Episodes

Oct 29, 2022
#AdoptionConversations - Petra
Oct 29, 2022
Oct 29, 2022
49 min
Hello and welcome to Conversations from the A and F podcast.
In this episode we speak to Petra, she shares her story of being assessed as a prospective adoptive parent. Petra’s first assessment through a local authority was ended before panel and she shares that experience, its impact and her ultimate successful approval through a voluntary adoption agency.
Petra’s experience is not unique and many applicant struggle in the assessment process in this podcast she reflects on the impact on her and the limitations and pitfalls of the process
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 or twitter page or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com

Oct 22, 2022
Oct 22, 2022
1hr 9 min
We have a very quick catch-up about #NationalAdoptionWeek and there's a little bit of bad language, not much just a little.
Then we get to the main event, school exclusion. It's a broad and deep issue so on reflection we only scratch the surface. Ruth shares her experience as a teacher and school head and reflects on some of the issues that lead up to exclusion and the impact on children, staff and parents. We also share some of the comments that were sent to us from parents and carers of children who have been struggling in school. It feels like an issue that we could return to and dig deeper into.
Ruth and Scott were full of cold so there's a little bit of coughing!
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Oct 22, 2022
Oct 22, 2022
33 min
In this, the first of two episodes considering the issues around school exclusion Al chats to Ass. Prof Sarah Martin-Denham from the University of Sunderland about her project gathering the voices of children who have been excluded.
You can find links to Sarah's work here.
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Oct 20, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Adoptee Saul
Oct 20, 2022
Oct 20, 2022
40 min
It's National Adoption Week so we thought we'd re -release 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 #AdoptionConversations, in this episode we speak to adult adopted adult and care experienced person Saul. He shares what is a complex and emotive story of an early life in and out of the care system and eventual adoption as an older child. It is a difficult listen as Saul shares the impact of fractured relationships, racism, care, adoption and discovery of parts of his origin story. Saul is open and honest and it's a raw conversation and he is now looking to pull together like minded adults in his fledgling organisation Orfan. You can find links to Twitter here and all of the links to different outlets here.
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
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Oct 19, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Lara
Oct 19, 2022
Oct 19, 2022
41 min
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
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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

Oct 18, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Sammy
Oct 18, 2022
Oct 18, 2022
31 min
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
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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

Oct 15, 2022
Conversations - Megan Tanner
Oct 15, 2022
Oct 15, 2022
40 min
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
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Oct 8, 2022
Adoption Conversations - Adopter Carolyn
Oct 8, 2022
Oct 8, 2022
44 min
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

Oct 1, 2022
Oct 1, 2022
1hr 11 min
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
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Sep 24, 2022
Sep 24, 2022
47 min
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

