The Adoption and Fostering Podcast

Better Me Better Us Episode 32 - Own It

In this episode we explore the responsibility adults and professionals carry to own their behaviours, words, and actions, especially when working with children. From everyday interactions to moments of conflict and repair, we unpack why accountability is not about perfection, but integrity.

We discuss how children learn more from what we model than what we say, why owning mistakes builds trust and emotional safety, and how this is especially vital in fostering and adoption, where many children have experienced broken promises and unmet accountability. 

As always you can connect with us through the following -

Instagram- BMBUltd

Facebook – Better Me Better Us

Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

Converations - Nick, Tiegan and the Adoption Satisfaction Survey

Hello and welcome to the AandF podcast. 

In this  episode I speak to adult adoptee Tiegen Boyens and social worker/researcher Nick Burke. They are undertaking research examining the adoptee quality of life for those between 16 and 25. Tiegan and Nick unpack the reason behind the research and how the topics and questions were identified though focus group with a range of adoptees. 

You can access the survey 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

Adoption Disruption - Adoptive parent & SW Amy

Hello and welcome to the A&F Podcast. In this episode we're continuing to look at parenting from a distance and adoption disruption. It's a hugely sensitive matter with the impact on children adults and professionals often being catastrophic.

Here, I speak to Amy an adoptive parent and social worker and she describes the events that led to crisis and the response of 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

Episode of the Year - 206 FASD with Anna Webster

This episode resinated with so many of our listeners. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder remains under discussed with a growing understanding of the prevalence and impact that many children are living with. 

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

 

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Christmas Podcast with Fiona Wells from Patch

Hello and welcome to the AandF podcast Christmas special. 

In this episode we streamed live to Facebook and chat with Fiona Wells from Patch.

We unpack all that's been happening with the raised awareness of the levels of adversity all members of adoptive households are having. There is a crisis in the adoption community and Fiona has spearheaded the news and bringing of many families together. 

Oh, and it's Christmas we share our top tips! It's a little raucous but that's how we roll. 

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

Conversations - Helio, Adult International Adoptee

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. 

In this episode I speak with Helio an adult adoptee, he shares his experience of being adopted from Brazil to an Italian family. There’s so much more to his story and as an adult he went onto what was a complex journey to reconnect with his biological mother. His resilience and the murky circumstances of his adoption are remarkable and it’s well worth a listen. 

You can follow Helio 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

Better Me Better Us Ep 31 - Back to basics

In this episode, we explore the importance of stripping everything back to the basics and showing up on a truly human level. It’s these foundations, warmth, consistency, repair and presence, that create safety and stability for our most traumatised children. We also reflect on how powerful our modelling is: what we, as professionals, model to parents and carers, and what they in turn model to the children in their care. When we get the basics right, everything else becomes possible.

 

As always you can connect with us through the following -

Instagram- BMBUltd

Facebook – Better Me Better Us

Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

Episode 221 - Adoption Crisis and More

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

Conference Report - The Adoption Forum

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

 

Conversations - Foster Carer Amelie

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