Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
9 hours ago
9 hours ago
Hello and welcome to this first episode of Al's Churchill Fellowship. You can read the full report here.
This episode draws on peer support specialists working directly with parents and carers living with children with challenging and aggressive behaviour. Focusing on Canada & the USA it considers different models of peer support including social media, virtual and in person. It then considers the role of peer mentors specifically in the Canadian organisation Interwoven Connections based across the province of Ontario that serves a large community through virtual means.
‘The best way to help families is one at a time. What each individual family needs is so unique the only way to truly help families is by addressing each unique needs and concerns one at a time.’
Lillyth Quillin, Parents of Children with Conduct Disorder, California, USA
5 days ago
5 days ago
In this Episode Al interviews Dr Lynn Snow. She is a medical doctor who has undertaken a Churchill Fellowship looking at how other countries and context address and support adoptive parents experiencing post adoption depression.
It was a fascinating conversation and Lynn has also worked as a paediatrician on adoption panel and we start by unpacking that a little. We then delve deeply into the issue of PAD, its prevalence, what helps and what doesn't. Lynn's conversations with several professionals are fascinating and you can read her report here.
Before we get into the interview we recorded an exteneded intro unpicking what was then breaking news that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund was going to be renewed for another year. However, it was before the updates on the Fair Access Limit. So, we will be unpacking that soon.
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
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Hello and welcome to this episode of Converations from the A&F podcast. In this episode I speak to foster carer and Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. He’s passionate about protecting vulnerable children which is what led him to start YATOM: The Jewish Foster and Adoption Network. He is a father to 4 children and has fostered 8 children over the past few years with his wife, Shoshana.
They work to motivate and support the Jewish community in the journey of adopting & fostering children and to advocate for the needs of orphans, children needing temporary homes, and adoptive families.
It is a fantastic discussion and we're sure you’ll find it interesting.
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
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
What does it really mean to keep up with the kids? It's more than knowing the latest slang or TikTok trends – it's about staying curious, open, and connected.
In this episode, we explore how tuning into the world our young people live in helps build stronger relationships and deeper understanding. Are you up to date with the language they use? Do you know what matters to them right now? Are you curious rather than critical?
As always you can connect with us through the following -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
Saturday Apr 05, 2025
Saturday Apr 05, 2025
Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast. In this, slightly raucous, episode we speak to Michelle Hall and Dr Paul Shuttleworth. They chat about the work they are doing with the charity Kinship supporting carers to help children make sense of their life stories.
They are delivering free training across the UK, both online and in person, and you can sign up through the Kinship website here.
If you're interested in coming to Al's Fellowship report release/webinar then you can sign up for free here.
23rd April 12 noon to 13:30 Practitioners here
24th April 20:00 to 21:00 Parent/Carer here
If you want to get the audio from the event but can't attend at the time then you can also sign up and it will be sent out after the events.
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
Saturday Mar 29, 2025
Saturday Mar 29, 2025
Hello and welcome to this episode of Converations from the A&F podcast. In this episode I speak to foster carer Zoe Bell, she shares her experience of being a foster carer and the impact of her faith on that. She now works for the charity 100 Homes based in Nottinghamshire that supports local churches to recruit carers and build networks around foster carers for the local authority.
Links:
Facebook and Insta: @100HomesNotts
Email: info@100homes.org.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
Saturday Mar 22, 2025
Saturday Mar 22, 2025
In this episode of the A&F podcast we speak to adoptive parent and Neurodiversity Coaching Psychologist Anna Webster. She shares her experience of parenting a child with a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the development of the Neurowise Programme on Therapeutic Caregiving for FASD.
It is a genuinely fascinating chat and we both drew lots of new information and thinking about the role of parents and the specific challenges parents and carers of children with FASD face.
Anna is on X here
and Linkedin 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
Saturday Mar 15, 2025
Saturday Mar 15, 2025
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast. In this episode I speak to adoptive parent Ali. With her husband they adopted two boys and after what seemed like a routine and normal experience of parenting challenges came when they started School. Ali shares her experience of facing challenges, difficult decisions that led to her setting up the ‘Fizzy Kids’ website and FaceBook page.
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
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
This month, we're exploring the power of interpretations. The way we hear, use, and understand words can significantly shape how we think,feel, and respond. We reflect on how shifting our interpretations can improve relationships and promote understanding.
As always you can connect with us through the following -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Phd Student Laura Smith recently got in touch with us in relation to research that she is undertaking research assessing the impact of a history of childhood maltreatment in the birth family on a child's emotional development. This is aimed specifically at adopters and adoptees aged 3 to 10 years old and she is keen to speak to families. We unpick why she is undertaking this research and what it can tell us in terms of how we care for adopted, and other children, who have experienced early adversity.
If you'd like to be involved here is the link to the study for parents to take part: https://southampton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ekEPeAvyn4TjBmC
We also unpack the ongoing ASGSF saga and Scott shares news of the upcoming, and rather exciting, FASD Ireland conference in May. You can find details of that here.
At no point do we mention Al's Churchill Fellowship and that you can find out more 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