Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
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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
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*you'll have to listen to get his feelings on his title.
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Al catches up with Fiona Wells about what’s happened since the Adoption Crisis: The Jarring Reality Of Adoption report (you can read it here) was released and the next steps. We talk about the issue more broadly and some of the green shoots that will hopefully develop into actions. To aid that Fiona is gathering information from families who have experienced challenges through this short 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, twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Hi Everyone, we are Vicki and Haley from Better Me Better Us.
In this episode we start a conversation about language.
We have over 45 years shared experience working with children, young people, young adults and their families, from a range of roles including statutory safeguarding, family intervention, therapy, consultancy and training.
We are passionate about humans, relationships and bringing the literature and theories to life (and we love to talk).
We cannot wait to connect with you once a month and expand the conversation.
Connect with us -
Instagram- @BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Twitter – @BMBUltd
Saturday Jul 29, 2023
Saturday Jul 29, 2023
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A and F podcast.
In this episode I speak to birth father Andy, he shares his experiences of family court proceedings and the challenges that led to his daughter being adopted. It’s a difficult listen and Andy is honest in regards to his journey and he highlights the combative nature of the system that led to the decision in the courts for adoption and the impact on him and his family.
You can read the PAC report that Andy participated in and helped present 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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
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Saturday Jul 22, 2023
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
Hello and welcome to this episode of the A&F Podcast. It's been a long time coming but we've finally managed to get together to chat about the thorny issue of 'parent blame'. Pretty quickly into this we narrow down what we we mean and who we're talking about and Elaine, Scott and Al share personal experiences and perspectives as well as looking at professional perspectives.
We kind of slip into discussions around managing concerns and all kinds of other places but also give top tip for parent and top tips for professionals on how to avoid 'parent blame'.
Below here are some of the resources that we draw on and mention:
From parental blame to partnership with families: how to transform children’s social care
CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE THE WAY FORWARD - Parent Families and Allies Network
Parent-blaming to avoid professional accountability is a human rights issue
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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Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Welcome to the introductory episode of “FASD – What’s da Craic?” – with Maggie, Rob and Scott. This is Episode 1 of our first series from FASD Ireland and hosted by the A&F Network.
Do you know what “What’s da Craic?” means, we hope it is obvious…. but Craic is a term or greeting used to describe a good time, a fun experience, or a friendly conversation and is commonly used in Irish slang.
In this episode you will get to know Maggie, Rob and Scott a little more, including their interest in hosting an FASD podcast, as they introduce themselves. As well as getting to know them they also discuss Peer Support, working when you live with FASD, Parenting Triggers and Irish voices.
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
Saturday Jul 15, 2023
Saturday Jul 15, 2023
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A and F podcast.
In this episode we speak to Fran Hill, she is the author of the novel Cuckoo in the nest as well as being a retired teacher and care experienced herself. Fran share her experience of entering the care system as a 14 year old in 1976, her reflections on that as well as how that informed her writing her book charting the experience of a fictional child entering the care system. Details of where you can buy the book are here and you can find out more about Fran 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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here