The Adoption and Fostering Podcast

In a fast-paced world where we have an increasing number of connections, how meaningful are our relationships really?
 
This episode explores the contradiction of being more digitally connected than ever whilst feeling increasingly disconnected as humans. From social media and boundaries to unsafe relationships, and the impact on young people’s social skills, we reflect on what real human connection looks like in today’s world.

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 spoke to Sarah Fry and Claire Murphy from the Belay Foundation. They are launching a new support service to support adoptive families access DLA and PIP and we chat about how they can help and the challenges that many families face in navigating the process. 

If you want to find out more about the work of the Belay Foundation you can visit their website here

Or find out more about Walking with Families 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 I speak Christian Brock from Virtual Memory Box and he shares the vision and hopes behind the digital system for storing and sharing memories of children who have been in the care systems. They’ve now broadened their work to support families impacted adoption and help maintain links safely. 

You can find out more 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

To mark a year since I completed and released my Fellowship Report I'm re releasing the podcast. Since then I've partnered with Beacon Family Services and we've put into place some of the recommendations in the Walking with Families peer support community. You can find out more or sign up here. 

 

Hello and welcome to this second episode of Al's Churchill Fellowship. You can read the full report here.

Developing the themes in Part 1 this podcast considers how parents and carers are supported by focused organisations. Rather than look at specific models of intervention, of which there are many,  it considered how families interacted and accessed the interventions and specifically how they were delivered to the families. Again, drawing heavily from Interwoven Connections based in Ontario, Canada the interplay of parent/carer, peer supporter and clinical staff is highlighted.

 

‘It’s never about whether a parent is doing a great job. They’re doing the very best they can with what they’ve got.’

Lillyth Quillin, Parents of Children with Conduct Disorter, California, USA

To mark a year anniversary of Al's Churchill Fellowship report we've released a recording from the release event for practitioners from last year. 

I shared reflections from my Churchill Fellowship Report on Walking with Families. Looking at models of support and intevention for families drawn from the Canada, US, Ireland and Austrailia. I offer areas for practice development in the UK to offer ongoing support for families that often struggle to find effective and ongoing support while caring for vulnerable children that have care experience having experiened high levels of adversity.

Churchill Fellowship Report Event - Walking with Families Practitioner event April 23rd 2025

You can read the report and listen to the audio library of many of the interviews here. https://alcoates.co.uk/churchill-fellowship