Adoption Adventures: Recent Episodes
adoptionadventures
This is a podcast all about our adoption journey, the highs, the lows and the bits in between. I will share our experiences and discuss general life as well as specifics. In time I will look to answer questions and support other adopters.
I have been hearing a lot of rumblings from the adoption community about the lifestory books and some of the recent changes. So I decided to delve into it and see if I could find out what adopters experiences of the books were, my research didn't find great stories sadly.
Do you have any suggestions on how we could improve them?
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Little dude was in a “relationship” that ended, he then showed all of the signs of his attachment style as that relationship came to an end.
But I did get to see him for dinner, which made me a super happy guy!
The new adopter group is launching in London, I have been asked to be a mentor and the Little Dude called for chat. It's all going on this week and I wanted to share as much with you as I could.
As always, thank you so much for listening, please feel free to reach out on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com if you have a topic you would like me to cover.
The little dude was back for the weekend and sharing all of his own adventures! It sounds like he is having a great time, have a listen and see at if there is any part of the stereotype that he doesn’t fit!!!
I was asked to attend a profiling event and speak with the prospective adopters about our journey and our experiences of contact, throughout the day however, I did have a few moments that caught my eye and sadly...caused some frustrations. In today's episode, I am having a little moan...sorry!
I attended the EP and Modernising Contact conference with my RAA, there were some great guest speakers and some very interesting discussions, so I thought I would share them all with you!!! :-)
I've got some great news to share with you! I am working in partnership with Adopt London to bring a group together to gather adopters' views and opinions. I am so excited to be a part of this project and to be bringing adopter's voices to London.
If you are living in the London area, please reach out to adopttogetherlondon@gmail.com to get on the mailing list and start having your voices heard.
Little dude moved out, I’ve been to the theatre and I’m delivering training! Looks like an episode to cover this all is needed!!
if you’d like to be a guest on the podcast please drop an email to adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
In this week's episode I am joined by Helen and Fiona, they are working on a research project that is aimed at supporting adopted children and their families. I wanted to learn all about it and to spread the word.
Are you interested in taking part in the RIGHT research trial and contributing to improving care pathways for adopted and fostered children? The Right trial is looking to determine the effectiveness of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy versus other appropriate treatment, offered to children experiencing difficulties related to early years trauma. We are also looking to identify how care pathways can be improved to ensure our vulnerable children are easily able to access the right treatment at the right time.
RIGHT is currently recruiting for adoptive families in the following areas: Hertfordshire, Central Bedfordshire, Bedford, Oxfordshire, Lanarkshire, Doncaster, East Midlands – Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire, West Midlands – Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, and Walsall
And for children in a long-term foster placement in:
Lanarkshire, Nottingham City, Norfolk, Oxfordshire
Get in touch with us at right-trial@glasgow.ac.uk or find out more at www.gla.ac.uk/right
Please follow us on www.facebook.com/righttrialand @RIGHTTrial
As you heard in the last episode. Our dude is moving out and heading to Uni. But, what we didn’t know, is that they would push his move in date up!!!
The big day has arrived. The A-Levels results day, did the hard work pay off? Is our little dude off to uni? How will I feel if he is? How will he cope if he isn’t?
Check out our latest episode to find out all of the above.
I know that contact has been covered many times here, but as you know, it is an ever changing landscape. I have had some really interesting conversations with adopters and social workers and wanted to share these stories with you and get your thoughts too.
Not massive amounts going on in our world this week, so I thought I would update you on the whole lot. :-)
Little Dude had a 'lads holiday' and I have been sacked!!! Have a listen and hope you enjoy.
Thank you as always for listening to our story, if you have anything you would like to hear about or discuss, get in touch. :-)
I am going to open the door to our home and share with you a text exchange that went from good, to bad, to ugly, to...well, you will have to listen to see.
I hope you enjoy hearing how this situation unfolded
In this week's episode, I am talking about changing our children's names, I shall discuss the legal options and then the moral questions. I know that this is something that a lot of people think about before going into the world of adoption, so thought I would share my views and experiences to help you along the way.
As our little dude celebrated his 18th birthday party I reflected on how far he has come and what an awesome young man he is.
He also got to come along and discuss adoption with a group of prospective adopters, which was awesome!
Through various conversations I have had over the years. I have learnt many people would like to have a crash course on what it is like to parent a teenager. Here is my views thoughts and recommendations, I will be covering a range of topics some are a lot easier to discuss than others. I will give you a full lowdown of what topics I’m going to cover and in what order so as you can make sure that you’re listening to the right part for you. If there are any topics, you’d like me to look at more please do let me know.
Ok, so, this week I am sharing something very exciting that has happened for little dude, I confess that I am bragging in this episode, but I do not apologise for that. :-)
Let the episode speak for itself.
Next week, I shall be doing a full episode on having a teenager in the home, I will be looking for any questions you may have. Drop me a line.
It's been another great week with plenty happening, so here is the general update on all that has been happening in our world. It has brought lots of thoughts about what's next and future topics too. Hope you enjoy
Welcome to adoption adventures, this week I am sharing an incident that occurred within the household and I need your judgment. I need you to listen to all details of the case and to consider all the evidence available, before making your own decision on what happened...
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I was invited to join a panel and be a guest speaker at JP Morgan and demystify the world of adoption. We spoke with an audience of around 100 and it was awesome! Tune in to learn more about it.
I had to take last week off from recording to allow the show week to go ahead.
This week I am here to update you on all the exciting things that have been happening with us, there are updates from Little Dude and his exams, me and my training sessions, and some other fun times.
Check it out and let me know if you want me to cover any topics
We're reached that stage again where not loads has happened that I can share with you this week, leaving me to ramble my way through another week in our world and giving you some hints about things that have happened.
Some friends are on the journey of adoption, I have shared a little from their experiences. We discuss our children's stories and who wants to know them, the training that I have delivered and the impending A-Levels. All great fun whilst I head into town on a shop for last minute show items!!!
Well, our Little Dude is staying in heartbreak hotel this week, he came to us for advice and guidance so we had to navigate some pretty difficult waters to support him without putting our own bias in there. But he handled the conversation really well and it allowed us to support him and get him thinking about mature relationships and how to make good decisions.
Welcome to Adoption Adventures, the podcast that explores the ups and downs of the adoption journey. In this week's episode, we dive into the PAC-UK big consult research around contact and identity. I shall be chatting through the launch of the research and the key findings I took away from the experience.
Join us as we explore the challenges and opportunities that come with contact and identity in adoption. Whether you are an adoptive parent, a birth parent, or an adoptee, this episode will provide valuable insights into the complex and emotional journey of adoption. Tune in to Adoption Adventures for an honest and informative conversation about the realities of adoption.
I met with a support group and we discussed micro-aggressions, what they mean, and how they affect us on a daily basis. It was a great chat and I thought I would share my musings with you.
Have you ever experienced this? How did you handle it?
Welcome to "Adoption Adventures," the podcast where we share the ups, downs, and everything in between of the adoption journey. In this episode, I am having a little moan about some posts that I have seen and the language used within them.
As an adoptive parent myself, I've experienced frustration and confusion when it comes to the language used in the adoption community. In this episode, I share my personal experiences and thoughts on how we can shift the conversation and the thought process.
Additionally, I discuss the importance of asking for help when navigating the adoption process. Bringing a new child into your family can be overwhelming, and it's essential to have a support system in place.
Whether you're a seasoned adoptive parent or just starting on your adoption journey, this episode will provide valuable insights and encouragement. So join me on "Adoption Adventures" as we navigate the complex, emotional, and rewarding world of adoption.
Hey there! It's me, Fathor, and I am thrilled to share with you the latest episode. In this week's show, I am so excited to talk about the amazing birthday present, "Little Dude," gave me. We had such a fantastic time together, and I can't wait to tell you all about it. As an adoptive parent, I cherish these special moments with my Little Dude, and I hope our story will inspire other families going through similar experiences. So, join me in this episode of Adoption Adventures, and let's celebrate the joy of parenting through adoption.
Welcome to "Adoption Adventures," the podcast that explores the ups and downs of adoption and foster care. In this week's episode, we have some exciting news to share: Little Dude has passed his driving test!
Join us as we discuss the challenges and triumphs of teaching a teenager to drive, the nervous moments during the test, and the feeling of pride and relief when you find out your child has passed. We'll also explore how this milestone is a significant step towards independence for Little Dude and how it impacts his journey through life.
Tune in to "Adoption Adventures" and join us for a heartfelt discussion about the joys and challenges of raising a child through adoption.
In the latest episode of Adoption Adventures, we dive into the vital topic of adoption support and explore the measures being taken to enhance the support given to adoptive families. So, whether you're a seasoned adoptive parent or just starting on your adoption journey, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build a strong and supportive family through adoption. Tune in now to Adoption Adventures and let's explore the world of adoption support together!
I've had contact from several agencies this last week all asking for adopters to be more involved in what they are doing and how they are operating. It is great that so many agencies care about what adopters think and it is lovely to have that call to be asked too!
I had a listener get in touch (after I sent out a message) and ask e to speak about setting boundaries for our children, particularly in the early days, so I have given some details for those early days for us.
Hoping that it will help others in their transitions and early days.
There have been a few moments over the past few days that have reminded me that we need to be an advocate for our children and for adoption in general. We need to put on our best cheerleader voice and cheer for the wins that our children have and even cheer when they fall down.
As a side note here, I mention a difficult situation that we went through and that it was bothering me, we are all ok and I am fine, it was nothing too horrendous, just enough to wind me up! :-)
This episode didn't upload for some reason, so here you have last weeks episode:
As Little Dude gets closer to his exams we are finding ourselves in the same old argument, wanting him to revise and him thinking that he is revising enough, We have however, put a system in place that seems to help a little.
I have been around a number of conversations lately surrounding transracial adoption. It is a topic that brings all kinds of questions to the table. I wanted to start the conversation and start my musing on the subject. I appreciate that I am coming from a very naïve perspective, so I am always open to learning and hearing what you think.
I have been working with a new prep group and have asked Little Dude to speak from an Adoptees perspective, I asked him a variety of questions and we cover a range of topics. As you will hear, he only knew the topics just before we spoke, so these are all his genuine responses to the questions and feelings about each subject. We cover:
Contact
Life with two dads
Moving in
Belonging
Difficulties
I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do!
I have just joined a group called the Adopter Reference Group, our meeting was at the DfE and we got to start the discussion on what needs to happen to improve things for adopters/adoptees. We talked about contact, trauma-informed schools, support and many other things. Very exciting!
I shall keep you posted on all the updates, but make sure you follow our accounts for all the updates.
We held an evening with adopters in our Regional Adoption Agency last night discussing all the things that have happened over 2022. We looked at the recommendations adopters have made and the changes that our agencies have been looking to introduce to make an impact in line with the needs of the adopters.
It was wonderful to see how much the adopter voice is valued in our agencies and the work that is going in to help so many families.
Have a listen and let me know if your agency are doing more, or less or different.
Little Dude is causing us all new headaches, granted, it isn't a new problem, it is just a new cycle of it being a problem. It then leads to us asking questions as parents like - Do you still punish teenagers?
Am I being too harsh?
Have I gotten too old to understand?
Have a listen and let me know your thoughts.
I have had an email come through from a listener who is going through some difficult times at work, they wanted to share their experiences in the hope of spreading the word and getting some advice.
Whilst I am not an employment lawyer, I do have some experience that I have advised on here, I am hoping that it helps. But perhaps this is an area that you know more about.
So, get in touch and let me know if this has happened to you or if you have a way to manage this situation:
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Facebook and Instagram - adoption.adventures
Well, for most people, the turkey has just about gone now, we are all full to the brim and just about ready to start working out what day of the week it is again!
I went for a lovely walk with Shadow and thought it was a great time to tell you all about our festive period and what we got up too. Hope you enjoy and look forward to catching up with you again in the New Year
On our Instagram account, I put out a link to NGL and allowed all the followers to ask any questions they wanted without sharing their details. It was a really fun exercise and it turns out, you guys wanted to know more about me! :-)
You can follow our Instagram account too: Adoption.Adventures
I have been to my first observation of another agency's prep group, it was really interesting and I got to see a lot of great work going on. But, this has also highlighted some key issues and considerations that I need to raise with the senior team and also on a wider scale too.
Apologies in advance, I get on my soap box a few times in this episode, I shall blame the cold!
It's time for Christmas parties and instead of Dad and I going out to enjoy the festivities, it is once again our Little Dude who is reaching for the next egg nog. But then, he wanted to push his luck just a little further and see if our Christmas spirit was in the forgiving mood, check it out and let me know if you would have done the same.
As part of my work with Adoption UK, we have explored Post Placement Blues and how many people have experienced this. It was a really interesting piece of work and has shone a light on some really important factors.
As you know, I speak with Little Dudes mum over email on a regular basis, recently she has sent two emails that have given us pause and made us think about how we would talk with Little Dude. He was great when we sat him down to speak, but it then raised further questions that we needed to consider.
As you know, I speak with Little Dudes mum over email on a regular basis, recently she has sent two emails that have given us pause and made us think about how we would talk with Little Dude. He was great when we sat him down to speak, but it then raised further questions that we needed to consider.
As our children grow older we have to decide what parts of their lives that we will be involved in and what areas we need to give them space on. Then we have to deal with all of those people around us that have an opinion, the struggle is real!! :-)
Here are my views on the latest issues and what we have decided to do about them.
As our children grow older we have to decide what parts of their lives that we will be involved in and what areas we need to give them space on. Then we have to deal with all of those people around us that have an opinion, the struggle is real!! :-)
Here are my views on the latest issues and what we have decided to do about them.
I was really lucky to be invited to attend a training session with One Adoption West Yorkshire where I learned all about brain-based parenting, the session covered such a great deal of information and helped me to understand some of the behaviours we had seen and continue to see. I have tried to cover as many aspects of this training as I could to help you too.
In a few conversations recently it has come up that there is a lack of Dads represented within the world of adoption and this then lead me to discuss the gaps that this makes, so it got me thinking about where I have met Dads who are sharing their experiences and wondering why there aren't more of us...
What are your thoughts?
Drop me a line on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I was asked to attend a matching/profiling event and talk about my experience as a parent and how our process was adopting an older child. The whole day was great fun and I got to meet some wonderful people. Our RAA had taken a new approach to the event and I thought that it was a really smart way to launch the event. Have a listen and tell me if you agree. :-)
I was able to attend our regional agencies staff conference and hear about all the great work that they had been doing for the past year and their plans for the year ahead. It is really exciting to hear what they have been able to achieve and how they have been listening to their adopter community.
The year ahead looks set to be super exciting, can't wait to share more as the year progresses.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Show week is over, but the stage calls me back in 4 weeks!!! :-)
I have been consulting with adopters about their preparation training and how they found the experience, what was missing and what stood out, we are using this information to create a "uniformed" training across our region, to find the best parts and what else we could be doing to get parents ready for life as an adopter. I would love to hear your feedback and comments on what else we could do.
I am attending a staff conference tomorrow and look forward to telling you all about it!
P.S - My merging software wasn't working so couldn't play the intro/outro music for you on this episode...sorry
It has been a super busy time and I have been reflecting on how our identities change and how we want our children to follow in some of our footsteps, we work to pay attention to their interests and hope that they have an interest in ours. Lately, Little Dude has shown a great interest in my hobby and I have loved it!
After yet another uni tour, I wanted to catch up with you and let you know all that is happening with our Little Dude, I managed to also bring in a special guest to chat about everything, hope you enjoy it!
As you scroll through your social media you will, I am sure, see many photos of children standing in front of doorways getting ready to go back to school or for their first day. It has got me thinking about how that has felt over the years and the varied emotions that can bring, I share them with you in this episode.
Dad and I went away to the Edinburgh fringe festival, we had a great time, but this was a perfect moment for Little Dude to test the boundaries and see what limits there were in life, I was far from amused at my discovery and I thought I would share the whole thing with you!
Dad and I went away to the Edinburgh fringe festival, we had a great time, but this was a perfect moment for Little Dude to test the boundaries and see what limits there were in life, I was far from amused at my discovery and I thought I would share the whole thing with you!
This week the Little Dude got back from his Army Cadet camp, he had lots to talk about from the trip, it then lead us to think about university and what life could look like. I then attended an Adoption Information event where I met two groups of prospective adopters and got to hear some great thoughts and views. Finally, today was our last day of training with the new agency that I have partnered with, so it was all super exciting!
This week the Little Dude got back from his Army Cadet camp, he had lots to talk about from the trip, it then lead us to think about university and what life could look like. I then attended an Adoption Information event where I met two groups of prospective adopters and got to hear some great thoughts and views. Finally, today was our last day of training with the new agency that I have partnered with, so it was all super exciting!
I have had 2 recent interactions on Twitter which got me thinking and wondering about who you can save and who you need to let go. It helped me to reflect on what I can do and indeed what I can't. It's ok if you are not perfect, it is fine if you are not able to help everyone.
But what about that child that you felt you had to say no to? Or that person who has reached out and needs support, but not from you?
Find out all about my latest Twitter world in this episode.
You can, of course, follow us on Twitter too: AdoptionAdvent1
Or Facebook or Insta: Adoption.Adventures
I have had 2 recent interactions on Twitter which got me thinking and wondering about who you can save and who you need to let go. It helped me to reflect on what I can do and indeed what I can't. It's ok if you are not perfect, it is fine if you are not able to help everyone.
But what about that child that you felt you had to say no to? Or that person who has reached out and needs support, but not from you?
Find out all about my latest Twitter world in this episode.
You can, of course, follow us on Twitter too: AdoptionAdvent1
Or Facebook or Insta: Adoption.Adventures
I took Little Dude out for a trip to view a university and he also took us out for a drive! All of these huge milestones happening and we were asked to share more about it and then more about any fears we had when he was young, so here is the update from our trips and what we thought would happen.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I have started delivering training with a new agency and it is really good fun, I am learning new things and having new conversations which are great. I have also found out about a new app called Youbo which I shall share with you...let me know what you make of it!
Well, not quite, but I did get to meet one and have a great conversation about our journey during the filming of a documentary which will be coming out in February 2023, obviously I will share more when I can, but I get to talk through what I expected and then what happened....enjoy...And please contact my agent for any further questions!
Through a number of meetings and group sessions I have been able to talk about foster carers, matching and introductions and how this can affect us all. It brought to light some scary stories and some wonderful ones too!
The boys and I went on holiday, so I was able to lock them down to get on the podcast, I asked for some questions to be asked and get the views they had. The recording is split into a few chapters, but I am sure you get why. :-)
You're the first one in your group to be approved.
You're the first one in your group to find a match.
How do you begin to tell your support group and make sure that they remain your support group?
This week we are talking about just this, a listener is in this position and is really worried that it could upset people and want to know how best to manage it, a truly lovely question. Let's see if I can help. :-)
I asked on Instagram if there were any questions or topics you wanted discussed, I had 4 great topics to chat about.
-Linkmaker/Matches and the frustrations
-Worries for the birth family
-Pre-stage 1 worries
-Early days issues
I have covered each of these topics in todays episode and hope that you enjoy hearing my views. Drop me a line if you need more details
It has come to the time when Little Dude is ready to open his letter and go through the details. This was a really interesting chapter in our world and I am hoping that it will give you all some great things to think about and to consider for your little ones too.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Charlotte reached out to me following last weeks episode, she had been to parliament to discuss contact and the language that we use. Charlotte is a birth mum and shares her story with us. It was great hearing from her perspective and seeing what good contact can do for all parties. And just wait until she gives you the top tip for adopters!
You can find Charlotte here:
https://charlottebutler1996.wixsite.com/speakingup
Social Media: FB-https://www.facebook.com/charlottebutlerwelfare/ Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/lotti_butler/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ButlerC1994
I have been asked to delve into the topic of changing the term contact into 'keeping in touch' and to see what people thought about the idea. I reached out to our supporters and the results were rather interesting....have a listen to learn more.
Recently as part of Adopter Voice, we went out to our network to ask families about their children's behaviours and what support has been a positive impact on them, it made for a really interesting read and I thought I would share the responses with you and then our recommendations to the board.
It is show week, which means, time is not on my side and I must away to my pages (if you see the show, that line means a lot more!).
I had just a small amount of time to give you an update on where we are and what is happening in our world, hope you enjoy.
A few weeks ago we chatted all about the funding that is available, I discussed the ASF and what it was used for, and I shared some worries that I had about the fund and its uses. So, I went on an investigation to find out more, here you will learn what I have learned.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
The language that we use is so important, the impact that it has can quite often be missed, but we have to consider the long-term effects. In today's episode, I share some of the experiences of language that I have had and some of the thoughts I have about the impact. I would love to hear your views too.
If you have a story to tell and would like to be a guest on the show, please drop me a line, it would be great to share your experiences with others.
Instagram: Adoption.Adventures
Facebook: Adoption.Adventures
Twitter: AdoptionAdvent1
Email: Adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I was asked if I could put an episode together breaking down the acronyms within the world of adoption. I am hoping that the episode will help you navigate the crazy world of this new language. Let me know if I have missed any acronyms that you need me to explain. :-)
I have been asked to support setting up a new LGBTQ+ group and wanted to add some changes to it, I have spoken before briefly about being part of the LGBTQ+ community, but am hoping that this episode will just delve a little deeper and ask some questions for others.
I have made some comments in this episode and tried to explain certain aspects of the LGBTQ+ community but fully appreciate that I am always learning, so do let me know if I have got anything wrong.
Following last week's episode, I am pleased to announce that Little Dude asked us to have a family day out and it could not have come at a better time, we had a great day and it allowed me to reflect on some great moments that we have shared and the incredible man that our son is becoming.
Hope you enjoy the update from our latest adventure!
I have had a few moments to experience loss, grief, and a build-up of emotions lately, having just completed a training course I was prepped and ready for feeling the feelings, but that doesn't stop them from being there!!
That being said, it has been a great opportunity to see Little Dude stepping up and being just a bit more amazing!
The ASF was recently approved for another year, I have been speaking with adopters and social workers alike and have been having some great conversations about what the ASF is in place for and how it is working, it has caused me to do some thinking and considering, I would love to hear what you think of it all.
It's been a while since I updated you on how life was going in the family, Little Dude has asked to go to a party, he is dating and I have been at an event too. So much for me to tell you! I hope that you enjoy the life update and all that has been going on for us.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/ https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1 Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
An adopter has reached out, Sian wanted to know more about attachment and if we as adopters can do anything to help our children to feel more secure. In this episode I delve further into attachment, some of the behaviours we may see, and then what we may be able to do to support. I have gone into some of the science here, so forgive me if I make errors, this is just my learning along the way, I am not a pro!!! :-)
Anna reached out to me, she has an incredible story to tell. Anna is a solo adopter who has a birth child and then adopted from concurrent placement (very similar to foster to adopt or Early Permanence) and then went on to adopt her sons sibling a few years later.
Her story is incredible and should help those who are thinking about the various ways that families can be made.
I was contacted by a prospective adopter who wanted to find out more about Transracial Adoption, so I reached out to the incredible adoption community and our awesome listeners and was greeted by so many people who were ready to share their stories and to help others along the way!!!
In this episode I am speaking with John, we discuss his journey into becoming a parent to two awesome children.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
A listener got in touch with another topic that we could look at together, the culture of blame and where it fits in our families. It can be a real tricky one when our children outwardly blame others for their behaviours and look to avoid dealing with the issue, so I am hoping that I have some tips which could help.
The last in this current segment, I have taken a look at the last few topics that the fans have asked me to cover and looked at them as one whole episode. I am covering, attachment, stage 2, panel and a few others that you would like to hear about.
If you have a topic that you would ever like us to discuss then please drop me a line on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We've got another topic from a listener to cover, what happens in those early days, what to expect and how to feel?
During those early days there is so much going on for everyone, it is really easy to fall into a trap and assume you should be doing so much better than you are, or that our children should be settling quicker, or perhaps it is going really well and you are waiting for the bubble to burst...in this episode I hope to cover all of those things.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We're carrying on with our listener questions. This week is all about when you get your first letter from birth parents and how this makes you feel. I go into detail about how this was for us and what you could do to prepare.
In the second episode of, you asked we answered we have the listener question/topic from Ben who wanted to know how you get yourself ready for prep training. So, whilst I cook our family meal, I dish out some advice! :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
On our Instagram page we invited our followers to recommend some topics to cover. This episode is for Lauren who is playing the waiting game, I have a little chat about the waiting, why you are waiting and what you van do in that time.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Some of you may have had the chance to see Molly's profiles or youtube story, I had a great time chatting with her and finding out all about her families journey to adoption. Molly and her husband have a biological daughter and an adopted son, Big Miss and Little Man!! Molly has shared her story and it was great to learn about their lives together.
You can find Molly on Instagram as Mollymamaadopt or on her Youtube chanel: https://youtube.com/c/MollyMamaAdopt
So, Little Dude is not impressed with me at the moment, if I speak, he is furious. I have given you some more info in the episode and added some context, hope you find it interesting. Let me know if you have any thoughts!! :-)
The little dude is all about romance and relationships at the moment, he is out there and meeting new people, which is lovely, but it comes with it's own set of challenges to me as a parent! Let me tell you all about it!
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
So, 2021 is nearing its end, it has been a challenge at times and has held plenty of smiles too, in today's episode I am rounding up some of the year and letting you know about the challenge I set for myself. To conclude, I set you all a challenge too! :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
In today's episode, I am trying to wrap and then keep 4 puppies at bay, I may or may not have gone off-topic once or twice in the chat, but hopefully, you will still enjoy it. I am rounding up the year and some of the fun that we have had, all in the name of good fun.
Thank you for listening and continuing to support our podcast.
You have all waited patiently for an update on what happened with Little Dude and the cute waitress, I shall update you today. Plus, Little Dude went out for a Christmas party, have a listen to find out how that went.
Sorry about the background noise, it was a super busy day and I didn't want to miss getting an episode out to all you lovely lot!!! :-)
One of our listeners got in touch and wanted to share her story with us. Liz is a single adopter who adopted her son when he was 5, she shares their story with us.
I've had some tough old times this week with little dude, it has made me have doubts and worries! But then we have had some wicked times too! It has been yet another rollercoaster.
As part of my role for Adopter Voice, we have asked adopters to talk about their experiences within the world of education, I am sharing the feedback we have gathered and how I intend to use that within our report moving forward.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I have hosted 3 focus forums, attended a few meetings to discuss 'harder to place' children and it's all been amazing! I am sharing my update with you all and hope that you find it as interesting as I do. Remember, you can always let me know if there are topics you would like me to discuss on any future episode.
I am also asking adopters to follow our instagram account as I am looking for some feedback on Education there. :-)
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We've had a lovely change in the home of late, but this has allowed us to see little dudes avoidance come out and then seen how he has managed it too...have a listen to find out more.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
On our Instagram we asked our followers what some of their biggest frustrations were and tried to offer support and advice. I have shared their frustrations/fears with you and my views on how to move forward. Hopefully it will help others on their journey too.
I have been super busy lately, which means that I have not had the usual amount of time for little dude, but that's ok, because it is important to still look out for yourself and grab time for you too.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
This week we are joined by Michelle who is a service manger within adoption, she is a specialist within the world of NVR and is here to tell us all about it!
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Through my work I got to see the results of when parents are not able to pick battles or indeed any battles, I am sharing my views on how this can cause major issues down the line. Of course, this is just my opinion, always happy to have others shared.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
In our latest Adopter Voice questionnaire we have talked about contact and how adopters are finding it. I then attended a conference about modernising adoption with a focus on contact, so I thought I would share with you my thoughts, experiences and what I have learned.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I promised that I would release an episode each week and on time...whilst this is not the full episode, I still wanted to keep my promise to you all. :-)
There has been loads going on this week, I couldn't split it all up, so instead, thought I would share it as one whole episode.
We hope you enjoy hearing about this weeks adventures.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Over the weekend we were spending time with two different sets of friends, each of them with 2 year olds and we had a blast, but it got me to thinking about the early days and some of the fun we had, that then lead me to thinking about little dude now and how a simple comment can become the biggest challenge!!! :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Yep, I messed that one up somehow! But here is the full episode for you all to enjoy. :-)
Hey all
I had a great few meetings recently in my role as chair of adopter voice and got to hear some brilliant updates, some scary updates and some interesting updates! I am here to share them all with you. :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We've had loads of changes this week, little dude started college and a new job, we have had loads of lovely moments and then a not so great one, so remember, it's not about the hangers...or was it??
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Within our network we have an individual that has just not clicked with little dude in best way, their relationship has never been outstanding and as a result we have seen distance form. I share this part of our world in the hope that it can be used as a tool to help others along their journey and to perhaps think of some people in their network that this may relate to and to give some ideas for either you, or maybe them.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I was out with little dude today and we had a few funny conversations, but they got me to thinking about the changes that our family have gone through and continue to go through, some of which we have not thought about and others you kind of wish you thought about before they changed.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We've been contacted by a listener who is considering a child that has some SEN needs, they have asked if this is something that we have experience of. So in todays episode J am sharing our experience and some of my knowledge, I even try to get technical at one point...but I may be well off the mark there!!
If you have a question or would like to share your story, then please get in touch with us on email or our social media.
It is GCSE results week and I am feeling nervous! I am not sure how little dude is feeling because of his avoidance!
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I have been asked for some while now to discuss the assessment process and what to expect, I have been trying to reach out to some social workers to discuss this but not had any joy, so here, is my experiences of the assessment process. I hope it helps you along the way.
Our little dude has been doing some great work with his cadets and has shared his progress with us, which has been lovely to hear about. I am sharing some nice updates with you of how things are going, hope you enjoy.
I was contacted by a listener, they were discussing grief and how it can effect our children. So I have shared our experiences and some suggestions for you all, hope it helps. :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
In our latest online forum we spoke all about adopting siblings, the challenges and the rewards. It was fascinating to start thinking about this and thinking about how to encourage other adopters to consider siblings. Is it something you’ve done or thought about?? Perhaps you can lend your feedback to what more can be done to help other adopters?
Drop me an email with your views to adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
So, in last weeks episode I spoke about how well things were going and how great it was to see little dude enjoying some independence...I think I spoke too soon!!
Also, as a little side note, I counted 6 interruptions during the recording of this episode, so had to keep stopping, hope it didn't spoil the flow of the chat. :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
At a training session I spoke about independence, it got me thinking about the journey Little Dude has taken and how it is developing.
If you have anything you would like us to discuss then please get in touch on our social media or email.
I was at a focus forum where we talked about support groups, their benefits and how they are doing right now. It then got me to thinking about the groups that I have attended and supported with too. So, on my walk...on take 2 I discuss all things support group.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I've had three separate conversations this week with a variety of people at different stages of their process, all of them had a common theme. Have a listen to this weeks episode on patience and my take on it.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I am asked to speak about FASD quite often, but I always feared that I didn't know enough to be able to share it with you all. So when Aily Brown from FASD Hub Scotland got in touch and offered to speak with me, I couldn't resit.
Below are some links which I hope you will find helpful and are discussed within the episode.
-
FASD Hub Scotland webpage: https://www.adoptionuk.org/fasd-hub-scotland
-
FASD Hub Scotland YouTube channel: (149) FASDHub Scotland - YouTube
- FASD Education factsheets: Factsheets - FASD | Adoption UK Charity
- FASD Hub Scotland Peer Support Group in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FASDHubScotPeerSupportGroup/
-
FASD Hub Scotland training: FASD Hub Scotland Events | Eventbrite – I should have said we have a drop in education-transition session tomorrow at 1pm. Please can join by registering on the Eventbrite page.
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Follow us on Twitter @FasdhubScotland | Facebook @FASDHubScot | Instagrame @fasdhubscotland
Today I was delivering day one training for adopters. I thought I would break the episode down into two segments, first I speak about what I hope will happen during the training and then how it went.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Over the past week we have had a few moments as parents which have shown that my role has changed a little, have a listen to find out how.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
There has been loads of updates this week, so, instead of discussing one topic....I figured I could talk about them all!!!
I touch on a few different topics here, so if you find that you would like me to discuss anything in greater detail, then please get in touch using the details below.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
A while back we did an episode on panel and what to expect, but Sandra got in touch and asked me to talk about Matching Panel and what to expect. It was so nice to be able to think back to our matching panel and the early days just before little dude joined us and changed everything and how that one meeting (obviously it was more) changed so much and made us even happier!!!!
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I am really excited to tell you that I have been asked to join the Adoption UK team, in todays episode I am sharing my journey and what this will mean to me. I have also been asked to speak with my network and check in on how the adoption community has found the last year of virtual training and activities.
You will hear all about it, but I have 3 questions for you:
Have you accessed any virtual activities? If no, why?
How have you found them?
When do you want to get back to in person activities?
Feel free to drop me your answers on our social media or email
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We posted on our Instagram to ask if anyone had any questions for us, in this episode we are answering some listener questions, if there are any answers that I have given that you would like more details on then please get in touch.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I promised that I would get Dad back on the podcast, but I am able to deliver twice as much fun on todays episode.
I would love to tell you what we were talking about, but...it may be easier to just listen! :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Today’s episode is all about a chat we had with the little dude recently, we are returning to our chat about pocket money and the things he can do to earn it. Little dude lets us know how he feels about this and what he thinks would be a better solution!
Our little dude is a teenager, no escaping it! In todays episode I am sharing some experiences that we have had as parents of a teenager, I share some of our parenting styles that we have tried and results that we have seen, I hope that it is lots of fun for you.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Linkmaker....it's a site for adopters and social workers, in today's episode, we are going to speak about it in depth and hopefully, teach you all about it!!! :-)
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I heard from Simon, one of our listeners who wanted to share his story as an adult adoptee. He talks about some of his life experiences and some things that acted as a trigger for him too. You can find out more about Simon by heading to his website: https://www.simonbenn.co.uk/
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
There has been some really nice things happening within the adoption adventures world and I thought I would take the time to tell you all about it. There are some updates from our lives and others too. I am looking for some new guests to join me and share their experiences of being an early permanence adopter, let me know if you would like to share your experience.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I heard from David, he told me that they had registered interest in a child and now had to wait to be considered, he asked if we could put an episode together to help other adopters going through the same. So, I invited him on to the show to have a chat and tell their story. We both hope that their story helps you with yours...
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Parenting has its up's and it's downs! This last week has been a very clear display of that in the adoption adventures household!
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I am going to share a part of our story with you that always makes me smile. Makes me realise that there are more jigsaw pieces than we would first imagine. Hope you enjoy....
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
It is so common to be asked about your journey to becoming a parent and so often people will unwittingly delve into some very difficult areas for us as individuals. We are pressured into becoming parents in the 'normal' way and so often this leads to all kinds of stigma and indeed some anger. I decided to have a chat about that this week, I only hope that together we can help to change the narrative.
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I have been thinking about this episode for a long while now and how best to approach the subject.
Our children have a story, we can't deny it and we can't ignore it. But who should we share it with? Who owns the rights to that story?
Thank you so much for listening, if you have a story you would like to share with our audience or comments you would like to add, you can always find us on our social media:
https://www.instagram.com/adoption.adventures/
https://www.facebook.com/adoption.adventures
https://twitter.com/AdoptionAdvent1
Email – adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I was speaking with someone that had some worries over adopting an older child and some of the things that they would miss, so I thought that I would share my views with you all. Hope you enjoy!
Drop us a follow on our social media:
Facebook & Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter: AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
IT's a really tough time out there at the moment and it is not always easy to remember to make time for yourself. I have been reflecting this week on how things have been for us and how some times things can get really tough, so we need to just give ourselves a break and make time for ourselves.
Facebook & Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - Adoption Advent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We asked what you would like to hear more about, a listener asked about what it was like going back to work. I share the experiences from Dads perspective and then my own.
Drop us a line on our social media:
Facebook or Insta - adoption.adventures
twitter - adoptionadvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
A very happy new year one and all!
Last year we caught up with Michaela Foster Marsh, she grew up with her brother who was adopted. They were very close in age, but came from different ethnic backgrounds. We got to speak about their experiences and how Michaela went searching for her brothers first family years' later.
You can get a copy of Michaela's book Starchild here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Starchild-Memoir-Adoption-Race-Family-ebook/dp/B082DJH1CV
As Christmas fast approaches, I thought it would be good to talk about how Christmas can look for our little ones and what we can do to help them during a rather strange time.
From all of us at Adoption Adventures, we want to wish you the very best of Christmas's.
You can always reach out to us on:
facebook & Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Following on from last weeks conversation, we had the great opportunity to chat with Richard, he is also a single male adopter who has had his son (mini dude) placed with him. We spoke about what life was like as a single dad and how his journey was going.
We would like to say a massive thank you to Richard for joining us and sharing his amazing journey!
Feel free to drop us a line on:
Facebook or Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Who can adopt? I think that it is a massive question and loads of people think that their circumstances will stop them from adopting. I have not met many single male adopters and I wondered if it was because the message was not getting out there that single men can adopt too! So, we went searching for some single male adopters from our audience, we were really lucky to have 2 single dads offer to speak with us. This week we are chatting with Tom, we are speaking about his journey to adoption and the support network around him.
Massive thank you to Tom for joining us this week and sharing his story.
If you would like to be a guest on the podcast or think that your story is one that others would like to hear, then get in touch.
Facebook/Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
One of my 'triggers' is sneaky behaviour, I have always struggled with lies. I know that it happens, I know that we are all guilty of telling lies every single day. But, when Little Dude does it, it bothers me! In today's episode, I am sharing some recent experiences that we have had and talking about what I have learned from it. If this is something that you have experienced then please share your story. Or perhaps you have a different trigger and you would like to share it with us to see if the community can help.
Drop us a line on:
Facebook and Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We are asked a lot about Voluntary Agencies and how they are different from the Local Authority agencies. It is something that we didn't know much about, so we found an amazing guest to join us. We spoke with Terry Fitzpatrick from ARC Adoption NE, he told us all about Voluntary Agencies and answered some listener questions too.
You can find ARC Adoption on:
https://www.facebook.com/arcadoptionne/
https://twitter.com/arcadoptionne
https://www.arcadoptionne.org.uk/
If you have a topic you would like us to investigate or a question then you can drop us a line on our social media:
Facebook or Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email: adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We've been asked to chat about our support network and how this looked for us throughout our journey. Hopefully, it will help you on your journey.
Drop us a line on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com for more details
I asked our listeners to drop us some questions, so in today's episode, we cover a whole range of topics from trauma to changing the child's name.
Check it out and drop us a line if you have any questions at all.
adoptionadvetures123@gmail.com
Facebook or Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
A listener has asked me what I thought about splitting the adoption leave up and how this could work with our children. They have also asked about how to talk with other children in the family about adoption. Great topics! So, here are my thoughts.
Here is the link to the book I mention: https://corambaaf.org.uk/books/adopting-brother-or-sister?gclid=CjwKCAiAv4n9BRA9EiwA30WNDzdM1xXJvxidHvc15J3IPdtjU4-ZthQ0f5SlrZnIl-HrB-sWsPaDHxoCV_kQAvD_BwE
Drop us a message any time on our social media:
Facebook or Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Family dynamics, how does ours look? We had a plan at the start of our journey, this changed quite a bit!! You can find out all about it here.
Drop us a line on our social media:
Facebook or Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We had a listener reach out to us and ask us about introductions and when extended family members are allowed to get involved, this is something that comes up a lot when I do any work with friends and family.
So, today episode is all about that and helping to think of when would be right for you and when will be right for the child.
If you've got any questions please drop us an email at Adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
It is National Adoption Week, I was going to do a special episode talking about who can adopt, but following an amazing suggestion from a listener, we are going to offer a live episode!!
We are going live on Thursday 15th at 18:00, we will be answering your questions, talking about who can adopt and what life is like in this world. We will be using our Podbean channel and on our instagram page too. Come along and join us.
For today's episode, I am giving an update on how the little dude is getting on with his history teacher. We are also talking about national adoption week too.
Find our Instagram page at adoption.advetures for our live episode on Thursday.
Our little dude has been having a drama unfold with his history teacher over the last week, it has been a really interesting journey. I am sharing the whole experience from start to...a sort of finish. It has been interesting to see how little dude has gone head-to-head with his teacher and the reaction that the teacher has had...
Drop us a line on our emails at adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
It is a tough subject, it is not a nice subject, but it is a vital subject!
I have been asked a lot about adoption breakdowns and my take on them, I have had some experience with them and I am going to share these with you and hopefully, help you to see some things to help you to avoid anything like this.
As always, we are available on our social media which is:
Adoption.Adventures - facebook and Instagram
AdoptionAdvent1 - Twitter
Adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We recorded a webinar a while back with Adoption UK about adopting an older child but thought that it would be good to have it as an episode, so I covered the topic all over again!! :-)
If you have any questions about adopting an older child or anything else, then get in touch at:
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Adoption.Adventures - Facebook and Instagram
AdoptionAdvent1 - Twitter
A listener has reached out to ask me to speak about Post Placement Depression. It is a really tough subject, but a crucial one to think about. So, I give my take on it and the advice that I have for any adopter that thinks they may be struggling.
I also found this document which could help too:
https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/adoption-and-fostering/Documents/Adoption%20UK%20Factsheet%2014%20-%20Post-adoption%20depression%20June%202013.pdf
You can reach out to me on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com or on social media:
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
it has been a week of highs, lows and little bits in between. But it has given us a lot to think about as a family and a lot to work out behind the scenes!! I shall be giving you to low down on the week and chatting about how we have handled things on an emotional level.
As always, if you have any questions you can reach us on
Facebook and Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We caught up with Scott who is a host of The Adoption and Fostering Podcast, Scott has sat on a number of adoption panels and was able to shed some light on what to expect at the panel.
Panel can be super scary, but hopefully, in this episode you will find out all of the reasons why you need not panic!! :-)
If you have any questions that you would like to ask then drop us an email on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com or on our social media which is:
Facebook and Insta - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
You can also find the adoption and fostering podcast on all podcast providers, they have some amazing guests on their podcast and delve into some amazing topics too. Their Twitter is: @Adoption_pcast
Have you ever wanted to speak with a birth parent and ask them about their journey? Has contact worried you in the past? Have you fond yourself building up an image of what birth families could be like?
In this week's extended episode, I caught up with Lara and Peggy from the podcast 'Two good mums'. Laura had her children CJ and RJ removed via adoption, Peggy and her husband then adopted them. Together they have built on the world of contact and shown how well it can work for the children.
I took listeners questions and posed them to both Laura and Peggy, the interview was amazing and I got so much from it, I hope you do too.
You can find the Two Good Mums podcast on all the usual outlets, or follow this link to their website: https://www.twogoodmums.co.uk/
As always, you can reach out to me on our social media pages:
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Or drop me an email on adoption.adventures@gmail.com
Hey and howdy
This week, we have been asked how COVID is affecting the adoption community and also different ways that you can get experience with children prior to placement. I chat about the experiences that we have seen during COVID and some of the stories that I have had shared, but it would be great to hear your experiences too.
Drop us a line on:
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Email - adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
The debate has been ongoing for years, now the little dude has a reason to spend some money and this was dads chance to boost the work in the home.
This week we are talking about pocket money, how it is earned and how it should be spent. It’s been an interesting topic in our family and I’ve been challenged for a while, but perhaps I got it wrong.
Let us know what your thoughts are on:
Facebook and instagram - adoption.adventures
Twitter - adoptionadvent1
Adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Here’s an update from our holiday! We’re having a wonderful time and I wanted to share it with you all.
The boys and I are on holiday, and it reminded me that during training adopters can be told of the difficulties of holidays and how to apply caution. So, I’ve recorded on location about our experiences of holidays and what we did to make sure we had fun.
We were asked recently, what type of parent we set out to be. This was a really great question and took me longer to think about before giving you today's episode. So, here is our latest episode, where Daddy talks about the type of parents we wanted to be and the aims we had in the beginning.
You can always drop us a message on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com or on our social media accounts:
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
We had a listener ask us about tools that we have used to help the little dude to self-calm, what did we try, what worked and what didn't. Find out here.
Email us on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Or drop us a message on our social media:
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
We've had a listener ask us about social media and how we manage it, so, we've tackled that very question. I talk about the things that worried us, the way that we managed and continue to manage it now.
I recorded this episode shortly after waking up....so I sound a little croaky, I didn't even get my morning tea. And I had to keep a little quiet so as not to wake the house. :-)
If you would like to get in touch, please drop me an email on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com or a message via our social media on:
Facebook or Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
I was inspired to release an episode surrounding the court proceedings that all children go through and how this experience was for us. In this episode, I share our own journey through the court systems and how this experience worked for us. Hopefully, it will help you all to understand a little bit about that part of the journey.
Drop us an email on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
This week, we caught up with Adopter Ryan, he and his partner adopted siblings a few years' ago. We spoke about their journey and how it has been for them. The challenges that they have faced and the incredible adventures that they have had.
Ryan shared his families story with joy and a clear smile heard in his voice, so we hope that this episode will help anyone else that is thinking about adopting siblings, or indeed has already done so! :-)
You can drop us a line on our email which is: Adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Or our social media:
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
It's been a while since we have heard from Little Dude, so he is back by popular demand. Daddy is checking in to see how he is getting on and his thoughts on going back to school and the lack of social time.
Drop us a line on:
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Twitter - AdoptionAdvent1
Facebook and Instagram - Adoption.Adventures
The 10 hour day, this was a day early on when our Little Dude tested Daddy to the very limits. We talk about how the day went from bad to worse to then being a great day for our family. It wasn’t an easy day to go through, but hopefully, it will be a day that others can relate to or use as a tool to understand future behaviours.
As always, you can drop us an email on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We were asked to chat about the early days of little dude moving in, it took me off on quite the tangent of information, but hopefully gives some ideas of what life was like. I share some things that we got wrong and discuss what could be done differently. Hopefully, it will be helpful to others who are starting their journeys.
As always, drop us a line if you would like any topics to be covered on our email, adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We are asked this question a lot, it is a really lovely question and brings with it so many other questions!!! :-)
We look at this question and our journey as a family, it has had highs and lows and challenges in between, but we think that it has all lead to the right end result.
If you have any questions then drop us an email on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com or on our social media on the following links.
Facebook and insta: Adoption.Adventures
Twitter: AdoptionAdvent1
Following last week's episode, I have been asked to discuss regression and how this looks in our family. I have given some real-life examples and our explanation as to why we responded the way that we did.
If you find that this has raised even more questions, please drop us a line and we will look to dig deeper. :-)
Twitter: AdoptionAdvent1
Facebook and Instagram: Adoption.Adventures
Email: adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
I caught up with Janelle Malony who is the author of Un-adoptable? Faith beyond foster care. She is a fellow adopter of an older child, we got together and shared our experiences and asked some questions. It was great to speak with another adopter who shared a lot of similar experiences and then get to see the differences too.
You can find out so much more about Janelle from her website www.adoptiontolife.com
As always, you can drop me a message on my social media links or via email on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
We received a great listener question on how do you know if bad behaviour is not connected to previous trauma and how do you then manage it? We are going to delve into some behaviour management tools and advice, we will then look at things that we have done and indeed the mistakes that we made. Hopefully, it will be helpful to you all.
Keep the questions coming:
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Twitter: AdoptionAdvent1
Facebook and Insta: Adoption.Adventures
I have been asked how matching happens and what options there are available, so here I am answering that very question. I talk about the different options that I know of and how they work, I also look at how you can say no and feel ok about it. :-)
Drop us your questions to adoptionadventures123@gmail.com and we will answer them on an episode.
Or find us on our socials:
Facebook and Instagram: Adoption.Adventures
Twitter: AdoptionAdvent1
I've been speaking with Charlie and Ann-Marie who have a birth child and are going through the adoption process. I was able to ask them about their journey, some challenges that they think could come up and other great topics. They were both so happy to share their story and to talk about their experiences. I hope you find it super useful too!
Drop us a line on adoptionadventures123@gmail.com for comments or questions.
It's day who knows what, we've had to step up and home school the little dude. How has that gone? What has worked and what has failed? What lessons have we learned from the whole experience? Find out on todays episode.
Hey all! Thanks to the incredible talents of a listener called Liz, I am able to bring you an interview with Little Dude and a social worker, talking about what it is like to have 2 dads and other opinions from an adoptee. As always, you are more than welcome to bring your questions to us as a family to answer. Stay safe!
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
AdoptionAdvent1 - Twitter
Adoption.Adventures - Facebook and Instagram
I'm reflecting on the first time that we met our Little Dude and how that felt. I talk through the process leading up to our first encounter...feels like a very long time back now, but the memory is as fresh as ever! :-)
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
AdoptionAdvent1 - Twitter
Adoption.Adventures - Facebook and Instagram
I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to fall! (Come on, you know you sang it too!!)
In this episode, I am catching up with a great friend, who was truly instrumental in helping me to go down the road of adoption and whom I owe a lot too. We discuss, what it is like to see your friend go through the process and what some of the challenges or worries may be.
Have a listen and let us know if you have any questions.
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com
Adoption.Adventures on Facebook and Instagram
AdoptionAdvent1 on Twitter
Corona has hit the world and everyone is feeling the stress. We are talking today about how we are all feeling and what to do in the moment of stress. What can we all do to help out and support the community?
Drop us a line with your thoughts and how you are feeling at the moment.
adoptionadventures123@gmail.com