Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
Saturday Sep 16, 2023
Saturday Sep 16, 2023
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A and F podcast.
In this episode I speak to Katy smith an adoptive parent and wellbeing coach. She shares her journey and experience of adoption as well as moving to support parents and becoming a wellbeing coach focusing on adoptive parents.
Katy's website is here
Linkedin here
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Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
In this month's podcast we talk about “change”
Here we talk about our own experiences before discussing the difference between planned or unplanned change, forced or collaborative, and what influences whether we experience it as a positive or negative. Finally we look at the importance of relationships and modelling how to navigate a new situation.
Connect with us -
Instagram- @BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Twitter – @BMBUltd
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
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Saturday Sep 09, 2023
Saturday Sep 09, 2023
It's FASD awareness months and the 9th September is the FASD day so to mark it we've spoken to Jeff Noble of FASD Success fame. He shares his story of how he became a foster carer and how his experience of caring for a child impacted by FASD led to his work supporting parents.
Jeff is enthusiastic and passionate about this subject so it's a full on interview and we cover a broad range of issues that impact on children and families.
You can visit the FASD Success website and Podcast 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 Facebook or twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Saturday Sep 02, 2023
Saturday Sep 02, 2023
In this episode we speak to Avery Bowser author of a chapter entitled 'If Adoption is the Answer then What is the Question?' in the new book 'The Future of Children's Social Care'. He speaks as a social worker and adoptive parent and we fully acknowledge that we speak with him from that perspective. Regardless, it's a worthwhile discussion that considers the state of adoption and its future. His interview starts at 37 mins.
This is a long episode as it's the end of the summer and in the introduction we catch up with on that's been going on as well as reflect on an email looking at lobbying for change in adoption. For once, Al, gets off the fence and the conversation gets a little impassioned. So, if you're part of the organisation that sent the email then please do come on and tell us why Al is wrong.
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 Facebook or twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Saturday Aug 26, 2023
Saturday Aug 26, 2023
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A and F podcast.
In this episode I speak to Esher, she is a late discovery step parent adoptee, foster carer and adopter. Esher shares her experience of discovering that who she thought was her father was not as a teenager and how that knowledge has unfolded through her life. She is also a foster carer and an adoptive parent and her personal experience has given her an informed understanding of the impact on identity of adoption and influences how she supports her child.
Esher now works to support others in terms of identity as well as working to develop understanding of racism. You can hear her speak at this event for the CVAA 'Anti racism in adoption assessment' 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 Facebook or twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Welcome to Episode 2 of ‘What’s da Craic’ with Maggie, Rob and Scott.
In this episode Maggie and Rob have a chat with Scott’s son Jacob about living with FASD. They discuss a range of experiences including sensory issues, school, pain thresholds, driving theory and the conversation soon digresses into a more general conversation about sport and the future, with a lengthy conversation about Rugby. It included some terminology that those interested in rugby will know, however, those who may not will definitely gain an insight from someone living with FASD taking part in sport and other activities.
Rob identifies some of the areas in Jacob and Maggie’s life that he has recognised as different to his own experiences, including specific hobbies and tasks that become obsessions in life, and Maggie hears more than she bargained for about sport!
For those who may not be familiar with some of the terms used:
Banjaxed – meaning ruined, incapacitated or broken
SNA – Special Needs Assistant (in School)
Whilst “FASD – What’s da Craic?” is predominantly an Irish take on FASD, we try to make our language and experiences accessible to everyone. We have a mix of accents in there – something for all!
We welcome you to get in touch whether you have a question or would like to be a guest, you can search FASD Ireland across all social media platforms and DM us or email us: office@fasdireland.ie
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Saturday Aug 19, 2023
Saturday Aug 19, 2023
Hello and welcome to this episodes of the A&F podcast, we are rather pleased to have AUK's Becky Brooks on with us. She's a long time friend of the show and hugely knowledgeable around all things adoption.
We start with a catch up and general infobanz then dive into the joys of homeschooling, airfryers and he social media platform formally known as Twitter. Of course, we also unpack the Adoption UK 2023 Barometer and all the info around that as well as looking at it as a body of work and where it goes next. We do enjoy our chat and Becky is a great guest and knows her stuff.
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, twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
Over the next few months we're spotlighting the practice and experience of social care work in Ireland. This month we're focusing on kinship. To do that we spoke to Caitríona Nic Mhuiris, she's based in Galway and is the founder of kinship care Ire. She shares the shocking events that led to her becoming a kinship carer and the subsequent desire to support other carers and lobby the Irish Government to effect positive change for children and families.
You can find out what they do and how they help 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 or twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Saturday Aug 12, 2023
Saturday Aug 12, 2023
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A and F podcast.
In this episode I speak to Christelle an adult transracial adoptee, she shares her experience of being adopted as a 10 year old girl from a Madagascan orphanage by a French family she’d never met until she was flown to their home in the south of France. Christelle’s experience is stark and she is open an honest in relation to the impact on her and the challenge that has manifest.
Christelle now works raising awareness of issues around adoption through visual arts as well as supporting and mentoring other adoptees. You can find out more about her work here.
Christelle's podcast Black Adoptees Identities has an insta page @blackadopteesidentities 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 or twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Saturday Aug 05, 2023
Saturday Aug 05, 2023
In this episode we chat to Social Work Academic Dr Paul Shuttleworth* all things Kinship and the Care Review as per his chapter in the new book 'The Future of Children's Care' which is available here.
It's a fantastic chat about the presumptions that are in place around kinship, the evidence base for kinship and the Care Review's take on it. We also unpack bigger issues around the Review and what its impact may be.
For all it's a series issue it's a lighthearted chat and Dr Paul is a wonderful guest with fantastic insight across the issues discussed.
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, twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
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*you'll have to listen to get his feelings on his title.