Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
Jan 4, 2020
Jan 4, 2020
43 min
This week we took the opportunity to have a brief round up on the year as well as consider some of the interesting news articles that had come up in the last few weeks of the year. We chat about the reduction in the adoption statistics as well as the high profile discrimination case won by an adoptive couple against a local authority. The rather incendiary tweet in relation to the financial benefits to local authorities/government was also discussed with no controversy courted here!
We also consider our re branding and hopefully that's all been done with this episode.
As always thank you for listening, we think it's been a good year for podcasting with a whole raft of interesting guests, co hosts and individuals who've been generous with their stories and experience. Thank you.
If you are feeling warm and fluffy a review wherever you download the podcast would be much appreciated and bolster our delicate egos. Again, many thanks to all who have done that already.
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Dec 28, 2019
Dec 28, 2019
57 min
In this episode we speak to Anthony (AKA @TheCareKid ) about his story of entering and being in the care system. He his open an honest as he shares what have been defining experiences from his own childhood and his subsequent experiences as a care leaver and young adult. Anthony is frank in relation to own difficulties in adult life and how he has worked to overcome them.
We hope you find it interesting and 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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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
Dec 21, 2019
Dec 21, 2019
1hr 12 min
Welcome to what is a rather underwhelming fourth Chrismas podcast. Undewhelming because we only mention the festive season in passing and get drawn into the long grass with Becky (AKA Suddenly Mummy). We discuss the rise and fall of adoption blogs, Becky's decision to kill off Suddenly Mummy and the trials and tribulations of social media. Al kills of the Christmas spirit well and truly by losing his cool and using a grown up word when we stray onto the subject of online bullying, academic research and we hypothesis about an imaginary intern at the DfE (#Justin).
All that said Becky has written a book, The Trauma and Attachment Aware Classroom, and we have a good old chat about that and you can buy that here. We can unreservedly recommend it for all parents with children at school.
We do manage to muddle through the Christmas competition and finally we do have an alternative Christmas message from a rather smashing contributor and friend of the show.
We wish you all a smashing and peaceful Christmas and a cracking new year. Many thanks for listening.
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Dec 14, 2019
Dec 14, 2019
24 min
In this episode Ninja Mam shares her story of adopting, with her partner, two children with additional needs. You can follow Ninja Mam on Twitter Here or on Facebook Here.
If you'd like to share your story then please get in touch through the Adoption & Fostering Podcast's facebook page here, or our twitter feed 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
Dec 7, 2019
Dec 7, 2019
51 min
In this episode we join Adoption UK Scotland for their Education Conference 2019: Thinking Differently About Education. We start the day speaking to Fiona Aitken, head of Adoption UK Scotland and she kindly sets the scene for the day and what was hoped. Please note that the leaf blowers were going rogue in the car park and that does impact on the audio at some points during this interview. Sorry.
Then we cornered Simon Cawthorne Communities coordinator about some of the specific challenges in relation to some of the challenges that adopted children face in high school and the noted difference from primary. Simon also chats about children’s voices, then Al can’t keep quiet when outdoor play is mentioned and we discuss the workshops run on the day by the Smart Play Network. We discuss the benefits of risk taking and generally being outdoors in relation to children’s broader education and life skills.
We then managed to track down Maree Todd the Scottish Minister for Children & Young People, it was a very busy room so please bear with the audio.
Nikki Murray headteacher at Burnside Primary in Carnoustie and conference chair then joined us to share his perspective, he’s keen to see parents take agency with issues around resources in school and shared some of his views on , regulation, repair, time and space placing children at the centre.
After many years of trying and some coercion on our part we talked to Louise Bomber and she offer some excellent and inspiring insight as well as an exclusive announcement in relation to her new book.
It was an excellent day and we’d like to thank the kind hosts for our dinner.
There's the usual infobanter from Scott and Al and we hope you find it interesting and would like to get in touch with comments or suggestions then please do direct message us at our twitter feed here or on our facebook page here.
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Nov 30, 2019
Nov 30, 2019
1hr 2 min
In this episode we were prompted to discuss the initial adoption preparation that is a statutory requirement in England and Wales. Its a course run over a few days normally undertaken prior to prospective adopters making an application or at the beginning of the process. We pulled together the results from a Twitter poll that we'd put up as well as some thoughts and reflections that the kind people of Twitter had posted (we've included them below). We draw on our experience of attending and delivering training as well as looking at the Regs.
There's the usual infobanter from Scott and Al and we hope you find it interesting and would like to get in touch with comments or suggestions then please do direct message us at our twitter feed here or on our facebook page here.
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Nov 23, 2019
Nov 23, 2019
32 min
In this Episode we speak to Paul, with his, wife they became special guardians to two of their grandchildren. Paul shares the challenges that they've experienced coming to a point of taking the grandchildren into their care, working with professionals with limited understanding and the lack of ongoing support that they've found lacking.
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It is a difficult story and some listeners may find the details upsetting so, as always, listen with caution.
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
Nov 16, 2019
Nov 16, 2019
1hr 6 min
In this episode we speak to Joanne Alper from Adoption Plus about her new book 'Supporting Birth Parents whose Children have been Adopted'. It includes a range of contributions from different professionals and considers a range of issues that are present in many adopted parents minds as they as the care for their children and young people. It reflects on some of the challenges that families faces and some effective models of intervention.
As always it's a engaging and interesting conversation on a subject that Joanne is passionate about. There's plenty to consider for professionals, parents and adopted adults.
There's the usual infobanter from Scott and Al and some thoughts on upcoming episodes.
We hope you find it interesting and would like to get in touch with comments or suggestions then please do direct message us at our twitter feed here or on our facebook page here.
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Nov 9, 2019
Nov 9, 2019
42 min
This week we speak to Tanya, an adopted adult and adoption social worker. She shares parts of her story and her views and perspectives on different aspects of adoption and the current system.
You can read more of Tanya's story on the PAC UK website here and follow her on Twitter here.
The usual warning if you’ve any doubts get a friend to listen first.
We hope you find it interesting and if you’re an adoptee 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.
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
Nov 2, 2019
Nov 2, 2019
49 min
This week we speak to Emily Christou in relation to the Church's 'Adoption Sunday'. Emily works for the national charity Home for Good in relation to influencing policy change and raising awareness of specific issues.
We discuss issues of faith, how they are perceived outside of the faith community as well as the legacy of some of the scandals that the church has been part of. Though we talk about the awareness raising function of the charity we do focus on some of the additional work that they have undertaken to develop national policy. Specifically the work on the All Party Parliamentary Group on Adoption and Permanency in relation to the value of the Adoption Support Fund as well as work on developing system knowledge of children of colour in the system and the specific challenges they face in looking for permanency and adoption.
We hope you enjoy it and we'll be back on track with episodes and conversations next week.
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