Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
Tuesday Jun 23, 2020
This is a companion interview to go with Episode 96. Al interviewed Pat Henley the COE of Families in care, they provide independent advocacy and support to birth parents and family members involved with child protection services. You can visit their website here or follow them on Twitter here.
Pat discussed there origins, the work they do and some of the challenges that families face. It was recorded before C19, Lockdown and consequently makes no reference to it.
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday Jun 20, 2020
Saturday Jun 20, 2020
In this weeks episode we're delighted to welcome Clarissa onto the podcast to discuss all matters in relation to adopted and foster children's birth families. Clarissa is open and honest in relation other her own experience and has shared them extensively on an earlier podcast here. In this episode she talks about some of the wider issues that she's faced as well as other families face including contact, meeting adopters, the challenges of the legal system and the nature of the child protection system. It's a great insight to a world that often abounds with stereotypes and prejudice. We have a frank conversation and we put counter arguments to each other so it does get mildly animated.
You can read up on some of the relational activism that we discuss through Re Frame here as well as follow Clarissa on Twitter here.
To assist with the pre interview banter here is a picture of said doll.
As always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday Jun 13, 2020
Saturday Jun 13, 2020
In this episode we're made up to chat to Louise Bomber's who has a new book 'Know Me to Teach Me' that has just come out. The book looks at the risks of early adversity on children and how that then impact on them in a learning environment. She chats through the book but then we consider the current environment and the implications for schools and teachers of lockdown as well as the ever present challenges of increased testing, measuring and zero tolerance behaviour policies.
Unfortunately Scott couldn't make the interview however there's the usual banter before and after the interview and we hit on a few issues that are currently bobbing around.
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday Jun 06, 2020
Saturday Jun 06, 2020
This week we speak to Lucy Peak the Chief Executive of Granparents plus, they represent and support many families, not just grandparents, that find themselves as Special Guardians or kinship carers of vulnerable children predominantly from their own families. The needs of those children mirror those children who have been adopted and in the looked after system and many have passed through that system. Its a stark situation and Lucy expands on the challenges faced and the circumstances that exacerbate the difficulties. She also shares some encouraging news in relation to the level of support that families are receiving as well as some of the hopes for the future. It's an eye opening conversation and offers much food for thought.
As usual there's a little banter and frivolity hence the temporary rebrand for this episode.
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday May 30, 2020
Saturday May 30, 2020
Taking a risk on anything that may, or may not, happen we hook our regular recording to Facebook and invite folks to come and heckle through the medium of the internet! What could possibly go wrong?
Actually, it's kind of a news round up with lots, as always, going on. We navigate through the whole #MykerStauffer adoption catastrophe, a difficult topic that we try to unpick and makes sense of. We chat about some recent adopter recruitment materials as well as listener questions and comments on the whole lot.
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday May 23, 2020
Saturday May 23, 2020
This week we discuss adopter mental health, a tricky issue to even raise and we acknowledge that from the outset. Simone has undertaken research with adoptive parents and walks us through some of her findings and thoughts on the causes and unique pressures that some adopters are under and the implications. Of course we could discuss any member of the triad in relation to mental health and we have, however this is this episode so we're just going for it.
You can find out more about Simone and her work here hiddenvictims.co.uk
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday May 23, 2020
Saturday May 23, 2020
This week we speak to a couple J&D about their experience of going through the application process whilst in C19 Lockdown. They share how they've found the different stages and components are played out in this new environment and some of the unique perspectives they've had. Another adopter, Tom, also shares his experience of Lockdown. With a child moving in a few weeks before the world closed unique opportunities as well as challenges have been faced and Tom describes some of these here.
The impact of the changes and the comparison to earlier adoption processes and experiences is discussed. To be honest we've a lot to say about it all and acknowledge that it was a long time ago and we reflect on the process, the shifting power dynamics between applicants and social workers and the impact of the new regulations on the welfare of children and adults alike. We also consider the ASF C19 scheme and the support that existing families receive, or don't.
Inevitably we're then drawn into the long grass, well you know how it is. Also, next week we're having a live stream podcast so watch out for that!
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Friday May 15, 2020
Friday May 15, 2020
This week roving reported speak to Katherine SacksJones the new CEO of Become, a charity for children in care and young care leavers. The welfare of young people in the care system as well as those with care experience is hugely important, however the challenges of the current lockdown have exacerbated those challenges tenfold and Scott and Katherine talk about the challenges faced generally as well as specific to the current situation.
As always we unpick the current topics and consider the changes to the adoption and fostering legisltion some more working out what lockdown means for those looking to be approved as adopters or foster carers and the impact on the process of legislation change.
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Saturday May 09, 2020
Saturday May 09, 2020
This week we speak to Sue Armstrong Brown the CEO of Adoption UK, we invited questions through social media so put them to her as well as following other lines of questioning. We discussed a whole host of issues including; adopted children returning to education, the challenges faced by self employed adopters, children returning to care, the difficulties of lockdown generally, moving support online and the lobbying priorities that AUK are looking to focus on through this time and beyond.
Of course, there's banter, a timing bell and it's all good humoured. We see that many charities are facing huge challenges at the moment and on another day at another time we'd have perhaps 'held feet to the fire' as it were, that not for these times.
We hope you enjoy and as always your views and thoughts are appreciated, you can contact the podcast through the usual routes and if you'd like to find out a little more the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's Facebook page is here, or our twitter feed here.
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Sunday Apr 26, 2020
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
In this episode Nicola shares her story of adoption. It’s a difficult story to listen to as with limited or no support Nicola and her husband supported children with challenging and aggressive behaviour for many years. Nicola shares the impact on the whole family as well as on her mental and physical health.
This is a personal account with personal views and at times is hard to listen to but reflects the experiences of an increasing number of adoptive families. We advise caution as this is a challenging listen but we hope you find it thought provoking and interesting.
Nicola writes:
'Our experience of adoption has not been an easy one but it is far from unique. Many adoptive families have had similar experiences, particularly with their local authority. My original reason for telling my story was to help improve the understanding of any social workers who are stuck in a child protection mindset and don’t have the training to understand the impact that early childhood trauma has on family life. Or that parenting children who have had very difficult starts in life is extremely challenging and even the best parenting may not be good enough in some circumstances. I want them to understand, that in these cases, support not criticism is vital.
More recently after our complaint to the local authority was upheld I have been working with them.
I have been very impressed that they have now heard this message and are working extremely hard to provide additional training around whole family support. They have accepted that things were not done well in our case and although a little too late for our family have been receptive to making essential changes to avoid this happening to any other families. So if you recognize your struggle in our story please don’t give up. There are people in local authorities who do want to listen and make a difference.'
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 or on our facebook page here.
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