Hello and Welcome to the A&F podcast, this week we're really pleased to have Social Worker and project lead from the National Adoption Strategy Team looking at digital contact. Vicky outlines the work that is going on across the sector as well as the specific trials that are currently being carried out in terms of 'letter swap' a digital contact system. It's an exciting project that has the potential to drag the system into the 21st century so we're really pleased to hear what she has to say. 
The interview starts at 19:30 as we've a lot to catch up on in terms of what's been going on with ourselves and specifically Scott has been launching the FASD Hub Ireland and I've been training in Sunderland's second most haunted building (who knew?).
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 or twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
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Episode 161 - Vicky Swift and Digital Contact

Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering

Kids & Family

Parenting

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Better Me Better Us Podcast with Vicki and Hayley.
It’s the start of GCSE exams so we talk about how to support our children and young people through this difficult time. We also highlight Foster Carers week and the amazing work that they do every month not just in May.
Connect with us -
Instagram- BMBUltd
Facebook – Better Me Better Us
Twitter – BMBUltd
Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

Better Me Better You - Episode 12

Hello and welcome to this edition of conversations from the A&F network. 
In this episode I catch up with Kinship carer and researcher Michelle Hall, she is looking at the issue of contact between kinship carers and birth parents for her PhD. Michelle highlights the ongoing and complex challenges that can be present and shares the experiences of those she has spoken to. You can find access to her research 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 AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
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Conversations - Michelle Hall Contact and Kinship Care

We're back in the same room after a year online. Consequently, we're a little giddy but get ourselves on track and discuss the CVAA strategy update that we were attending in that London. We ask the question that many prospective adopters ask, RAA or VAA? Then we unpick adopter sufficiency, PP+, the three year rule and more. 
Here's a link to the new Adoption England Strategy that we mention, we'll unpick it more in another episode.
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 AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
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Episode 186 - CVAA Strategy Launch and DfE updates

Hello and welcome to this edition of conversations from the A&F network. 
In this episode I speak to adult adoptee Julie McGue, she was adopted in the US with her twin sister and grew up in the 60s knowing she was adopted. Julie shares her story of fighting to get access to her birth records and the names of her biological parents and the support that she received through a post adoption support group. 
Julie’s website here shares more of her story and her writing and is an excellent resource and window into the US system. You can also look at the book, Twice a Daughter, that Julie wrote documenting her experience 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 AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
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Conversations - Adult Adoptee Julie McGue

Hello and welcome to Episode 185 of the Adoption and Fostering Podcast. 
In this episode we interview  transnational/transracial Adoptee and Sexologist Anna Linde.
Anna's research, website and social media can be found below
Free Discovery call and my ”workbase” at Healing Exchange LLC:
https://www.healingxchg.com/booking-calendar/discovery-meeting-with-anna?category=0ec8fc3e-78a2-4ef9-921b-40851f4b1fa5&referral=service_list_widget
Intimacy coaching group for Adult Adoptees:https://www.healingxchg.com/intimacy-for-adult-adoptees
Instagram here.
Linkedin: here
We took our time getting to the interview so it starts at 
There were quite a few other things on our list to talk about prior to the interview, so some links below - 
You can read the statistics for the Adopters and Special Guardian Fund here.
The Ofsted article is also here. 
You can watch Gay Adoption Grandad on TikTok here.
We’d love to hear from any other carers or adopters from far flung lands so if that’s you please do get in touch through the Facebook page, the app formerly known as Twitter or email us at AandFpodcast@gmail.com
Listen/subscribe on iTunes here
Spotify here
Google here

Episode 161 - Vicky Swift and Digital Contact

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