Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. 

In this episode I speak to Matthew Page, a care experienced adult, former foster carer and trustee of the Fostering Network. Matthew is also a specialist in intersectionality and identity thought leader, an adoption celebrant and many other things. 

We chat about his experience growing up as a black child in a white foster family, his search for his dad and appearing on DNA family secrets.  

You can visit Matthew’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 [email protected]

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. 

In this episode I to Niketa Sanderson Gillard, social worker, Churchill Fellow and Founder and CEO of Why Care. We chat about Niketa’s Churchill fellowship, her work that led up to it and how her organisation Why Care has  influenced the DfE’s draft standards that are currently being consulted on. Niketa and discuss the standards, the consultation and more.

You can participate in the consultation and read more on the draft standards 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 [email protected]

In this episode of the conversations from the A&F Podcast I speak to adoptive parent Kaitlin. She shares her family's experience of adopting two boys and the challenges that they faced as a family. This was a rocky road and Kaitlin is honest in terms of the difficulties including false allegations, arrests and the catastrophic impact this had on the whole family.  

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 [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and Welcome to the A&F podcast. 

This week we've asked Mark Owers to come onto the podcast to talk all things fostering in light of the DfE's released consultation and changes to the national fostering standards. 

We cover a broad range of topics relating to fostering including reframing practice around carer's voices and experience, stewardship, recruitment and more. 

You can complete the consultation here. 

Here is a link to Mark's LinkedIn profile where you can read more of his insights and perspectives. 

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 [email protected]

In this episode we explore what it means to change. Is change a natural part of growing up, or is it sometimes a response to the need to survive? We discuss identity, resilience, and whether having a secure base makes change feel more like a choice.

As always you can connect with us through the following -

Website- www.bettermebetterus.co.uk

Instagram- BMBUltd

Facebook – Better Me Better Us

Email – [email protected]

In this episode I speak to Michael Gaither, he was adopted in the US in the 1970s  and moved to rural Nebraska. As a black boy raised by white adoptive parents in a majority white community Michael shares the impact of the profound differences he experienced and the lack of understanding he faced. 

You can follow Michael here and there are free resources for those that are interested. 

Michael's instagram is also 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 [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. 

In this episode Scott and I reflect on the terrible news of the murder of Preston Davey. It broadens out the conversation in to the assessment process and power dynamics. We don't dwell on any of the details but reflect on some of the broader issues.

On the day we recorded the PM delivered the long awaited historic forced adoption apology and we unpack what he said, what he promised and what it means. 

You can read a full transcript of the PM's apology speech 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 [email protected]

Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast

In this episode I speak to Nancy Mielle, we first chatted in 2023 when she shared her remarkable lived experience. Here we chat about the interplay of early adversity, trauma and neurodiversity. Nancy shares her own experience and we chat about the challenges of caring for complex children. 

You can listen to Nancy’s first podcast 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 [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to this episode of conversations from the Fostering and Adoption podcast

In this episode I talk to Dr Claire Agius, she is an academic and adoptive parent who has researched the challenges faced by adoptive parents. We chat about her experience as an adoptive parent and how that led to her academic research. Claire’s hope is to affect change within the system and improvements in the service that families made through adoption receive. 

You can read Claire's research below. 

Co-creating the future of post-adoption parenting and mental health support: Exploring the parenting challenges faced by adopters who raise children with trauma histories: an adapted Experience-Based Co-Design approach

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 [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

Hello and welcome to this conference report -  Reframing Professional Practice on Child to Parent Abuse. It was held on the 15th May in Central London and I was asked to share my perspective on dads' experiences as well as generally. It was a great day with some perspectives that were new to me and gave me food for thought on how other communities experience children's challenging behaviour. 

I was fortunate to catch up with Helen Bonnick of Holes in the Wall, assistant Professor Nikki Rutter from Durham University, Freda Quinlan a Principal Social Worker with the Irish Health Service Executive, Jane Griffiths of Capa First Response and Maria Duah who organised the conference and is the Director of Silenced CIC/PhD researcher at Durham University.

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 [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here Spotify here

I was aksed 

You can see Maria Duah's profile here