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

 In this episode, the team at Adoption Focus discusses the recent cuts to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) and what they mean for adoptive families. 

Despite funding being reduced and introduced with little notice, the team reassures listeners that support from Adoption Focus remains unaffected. 

They explain the impact on therapy access, how families can continue to get help, and the importance of reaching out no matter how big or small the issue. 

You're not alone, and support is still here for you. 

In this episode, we sit down with Sunny, a Sikh mother whose path to adoption led her to embrace a love that transcends cultural boundaries. 

With remarkable honesty and warmth, Sunny shares her journey from the initial doubts and fears about how her decision might be received within her community, to the powerful support she found along the way. 

She opens up about what it means to honour her Sikh faith while welcoming a child from a different heritage, and how this experience has deepened both her spiritual and personal identity.

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Jonathan, a father who shares his family's powerful adoption journey from the early conversations and assessment process to welcoming his son James home and navigating life together into adulthood.

With honesty and warmth, Jonathan reflects on the challenges, triumphs, and lasting impact of adoption. Whether you're exploring adoption or well along the path, his story offers comfort, insight, and inspiration.

We hope you enjoy this episode. If you have any topics you'd like us to cover or you have a story to share please get in touch: [email protected] 

 In this episode of Adoption in Focus, Lisa sits down with Amy and Andy, a couple with four birth children who chose to grow their family through adoption.

They share their unique journey of adopting their youngest son at 18 months old, offering heartfelt insights into the adoption process, how they supported their birth children throughout, and what it means to parent a child they have transracially adopted.

We hope this episode encourages reflection on how we can all celebrate and champion a child’s ethnicity, culture, and heritage. 

In this episode, we're joined by a brilliant same-sex couple who speak candidly about their journey to becoming dads, from the first steps in the adoption process, the highs and lows, what family life looks like for them now, and their love for their son. 

 They tell their story with equal parts of honesty and humour in a conversation that's funny, moving and refreshingly real.