Adoption in Focus

What does it really take for adopted children to thrive? 

In this episode, Simon Benn joins us to explore why helping children flourish starts with the emotional work of adoptive parents themselves. 

Through powerful metaphors, Simon challenges the idea that adopted children are broken by trauma, exploring how identity, self-worth, belonging and emotional understanding can shape a child's experience. 

From preparing for adolescence to embracing vulnerability and recognising our own wholeness, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on moving beyond being trauma-informed towards being truly thriving-focused.

In this episode, Leigh and Sarah are joined by Maggie May, a 29-year-old FASD advocate, mentor and adoptee, to explore what it is really like to live with FASD.

 Maggie May shares her personal journey from childhood diagnosis and struggling with school, memory, sensory processing and self-esteem, to discovering her strengths, finding her community and learning to ask for support.

Maggie May also challenges some of the common misconceptions and stigma surrounding FASD, highlighting the importance of listening to people with lived experience and recognising individual strengths and potential. 

Her message is one of hope: success looks different for everyone, and people with FASD should be given the opportunity to discover what they can achieve. 

If you enjoyed this episode we'd love to hear from or, if you have any topics you'd like us to discuss please email: [email protected]

In this episode of Adoption in Focus, Mike and Caroline share their family's journey through early permanence adoption, offering an honest look at what it means to welcome a child into your home while living with uncertainty. 

They reflect on attachment, navigating the unknown, and the emotional realities of caring for a baby who may or may not become a permanent part of your family.

The conversation also explores the practical challenges of the early permanence process, the support that made a difference, and the profound impact that stability and early connection can have on a child's life. Filled with compassion, insight and hope, this episode shines a light on the courage it takes to build a family in a unique and deeply meaningful way.

If you enjoyed this episode we'd love to hear from or, if you have any topics you'd like us to discuss please email: [email protected]

In this episode, we’re joined by Reverend Doctor Sarah to explore how faith can shape the journey of adoption and family life. 

Together we talk about navigating joy and sadness in adoption, welcoming children into communities of faith, and how churches and faith groups can create spaces of belonging that are supportive, inclusive and trauma-aware.

 If you enjoyed this episode we'd love to hear from or, if you have any topics you'd like us to discuss please email: [email protected]

In this episode we’re joined by Alex, a single adopter who shares her honest and deeply personal experience of welcoming an older child into her life. 

Alex reflects on what first drew her to adopting a child over the age of five, and how the reality of introductions, transitions, and early placement differed from what she expected. 

Four years on, Alex shares the lessons she’s learned along the way, offering thoughtful advice for anyone considering adoption of older children. 

In this episode Lisa talks with Jo and Joe about one of the most important and often daunting parts of adoption: contact with birth family.

They’ll share their journey from the early stages of adoption through meeting their daughter’s birth parents, navigating those first emotions, and thinking about what contact might look like in the future. 

Their experience is a powerful reminder that every family’s journey is unique, and that staying open, curious, and child-focused can make contact a positive part of adoption. 

Thank you for listening, and a huge thank you to Jo and Joe for sharing their story so openly.

Chris shares his personal journey as an adoptee, reflecting on the lifelong impact of early trauma after being removed from his biological parents as a baby and adopted at the age of two. Although he has no conscious memory of this time, becoming a father himself brought a powerful realisation of the significance of those early separations, prompting him to explore adoption, attachment, and identity more deeply 
 
Chris highlights the importance of open conversations, mental health support, and community for adoptees, as well as greater understanding from society and adoptive parents. Through learning, therapy, and connection with other adoptees, Chris has gained clarity, self-compassion, and a stronger sense of who he is.

If you have something you'd like to talk to us about on the podcast please get in touch: [email protected]. 

In this moving and insightful episode, John takes us through the journey he and his partner undertook to grow their family through adoption. 

He reflects on the emotional highs and lows of the matching process, the importance of patience and preparedness, and the moment their son finally came home a turning point that made every challenge along the way worthwhile. 

John’s candid account offers a powerful reminder that while every adoption story is unique, the love and resilience at the heart of the journey are universal. 

If you have a topic you'd like to speak to us about please get in touch: [email protected] 

This episode offers a heartfelt look at parenting through trauma, neurodiversity and adoption. Our guest, Gail shares her family's journey from the challenges that surfaced with the arrival of a new sibling to the healing and connection that followed. 

If you have a topic you'd like to speak to us about please get in touch: [email protected] 

In this special Black History Month episode, we’re joined by Leroy to talk about adoption within the Black community why representation matters, the challenges that still exist, and how community and culture play a vital role in a child’s sense of identity and belonging.

It’s an honest, heartfelt conversation Leroy address the barriers the black community may have to adoption and what it really means to create a safe, loving, stable family. 

If this conversation inspires you to learn more about adoption, reach out to us here at Adoption Focus for more information and support.

www.adoption-focus.org.uk