PODCAST

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast

Al Coates & Scott Casson-Rennie

Conversation & discussion on contemporary Adoption & Fostering

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

26:43

Better Me Better Us Episode 33 - Love

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/02/10

As February is the month of love, we thoughts we’d explore what love really means especially in the context of adoption and fostering.What does love look like in real life? How do our different love languages shape the way we give and receive? And how does trauma affect the way children and adults experience love, connection, and safety? We reflect on the powerful truth that while love is vital, love alone does not heal trauma and consider what children and families need alongside

32:32

Conversations - Dr Maude Champagne - Recovery when...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/02/07

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode to Dr Maude Champagne , social worker, psychotherapist and NVR practitioner who works in adoption and foster care. Specifically she works with parents who are experiencing violence and aggression and I asked her on to talk about parents experience of recovery once children, who are challenging, leave the home. There are links to her work below: Recovery When Your Child who is aggressive no Longer Lives at Home As always if

44:28

Episode 223 - Social media bans and self care for men...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/01/31

Hello and welcome to this episode of from the AandF podcast. This episode is unofficially sponsored by Sainsbury's Supermarket. In this episode we unpack the pros and cons of social media bans and the specific challenges that many parents and carers of children with complex early lives and SEN face. We also get somewhat distracted by some self care and purchasing choices. We would welcome the findings of your Nectar app purchases. Below is the link to the FASD Ireland conference. A limited

33:18

Conversations - Suzanne Scott - T.I.P

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/01/24

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak with Suzanne Scott, she is the founder of Trauma informed parenting based in Scotland. Suzanne supports parents and professionals to move from fear and control to a trauma informed approach to strengthen relationships with children and affect change in them. She shares her own experience of parenting children with complex needs as well as being a foster carer and not the work she does across the UK. Here are some

62:22

Episode 222 - New Year New Hosts - Paula and Tris

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/01/17

Hello and welcome the AandF podcast, it the New Year so our better halves,Paula and Tris, join us to catch up on the year and join the banter. We unpack the year and catch up with them and after a slow start we discuss the challenges and new experience of parenting adult children with the subsequent surprising rewards. At no point is there any marital strife! As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or professional and would like

33:51

Better Me Better Us Episode 32 - Own It

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/01/13

In this episode we explore the responsibility adults and professionals carry to own their behaviours, words, and actions, especially when working with children. From everyday interactions to moments of conflict and repair, we unpack why accountability is not about perfection, but integrity.We discuss how children learn more from what we model than what we say, why owning mistakes builds trust and emotional safety, and how this is especially vital in fostering and adoption, where many children have

39:47

Converations - Nick, Tiegan and the Adoption...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/01/10

Hello and welcome to the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak to adult adoptee Tiegen Boyens and social worker/researcher Nick Burke. They are undertaking research examining the adoptee quality of life for those between 16 and 25. Tiegan and Nick unpack the reason behind the research and how the topics and questions were identified though focus group with a range of adoptees. You can access the survey here As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any

27:36

Adoption Disruption - Adoptive parent & SW Amy

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2026/01/03

Hello and welcome to the A&F Podcast. In this episode we're continuing to look at parenting from a distance and adoption disruption. It's a hugely sensitive matter with the impact on children adults and professionals often being catastrophic.Here, I speak to Amy an adoptive parent and social worker and she describes the events that led to crisis and the response of the system. As always if you’ve experience of adoption, fostering or special guardianship from any perspective personal or

67:39

Episode of the Year - 206 FASD with Anna Webster

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/12/27

This episode resinated with so many of our listeners. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder remains under discussed with a growing understanding of the prevalence and impact that many children are living with. In this episode of the A&F podcast we speak to adoptive parent and Neurodiversity Coaching Psychologist Anna Webster. She shares her experience of parenting a child with a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the development of the Neurowise Programme on Therapeutic Caregiving for

54:29

Christmas Podcast with Fiona Wells from Patch

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/12/20

Hello and welcome to the AandF podcast Christmas special. In this episode we streamed live to Facebook and chat with Fiona Wells from Patch. We unpack all that's been happening with the raised awareness of the levels of adversity all members of adoptive households are having. There is a crisis in the adoption community and Fiona has spearheaded the news and bringing of many families together. Oh, and it's Christmas we share our top tips! It's a little raucous but that's how we roll. As always if

49:05

Conversations - Helio, Adult International Adoptee

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/12/13

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak with Helio an adult adoptee, he shares his experience of being adopted from Brazil to an Italian family. There’s so much more to his story and as an adult he went onto what was a complex journey to reconnect with his biological mother. His resilience and the murky circumstances of his adoption are remarkable and it’s well worth a listen. You can follow Helio on instagram here. As always if you’ve experience of

26:03

Better Me Better Us Ep 31 - Back to basics

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this episode, we explore the importance of stripping everything back to the basics and showing up on a truly human level. It’s these foundations, warmth, consistency, repair and presence, that create safety and stability for our most traumatised children. We also reflect on how powerful our modelling is: what we, as professionals, model to parents and carers, and what they in turn model to the children in their care. When we get the basics right, everything else becomes possible.As always you

58:25

Episode 221 - Adoption Crisis and More

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/12/06

Hello and welcome to this episode of the adoption and fostering podcast. With the wide ranging coverage in the news of the UK's adoption crisis we focus in on that in this episode as well as the response from adoption agencies and the children's minister. There's a lot to unpack but we give it a go and then have a little chat about the drop in foster carers in the UK and the review announced in to mental health and neurodiversity diagnosis announced. BBC Adoption Crisis here Debate in Parliament

25:30

Conference Report - The Adoption Forum

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/11/29

On the 19th November Al was invited to attend a conference in London organised by The Adoption Forum and this is his on the hoof podcast. Their goal is to bridge law, policy, and lived experience and to turn research and policy into practical, down to earth strategies that support children, families, and the professionals who work with them. You can follow them on Linkedin here Al was able to speak to attendees and contributors, Anthea Benjamin, Mike Hancock from PAC UK , Sarah Beskine, Sophie Hill

31:42

Conversations - Foster Carer Amelie

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/11/22

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast. In this episode I speak to former foster carer and author Amelie. She shares her family story of a serious allegation made against them that led to her own children being removed from her care. It’s a stark account and Amelie’s book, Broken, recounts that experience. Amelie is passionate to see change and help build a system that manages allegations better. You can read Amelie's book here and follow her on instagram here. As always if

88:19

Episode 220 - Dads' Mental Health - Movember

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/11/15

Hello and welcome to the AandF podcast. *Warning!* We will be leaning into gender stereotypes. So, it's been a while since we had a proper natter so we catch up then dive into the tricky issue of mens'/dads' mental health and the specific challenges that adoption may bring. We think about blocked care and post adoption depression as well as consider how we access support and if we even want it? Here's a link to the research we reference around adoptive dads and if you're interested in joining Al's

29:38

Better Me Better Us Ep 30 - Professional Relationships

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/11/11

Podcast 30 - Professional RelationshipsIn this episode, we explore the power and complexity of professional relationships - how they shape our ability to ask for help, to trust, and to be trusted. We look at the systems we work within, and how they can both nurture and hinder the relationships we need to do our best work. As always you can connect with us through the following - Instagram- BMBUltd Facebook – Better Me Better Us Email – info@bettermebetterus.co.uk

45:40

Conversations - How to start a Foster Care Agency...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/11/08

Hello and welcome to conversations from the AandF podcast. In this episode I speak to Dan Boxall-Simpson, he’s returned to the podcast to update us on the progress of EPIC Fostering the independent foster care agency he is in the process of setting up. He shares some of the challenges of navigating the process, Ofsted applications and more. It’s interesting to find out why now is a good time to do this and chat about their ethos and vision as a not for profit agency. You can find out more about

25:57

Adoption Disruption - Vicki McKeown, social worker,...

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/11/01

Hello and welcome to the A&F podcast. In this episode we’re focusing our gaze on the issue of adoption disruption. It’s a hugely sensitive subject matter with the impact on children, adults and professionals often being catastrophic. Here I speak to Vicki McKeown psychotherapeutic Counsellor at VLM Therapy Ltd & Director at Better Me Better Us Ltd, social worker and panel member. She has broad experience of working with adopted children and their parents and shares insight to the causes

44:50

Converations. Andy Wallis adult adoptee.

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast ·

2025/10/25

Hello and welcome to conversations from the A&F podcast. In this episode I speak to adoptee Andy Wallis. We talk about his experience of being an adoptee and the impact on his mental health in adulthood. This is a thought provoking conversation and Andy is honest about the the complexity of being an adoptee. Andy blogs on the subject as well as having told parts of his story in his book Who's Wally? Adoption, Brian, and Me. Website: www.whoswally.co.uk 📸 Instagram and TikTok: @whoswally73 📘

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