Episodes

Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Lara
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
It's National Adoption Week so we thought we'd re -elease a few voices from the adoption community for new listeners to hear and perhaps remind ourselves of the complexity and nuance that contemporary adoption navigates.
Hello and welcome to conversations from the adoption and fostering podcast.
In this podcast I speak to Lara an adult adoptee, and psychologist. She shares her story of a private UK adoption in the early 1970s.
Lara discusses her views on how her adoption impacted on her identity throughout her live and She is honest and open in relation to the challenges she experienced. Lara also also speaks of her experience of searching for her birth family. You can hear more Lara’s views on adoption and the issues that impacts on adopters and adoptees on her YouTube channel ‘Lara Leon, adoption and wellbeing’
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, Fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here
Music by
Together, We Can Make It by Neutrin05 | https://soundcloud.com/neutrin05
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported

Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Sammy
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
It's National Adoption Week so we thought we'd re -elease a few voices from the adoption community for new listeners to hear and perhaps remind ourselves of the complexity and nuance that contemporary adoption navigates.
In this podcast we speak birth mum Sammy, she shares her experience of having her children removed, court processes and accessing support once they have gone.
If you’ve a story of care or adoption and would like to share your perspective or experience then please do direct message us at our twitter feed here, our facebook page here or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here
Music by
Together, We Can Make It by Neutrin05 | https://soundcloud.com/neutrin05
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Conversations - Megan Tanner
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast. We are opening up our conversations to include anyone connected to the world of caring parenting or working with children who have experienced adversity or have complex needs. In this episode we speak to Megan a former foster carer who is moving to Sierra Leone to support the development of children’s welfare with communities there. The charity she has founded is called Hear Their Roar and you can find details of the work they do here.
If you’ve a perspective or have experience that you’d like to share in this space please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here

Saturday Oct 08, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Adopter Carolyn
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
Hello and welcome to conversations from the adoption and fostering podcast.
In this episode we speak to Carolyn and she shares her family’s story of adoption after a protracted assessment process and the challenges of introducing her son to her family.
Now six years on life is very different to the one that they had envisaged as they care for a child with emerging complex needs having implications for how they live as a family. Carolyn is honest and frank in relation to their experience and shines a light on many adoptive families’ experiences.
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com

Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Before you listen please note, we talk about operations in some detail in the first few minutes. If you're squeamish or of a delicate disposition then skip!
There's a lot going on but we start with an appeal for help from a couple of prospective adopters who are blind and are looking to speak to any other adopter who can share their experience of being approved with a disability. If you think you can help then please drop us an email.
We then unpick the news of the new minister being appointed with additional responsibilities, the shadow minster as well as AUK's new appointment. We unpick some of the discussions being had in relation to adoption approvals being transferred if agencies close as well as commenting on recent protests by foster carers and national private fostering week.
A busy episode but certainly a pretty interesting one and not without mirth.
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, Fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here

Saturday Sep 24, 2022
Episode 147 - Fostering and the cost of living crisis with Sarah Anderson
Saturday Sep 24, 2022
Saturday Sep 24, 2022
In this week's episode we speak to Sarah Anderson from Fostering Wiki about the recently released Cost of Living Crisis Report. This is a pressing issue for all carers but has exacerbated the underlying issues that fostering is facing at the moment. We chat with Sarah across some of the challenges being faced as well as the campaigning wok that is being done.
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, Fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here

Saturday Sep 17, 2022
Episode 146 - A trip to Ireland, Permanence and what is our future?
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
We recorded this episode in Ireland, and planned to release it prior to the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Al had popped over to help with the opening of the FASD Ireland offices and we took the chance to record together. There's been a lot of change in the landscape around adoption and we reflect on where we are and where we're going. Do we remain a safe place for adopted adults to share their views and experiences and is a podcast hosted by two adopters the right place for that? These are few of the questions that we're asking of ourselves as we look to the future of the podcast. As always, there's plenty of banter and we reflect on the catastrophe which was Al's summer holiday and the usual stuff.
We've opened up sales for the conference on the 25th Movement. We will consider the challenges and barriers to maintaining positive, safe and meaningful links with birth family members.
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, Fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here

Saturday Sep 10, 2022
Podcast Special - RIP Queen Elizabeth II
Saturday Sep 10, 2022
Saturday Sep 10, 2022
We did have a normal episode recorded and lined up but in light of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II we thought we'd throw out a few thoughts, a story and keep it brief. RIP

Saturday Sep 03, 2022
SGOConversations - Special Guardian Michelle
Saturday Sep 03, 2022
Saturday Sep 03, 2022
Hello and welcome to conversations from the adoption and fostering podcast.
In this episode we speak to Michelle Nattrass she is a special guardian to her grandson and a PHD researcher at Leeds Trinity University looking at family contact in kinship and guardianship arrangements.
Michelle shares her personal story, the circumstances that led to her and her partner becoming a special guardian as well as offering insight into the challenges that are present in the wider community. Michelle is honest and frank in relation to her experience and shines a light on many families experiences.
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, Fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here

Saturday Aug 27, 2022
Episode 145 - Scott & Al and a Summer Round Up
Saturday Aug 27, 2022
Saturday Aug 27, 2022
In this episode we sift through the brick-a-brack of talking points and news updates that have been loitering in the back of the podcast shared note. We start with the giddy, heartbreaking, joy of children moving out as Al confesses to feeling rather glum. Then onto some talking points including, consensual non monogamy, Northern Pride, social work assessments and the ASLGB away day.
As always if you’ve experience of adoption, Fostering or special guardianship from any perspective and would like share that on the podcast please get in touch through the Facebook or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here