Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Our third Better Me Better Us Podcast focuses on social media. We discuss various perspectives from telling ‘white lies’ so our children have access to platforms with an age limit, to posting photos of our children without consent. From an Adoption and Fostering perspective we discuss the challenges for both parents and professionals when children search for birth family members online and think about how we prepare and manage the potential risk associated with this. The virtual world has many advantages, but as with many other scenarios that we teach our children about , how do we prepare our children to navigate scenarios through their screens?
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Instagram- @BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Twitter – @BMBUltd
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
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Saturday Sep 30, 2023
Saturday Sep 30, 2023
Hello and welcome to this special edition of the podcast from the A&F network.
On the 20th Sept we were invited the National Adoption Strategy Team's conference on openness in adoption in London. Unfortunately Scott couldn’t come so I attended on my own. It was planned initially to be just for adoption practitioners and exclusively in person. However, there was huge demand and consequently it was opened up to an online audience of practitioners, adoptees, adopters and birth families.
I was part of the round table event but was much enough to chat to a few of the contributors as well as the co Chairs Sarah Johal and Mike Hancock and squeeze an interview out of some of them. The audio is ok but you do get to hear some background noise, a sound check and kitchen sounds.
I hope it gives a flavour of the day and the topics discovered.
In order the contributors were, Mike, Tiegan, Sammy, Sarah and Clarissa all bringing their lived and professional experience to the debate.
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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Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Welcome to Episode 3 of ‘What’s da Craic’ with Maggie and Scott.
September marks World FASD Awareness Month, with a whole day dedicated to FASD Awareness Day on 9thSeptember. In this episode Maggie and Scott reflect on the day – around Ireland, as well as globally.
We reflect on social media posts, buildings being lit up red, the remarkable increase in Ireland of those willing to raise awareness for the FASD Community and more. It was certainly a very busy day, and we now consider what we will be doing this time next year.
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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
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Friday Sep 22, 2023
Friday Sep 22, 2023
In this episode we speak to Andrew Walker from Banardos Ireland. This is a fascinating discussion around adoption and more specifically adoption support in the shadow of the Irish Government's adoption apology in 2018.
It's a fascinating conversation in terms of the support being offered as well as how adoption is viewed. On the 23rd Sept we'll be speaking to Dr Michael Lambert in terms of the evidence for a UK apology for adoption.
Here's a link to the Carrots story
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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
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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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here
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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
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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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
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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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here
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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here