Adam and Brian adopted a pair of siblings seven years ago and another pair this week. Their children are now 13, 10, 6 and 3. Just days into their life as a family of six, they talk about their hopes and fears and how they're drawing on their experience as parents to support their new children.

Eddie and his husband had a child place through early permanence who was returned to their birth family.  They went on to adopt two neurodivergent children and Eddie came to realise he also has ADHD.

Fiona and Margaret's sons are married to each other and have adopted three children. They talk about their delight at becoming grandparents by adoption, about supporting children with additional needs and about how much they love their grandchildren.

Tom and Arjay return to the podcast, just a year after adopting twin girls, to tell us they have a new baby.  Their previous podcast was "Tenacious little monsters!" https://newfamilysocial.podbean.com/e/tenacious-little-monsters/ . Just two weeks after their baby arrived, they're tired but delighted.

Leanne talks about building attachment with her two young children who were adopted together when they were one and two.

Guy adopted siblings aged four and six.  They're now almost adults and he talks about their journey through education and what steps are available to them next.  Guy runs an event called Step Up Expo which showcases the choices available to young people over 16.

link to step up expo

Aubrey and his husband adopted siblings, aged nine and two, at the same time after meeting them at an activity day.  One year on, Aubrey talks about parenting with an age gap, helping an older child settle into a new family and new school, and how activities for the younger child benefit the older one.

PACE - https://ddpnetwork.org/about-ddp/meant-pace/

The Invisible String - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-invisible-string-patrice-karst/2685375?ean=9780316486231

Henry and Duncan had their twins placed with they just weeks before the first lockdown. They experienced isolation and child-to-parent violence from their frightened and confused children.  They fought for support and found it really useful.  They now live abroad and are successfully raising their much-loved sons in a bilingual household.

As mentioned in the podcast:

The BUSS Model

Adam and Aaron have been on the podcast twice before.  Since their last visit, they have been turned down as adopters for specific children several times and the rejection is taking its toll.  They talk frankly about losing confidence and the frustration of being turned down even when they thought they were a really good match.

Previous episodes

https://newfamilysocial.podbean.com/e/aaron-and-adam-return-with-good-news/

Joseph is a dual heritage gay man who was adopted as a baby by white parents.  As an adult, with his white partner, he fostered and then adopted a dual heritage child.  Joseph talks about his experiences as an adoptee and a foster carer and adopter.

A link to Red Dust Road can be found here