Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering
Episodes
Saturday Aug 16, 2025
Saturday Aug 16, 2025
In this episode we speak to Dee Mills, she's an adoptive parent and had written a book 'drawing on her extensive challenges as an adoptive parent with the school system. Dee is certainly not anti school but full of useful tips and advice born from lots of interaction with teachers and schools. We had a cracking chat and it raised lots of issues and memories for us as well.
Dee's book can be found here. https://amzn.to/40riO06
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
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
We explore why holidays can feel overwhelming for some children (especially those with trauma histories or neurodivergence, how to build skills and resilience without pushing too far, the importance of strong, safe relationships—so if things go wrong, you can talk it through and why your support network matters just as much as the routine.
As always you can connect with us through the following -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk
Saturday Aug 09, 2025
Saturday Aug 09, 2025
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network.
In this episode I speak Dr Maude Champagne from Interwovern connections based in Ontario Canada. Following on from her PHD Maude in collaboration with other professionals she has written what is, in my opinion, an excellent book. It’s called DECODING AGGRESSION, COMPLEX BEHAVIOURS AND BRAIN-BASED DISABILITIES and the link is in the show notes. It’s a practical book looking a supporting families and it’s strength is it comes from a range of perspectives to do that.
Maude is an author who has also lived experience and brings that to bare in her 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, Instagram, Bluesky or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Saturday Aug 02, 2025
Saturday Aug 02, 2025
In this episode we speak to Euan Preston and Gillian Elam from the Potato Group. They recently published their report 'Far, Far Beyond the Adoption Order: Lessons From Lives Impacted by Trauma' drawing on the experiences of 400+ adoptive families. The report highlight some of the complexities and challenges faced by children and parents accessing appropriate support and how services struggle to manage crisis and when adoptive children can no longer live at home.
You can visit Potato's website here and download the reports 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
Thursday Jul 31, 2025
Thursday Jul 31, 2025
In this episode we chat to Vicki McKeown & Lisa Etherson about the tricky subject of Shame. Drawing on their professional experiences and practice as well as Lisa's Phd they have co authored the children's book "Jake and his Shame Armour. We discuss aspects of shame and how it is linked to attachment and can influence behaviour. As always there's a bit of frivolity and chaos as we try to get the live machine to work.
You can buy the book 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
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Hello and welcome to what is a follow up to the conversation I had with Lee Tempest in the summer of 2024. I spoke to her then in relation to the understanding and support being offered to families living with children with challenging and violent behaviour in New Zealand. Lee works for VisAble a national charity and has authored the first survey across New Zealand looking at families experiences of child to parent violence and abuse and in this interview she shares the findings and the work that there is to do.
You can listen to her first interview here and visit VisAble’s website here and read the report
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 Jul 26, 2025
Saturday Jul 26, 2025
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.
In this episode Scott and Al speak to Sarah and Helen from the Belay Foundation. They help families access disability benefits as well as in home support.
Here's a their info
In case you are inspired to find out more ...
website https://thebelayfoundation.org.uk/
- To help them in the future the survey they've launched to get input on our future services is here:
https://forms.office.com/e/EDfKWKgntV (and the intro video is here: https://vimeo.com/1094294617)
They are a charity so if you have any pennies to donate then justgiving.com/charity/thebelayfoundation
(OR you can donate to Helen's year-long #Belay2025in2025 fundraising challenge here: justgiving.com/page/belay2025in2025)
Thank you for helping us share what we do!
Saturday Jul 19, 2025
Saturday Jul 19, 2025
Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast.
In this episode I speak to Nakole Wooley, parent education & cultivate connection facilitator, licensed social worker, formed foster carer and adoptive parent through kinship. Nakole got in touch to talk about the challenges that adoptive families face specifically in relation to adoption disruption and that’s where the conversation starts.
You can find out more and view Nakole's 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 Jul 12, 2025
Saturday Jul 12, 2025
Hello and welcome to the 213th Episode (not the 113th as introduced!).
We catch up and unpick some of the latest news including the quality of the Gov's communication, upcoming disruption interviews and the experience of being a grandparent through adoption and the, perhaps, unique aspects of that role.
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
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
In this months episode, Vicki and Haley talk about preparations for the summer holidays, the heat, the lack of routine and the changes that are coming after. It’s a lot for any parent and carer to manage and so we explore the need for preparing for that with our people, our network, our tribe to prevent breakdowns or at least minimise those difficult times and give us the energy to be the best carers we can.
As always you can connect with us through the following -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk