568 Episodes
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Hello and welcome to this episode of the adoption and fostering podcast. With the wide ranging coverage in the news of the UK's adoption crisis we focus in on that in this episode as well as the response from adoption agencies and the children's minister.
There's a lot to unpack but we give it a go and then have a little chat about the drop in foster carers in the UK and the review announced in to mental health and neurodiversity diagnosis announced.
BBC Adoption Crisis here
Debate in Parliament transcript here
Walking with Families Peer support 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
On the 19th November Al was invited to attend a conference in London organised by The Adoption Forum and this is his on the hoof podcast. Their goal is to bridge law, policy, and lived experience and to turn research and policy into practical, down to earth strategies that support children, families, and the professionals who work with them.
You can follow them on Linkedin here
Al was able to speak to attendees and contributors, Anthea Benjamin, Mike Hancock from PAC UK , Sarah Beskine, Sophie Hill and Azariah Hope.
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 former foster carer and author Amelie. She shares her family story of a serious allegation made against them that led to her own children being removed from her care. It’s a stark account and Amelie’s book, Broken, recounts that experience. Amelie is passionate to see change and help build a system that manages allegations better.
You can read Amelie's book here and follow her on instagram 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 AandF podcast.
*Warning!*
We will be leaning into gender stereotypes.
So, it's been a while since we had a proper natter so we catch up then dive into the tricky issue of mens'/dads' mental health and the specific challenges that adoption may bring. We think about blocked care and post adoption depression as well as consider how we access support and if we even want it?
Here's a link to the research we reference around adoptive dads and if you're interested in joining Al's online peer support for adoptive parent caring for children with challenging behaviour follow this link and we'll share the details of the open groups and the dads' groups with you. There's also a FB group you can join 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
Podcast 30 - Professional Relationships
In this episode, we explore the power and complexity of professional relationships - how they shape our ability to ask for help, to trust, and to be trusted. We look at the systems we work within, and how they can both nurture and hinder the relationships we need to do our best work.
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 AandF podcast.
In this episode I speak to Dan Boxall-Simpson, he’s returned to the podcast to update us on the progress of EPIC Fostering the independent foster care agency he is in the process of setting up. He shares some of the challenges of navigating the process, Ofsted applications and more. It’s interesting to find out why now is a good time to do this and chat about their ethos and vision as a not for profit agency.
You can find out more about EPIC and EPIC family CIC 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.
In this episode we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter with the impact on children, adults and professionals often being catastrophic.
Here I speak to Vicki McKeown psychotherapeutic Counsellor at VLM Therapy Ltd & Director at Better Me Better Us Ltd, social worker and panel member. She has broad experience of working with adopted children and their parents and shares insight to the causes and impacts across the system.
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 adoptee Andy Wallis. We talk about his experience of being an adoptee and the impact on his mental health in adulthood. This is a thought provoking conversation and Andy is honest about the the complexity of being an adoptee. Andy blogs on the subject as well as having told parts of his story in his book Who's Wally? Adoption, Brian, and Me.
Website: www.whoswally.co.uk
📸 Instagram and TikTok: @whoswally73
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andy.wallis.3572
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-wallis-865ab6195/
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
I speak to Fiona Wells, social worker, #adopter, #adoptee and #adoption reform campaigner about where we are this #NationalAdoptionWeek.
We talk all things adoption, trends, contact, the good and the bad. It's an engaging chat and you can see the comments on Al's FB page here.
Patch's even can be found through their 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 A&F podcast.
As part of our look at the issue of adoption disruption in this episode I chat to Charlotte Jenkins. She is the founder of Beacon Family Services but acting as an independent social worker chairs adoption disruption meetings. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter and Charlotte explains how bringing together professionals and parents they can potentially make sense of what has happened, she also draws out themes that she has observed doing what is challenging 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, BlueSky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here
This month we’re exploring how our different lenses - our lived experiences, values, and professional knowledge, shape the way we see and interpret behaviour. They influence how we respond, the language we use, and even whether we view something as needing a safeguarding referral or as an opportunity for support and connection.
By becoming aware of our own lenses and being open to those of others, we can create a shared understanding that keeps curiosity, empathy, and the child at the centre of our practice.
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 Cath who is parenting from a distance, a position that many adoptive families find themselves in. Often parents struggled to meet the complex and high needs of children with the challenges of ensuring children remain safe also added into the mix. When this happens it can characterised as a breakdown or an adoption disruption, however as Cath’s story indicates the separation is often necessary to ensure any chance of an ongoing relationship between children and parents. However, getting service to acknowledge and see the needs of children and parents can be challenging to say the least.
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 our Kinship week live with Dr Paul Shuttleworth. We chat about the voices of children and Dr Paul's new book, Listening to Children about Kinship care, child welfare and permanence.
You can download the book for free here and please do as Dr Paul worked hard to ensure it was available at no cost and we want to support the excellent work he's doing.
We do chat more broadly about Kinship and the state of the broader context.
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.
Over the next episodes we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter with the impact on children, adults and professionals often being catastrophic.
Here I speak to Fiona Wells, Adult adoptee, adoptive parent, social worker and director of PATCH She has direct experience of the challenges that families can face as well as bringing together many families looking to improve the adoption and care system having experienced difficult interactions with it.
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 this episode of the A&F podcast, we're on the cusp of Kinship week so we look a the report published this week "Handle With Care: Annual survey of kinship carers 2025" view here. Parts of it dovetail with the DfE's Family Routes: Children who return to care research which we discuss and you can view here.
Of course we banter around the issues and unpack our takes, or attempts at takes, on the reports.
If you're an adoptive parent and struggling with challenging behaviour you can join the Walking with Families FB group here.
FASD Ireland's research can be viewed 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.
Over the coming episodes we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter and we’ve talked to a range of people and professionals impacted by it, we haven’t spoken to children or adult adoptees. That’s more a reflection on our network not a policy decision.
Here I speak to solicitor Nigel Priestley from Ridley and Hall, he is an adoptive parent and has focused his work on supporting adoptive parents navigate what can be a very challenging process when children can no longer live at home.
It is to hard listen to the challenges families face and Nigel offers insight as to the impact on them and the difficulties that they face.
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.
Over the next episodes we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter with the impact on children, adults and professionals often being catastrophic. We’ve talked to social workers, adoptive parents, adult adoptees, solicitors and adoptive parents but not children.
Here I speak to Ruth and she shares her experience of disruption pre adoption order. It is a hard listen but I’m sure you agree it highlights some of the systemic challenges families face as well as the lifelong impact on everyone in the home.
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 this, what feels like a marker in the year, episode looking at the 2025 Adoption Barometer (click here). We get AUK’s Becky Brooks on to run us through what we know and new stuff.
We unpack some of the news before we get to that, ie a new children’s minister, FASD Ireland’s very exciting new report (click here) and Al’s peer support community, Walking with Families, (click here).
Becky brings real insight personally and professionally and she opens up the data as well as analysis some of the bigger issues that come up in the conversation. It’s a great chat that get’s into some interesting areas.
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 Network.
In this episode I speak to Caitlyn Newblé the CEO and founder of All in the therapy of music. She shares her experience of the transformational influence music brought to her. Her vision is to make music accessible and affordable by bringing experienced and advanced musicians into schools.
You can visit her 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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network.
This month’s podcast is all about Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
It’s a tough but really important conversation. We chat about how this issue shows up in the lives of children and young people, especially in schools and online, and why it matters so much for those of us working with or parenting children and young people.
It’s not about policy or box-ticking, it’s about the real impact, the human side, and what we can do to make sure kids feel safe, supported and believed.
As always you can connect with us through the following -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
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This sounds like fantastic work but it's a real shame this is being done by voluntary sector and not local authority. What works and RCTs *are ideological* nothing can replace professional judgement. Waht works doesn't work.
Meghan Merkel is not black. She is mixed race. You really should know the difference. It matters. Is no more accurate to say she is black than it is to say she is white.