Hello and welcome to episode 200 from the A&F Network and our 2024 Christmas special. 

We've shipped in the wonderful Mark Owers to guest host a proper retrospective podcast unpicking a whole raft of episodes, anecdotes and think about why we started the podcast and looked at the highlights. Mark weaves in Christmas questions and we think about what the future holds. 

We have also released it in full video format on our YouTube channel 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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here or Spotify here

Hello and welcome to a slightly unusual series of episodes of the A&F podcast. In September I joined Fiona wells from PATCH, Friend of the show Vicki McKeown and strategic lead for Adoption England Sarah Johal to speak at the Safeguarding in Adoption online conference. With over 500 tickets requested we were overwhelmed with the interest in this subject that impacts so many families.

In this episode we hear Sarah Johal.  

Fiona an adoptee, adopter & social worker explained the reason for the conference:

"Practice towards adopters in crisis can be oppressive, biased and lacking in fundamental foundational understanding. There needs to be a firm consideration of the impact of adversity on the whole of the child, their whole world, and their family and support offered in line with their needs, handed over with understanding, compassion and empathy. PATCH campaigns for social workers to step back, trauma experts to step forward, and for a different lens to be used."

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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here

Spotify here

Google here

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network. 

Christmas can be a time of joy, but for many adopted and fostered children, it can feel deeply unsettling. The festive season often brings up complex emotions, triggers, and reminders of loss. In this episode, we explore how trauma impacts children during Christmas, why traditional celebrations can feel overwhelming, and how thinking ahead and making adjustments can make the time more manageable.

As always you can connect with us through the following -

Instagram- BMBUltd

Facebook – Better Me Better Us

Twitter – BMBUltd

Email – [email protected]

Hello and welcome to a slightly unusual series of episodes of the A&F podcast. In September I joined Fiona wells from PATCH, Friend of the show Vicki McKeown and strategic lead for Adoption England Sarah Johal to speak at the Safeguarding in Adoption online conference. With over 500 tickets requested we were overwhelmed with the interest in this subject that impacts so many families.

In this episode we hear Sarah Johal.  

Fiona an adoptee, adopter & social worker explained the reason for the conference:

"Practice towards adopters in crisis can be oppressive, biased and lacking in fundamental foundational understanding. There needs to be a firm consideration of the impact of adversity on the whole of the child, their whole world, and their family and support offered in line with their needs, handed over with understanding, compassion and empathy. PATCH campaigns for social workers to step back, trauma experts to step forward, and for a different lens to be used."

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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here

Spotify here

Google here

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network. 

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network. 

In this episode I speak to Mobeena and Wajid foster carers for Hillingdon Council. They describe a positive experience of choosing to be foster carers as their own children grew older and of welcoming a child into their home on a long term basis. 

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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here & Spotify here

Hello and welcome to episode 199 from the A&F Network.

Well, it's been eight years since we started and that coincided with us being together in Ireland. So, we kick back in Scott's kitchen, catch up on events and reflect on stuff.  

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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here or Spotify here

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network. 

In this episode I speak to Dr Elaine Machett a solo adoptive parent. Drawing on her own personal experience she shares the results of her interviews with adoptive parents in relation to the challenges they faced when their children first moved in. As well as being a huge transition and stress for children for many parents it is a difficult time where they can feel overwhelmed and struggle to adjust. Elaine shares the themes and issue the parent raised and we discussed our own experiences. 

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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here or Spotify here

In this latest episode Vicki and Haley discuss what we mean by “consequences”. Although consequences and punishments may seem similar, understanding the difference can have a huge impact on how we view and respond to behaviour. We talk about the need for both, what they might look like in families and in the workplace as well as how people’s experiences of them influence their view and use of them.

As always you can connect with us through the following -

Instagram- BMBUltd

Facebook – Better Me Better Us

Twitter – BMBUltd

Email – [email protected]

Hello and welcome to episode 198 from the A&F Network. This week we speak to Jacqueline Gear the CEO of Walk the Walk Family Support Service based in Herefordshire. We discuss the work that they do with families including a family contact centre supporting positive relationships between parents. As always it's an interesting conversation and you can look at their website and see what they get up to. 

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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here

Spotify here

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F Network. 

In this episode I speak to Barbara, she was adopted as a baby  in the late 1940’s after the 2nd world war . She describes the experience of finding out she was adopted by accident as a 12 year old, the challenges that brought and then later in life searching for her biological family. Barbara has written an account of her experiences and journey in a book ‘Blue Plastic Cow’ and you can find a link to that 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, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at [email protected]

Listen/subscribe on iTunes here

Spotify here

Google here