The Adoption and Fostering Podcast

30:23

Better Me Better Us Episode 41 - Artificial Intelligence

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/10/06

This month we explore A.I. : the benefits, the pitfalls, and its role in social work assessments and recordings. Children who have experienced trauma heal through safe, attuned relationships, and no tool can replace human connection.We also talk about learning alongside our children in a fast-changing digital world, building the trust and openness that help keep them safe. As always you can connect with us through the following - Website- www.bettermebetterus.co.uk Instagram- @BMBUltd Facebook –

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56:50

Conversations - Adoptive Parent Della

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/10/02

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak to Adoptive parent and foster carer Della, she is Canadian and in this episode she shares her experience of adoption and more specifically of challenges she faced following an allegation as she tried to adopt a child she was fostering. Della fought her battle through the legal system and she tells that story here. As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective

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52:27

Episode 233 - Life story work, Siblings, Dennis...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/09/26

Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast, in this episode we speak to Paul Sambrooks a retired CAFCASS social worker and the author. Paul shares his passion for communicating and supporting adopted, fostered and kinship children to understand their own stories. He has written several Dennis Duckling books and we talk through them all including his latest instalment Dennis, Harriett and Flynn live in different familiesYou can find all the books here. We also talk with Paul about his work with

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36:41

Conversations - Lee Tempest VisAble NZ

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/09/19

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak to Lee Tempest, she works for VisAble based in New Zealand and works to support parents and families living with violence from their children. Lee is a parent through adoption and in this episode we unpack her research on the impact on parents of living with violence in the home. You can access the report here and view the other materials and reports that Lee has created here. As always if you’ve experience of

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44:47

Episode 232 - FASD awareness with PhD researcher...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/09/12

Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast, we recorded this on the 9th September, FASD awareness day. We speak to Susie Richardson, who is research FASD in the prison population. Susie has a broad range of experience and from running prisons and working with care leavers she has seen the need for a better understanding of the impact and prevalence of FASD in those communities. She shares her journey to this research and what inspires her passion. You can find out more about Susie here As always if

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28:11

Better Me Better Us Episode 40 - Advocacy

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/09/08

Hello, this month we're talking about advocacy - what it means, how our sense of safety shapes our ability to speak up, and the ripple effect that comes from using our voice. This episode looks at that through the lens of back to school: advocating for yourself and your child, finding the bravery to do it, and the often-messy question of how a child's history actually reaches a new school or teacher. As always you can connect with us through the following - Website-

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48:08

Conversations with Bethan Pell Phd Researcher on CPVA

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/09/06

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast.In this episode I speak to Bethan Pell a PhD Student in Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences. Her Phd is focused on developing a theoretical understanding of Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence (CAPVA) in the context of Wales. I really enjoyed this conversation and saw the potential for the use of her model to help practitioners and parents who are living with Child to parent violence understand it and address it. You can

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48:08

Conversations - Bethan Pell Phd Researcher on CPVA

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/09/05

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak to Bethan Pell a PhD Student in Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences. Her Phd is focused on developing a theoretical understanding of Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (CAPVA) in the context of Wales. I really enjoyed this conversation and saw the potential for the use of her model to help practitioners and parents who are living with Child to parent violence understand it and address

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55:45

Episode 231 - Social worker questions, assessment and...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/29

Hello and welcome to the latest episode of the AandF podcast. In this episode we rage across a couple of matters that impact on many families, power dynamics with social workers. After a Tramadol start and Scott's good news we get distracted by the complicated relationship prospective adopters and foster carers can have with their social workers. The power dynamics are often set against applicants and what questions are appropriate and what are not. How do we push back and can we question the

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28:59

Conversations - Author Fran Hill talks Fostering

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/22

Hello and welcome to Conversations from the A&F podcastIn this episode I speak author Fran Hill, we spoke in 2023 about her first novel ‘Cuckoo in the Nest’ and in this interview we chat about her follow up novel ‘Home Bird’. Fran shares her experience of being in foster care and how it influenced the characters in these books and the experiences that they face. You can find out more about Fran and her work here As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship

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34:57

Conversations - Simone Harch talks adopter wellbeing.

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/18

Hello and welcome to the A&F podcastIn this episode I speak to Psychotherapist, NVR practitioner and Adoptive parent Simone Harch. Simone shares a little of her journey but the focus of this conversation is about mental health and the impact on adoptive parents of caring for children with complex needs. It is a really pertinent conversation and highlights the need for support for adopters and help for them to stay well. Simone is starting a pilot project for Adoption East Midlands and you can

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62:41

Episode 230 - #CPV, Challenges and Relationships

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/15

Hello and welcome to the AandF podcast. In this episode we unpack how caring for and parenting children with complex, challenging and aggressive behaviour can impact on relationships between parents and carers. It's a thorny issue, the impact of high levels of need and stress in the home with differences in motivation and approaches to the behaviour can take its toll and we share some of our experiences and look at the lack of data and draw on out professional experience. You can read the article

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28:11

Better Me Better Us Episode 39 - Risk and Responsibility

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/11

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Better Me Better You Podcast. How old is old enough to be left unsupervised? As families navigate the summer holidays, we unpack the guidance around children's independence and explore the bigger questions beneath it. We look at the difference between age and maturity, challenge the idea that increasing responsibility should come at the expense of play, and discuss how children's ability to manage risk develops over time. We finish by thinking about how we

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47:58

Conversations - Matthew Page

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/08

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

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45:58

Conversations - Fostering Consultation with Niketa...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/08/01

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

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60:43

Conversations - Adoptive Parent Kaitlin

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/07/25

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

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59:18

Episode 229 - Mark Owers and Fostering Consultation

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/07/15

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

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26:36

Better Me Better Us Episode 38 - People change

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/07/14

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 – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

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66:12

Conversations - Michael Gaither a transracial adoptee

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/07/11

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

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46:52

Episode 228 - Adoption Apology, Preston Davey and more.

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/07/04

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

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