Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
Saturday Oct 25, 2025
Saturday Oct 25, 2025
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.
In this episode I speak to adoptee Andy Wallis. We talk about his experience of being an adoptee and the impact on his mental health in adulthood. This is a thought provoking conversation and Andy is honest about the the complexity of being an adoptee. Andy blogs on the subject as well as having told parts of his story in his book Who's Wally? Adoption, Brian, and Me.
Website: www.whoswally.co.uk
📸 Instagram and TikTok: @whoswally73
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andy.wallis.3572
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-wallis-865ab6195/
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
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
I speak to Fiona Wells, social worker, #adopter, #adoptee and #adoption reform campaigner about where we are this #NationalAdoptionWeek.
We talk all things adoption, trends, contact, the good and the bad. It's an engaging chat and you can see the comments on Al's FB page here.
Patch's even can be found through their website 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 Oct 18, 2025
Saturday Oct 18, 2025
Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast.
As part of our look at the issue of adoption disruption in this episode I chat to Charlotte Jenkins. She is the founder of Beacon Family Services but acting as an independent social worker chairs adoption disruption meetings. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter and Charlotte explains how bringing together professionals and parents they can potentially make sense of what has happened, she also draws out themes that she has observed doing what is challenging work.
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
Tuesday Oct 14, 2025
Tuesday Oct 14, 2025
This month we’re exploring how our different lenses - our lived experiences, values, and professional knowledge, shape the way we see and interpret behaviour. They influence how we respond, the language we use, and even whether we view something as needing a safeguarding referral or as an opportunity for support and connection.
By becoming aware of our own lenses and being open to those of others, we can create a shared understanding that keeps curiosity, empathy, and the child at the centre of our practice.
As always you can connect with us through the following -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
Saturday Oct 11, 2025
Saturday Oct 11, 2025
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.
In this episode I speak to adoptive parent Cath who is parenting from a distance, a position that many adoptive families find themselves in. Often parents struggled to meet the complex and high needs of children with the challenges of ensuring children remain safe also added into the mix. When this happens it can characterised as a breakdown or an adoption disruption, however as Cath’s story indicates the separation is often necessary to ensure any chance of an ongoing relationship between children and parents. However, getting service to acknowledge and see the needs of children and parents can be challenging to say the least.
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
Thursday Oct 09, 2025
Thursday Oct 09, 2025
Hello and welcome to our Kinship week live with Dr Paul Shuttleworth. We chat about the voices of children and Dr Paul's new book, Listening to Children about Kinship care, child welfare and permanence.
You can download the book for free here and please do as Dr Paul worked hard to ensure it was available at no cost and we want to support the excellent work he's doing.
We do chat more broadly about Kinship and the state of the broader context.
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
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast.
Over the next episodes we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter with the impact on children, adults and professionals often being catastrophic.
Here I speak to Fiona Wells, Adult adoptee, adoptive parent, social worker and director of PATCH She has direct experience of the challenges that families can face as well as bringing together many families looking to improve the adoption and care system having experienced difficult interactions with it.
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 Oct 04, 2025
Saturday Oct 04, 2025
Hello and welcome to this episode of the A&F podcast, we're on the cusp of Kinship week so we look a the report published this week "Handle With Care: Annual survey of kinship carers 2025" view here. Parts of it dovetail with the DfE's Family Routes: Children who return to care research which we discuss and you can view here.
Of course we banter around the issues and unpack our takes, or attempts at takes, on the reports.
If you're an adoptive parent and struggling with challenging behaviour you can join the Walking with Families FB group here.
FASD Ireland's research can be viewed 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
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast.
Over the coming episodes we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter and we’ve talked to a range of people and professionals impacted by it, we haven’t spoken to children or adult adoptees. That’s more a reflection on our network not a policy decision.
Here I speak to solicitor Nigel Priestley from Ridley and Hall, he is an adoptive parent and has focused his work on supporting adoptive parents navigate what can be a very challenging process when children can no longer live at home.
It is to hard listen to the challenges families face and Nigel offers insight as to the impact on them and the difficulties that they face.
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 Sep 27, 2025
Saturday Sep 27, 2025
Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast.
Over the next episodes we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter with the impact on children, adults and professionals often being catastrophic. We’ve talked to social workers, adoptive parents, adult adoptees, solicitors and adoptive parents but not children.
Here I speak to Ruth and she shares her experience of disruption pre adoption order. It is a hard listen but I’m sure you agree it highlights some of the systemic challenges families face as well as the lifelong impact on everyone in the home.
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