Adoption, Fostering & Tea: The New Family Social Podcast

124 - I was not recommended for Stage Two, but Summer Camp changed everything.

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Brandon, a single prospective adopter, was sailing through Stage One of the assessment when suddenly he was told he wouldn't be recommended for Stage Two and should take a year out. During that year, Brandon made various changes. He also gathered all of his courage and volunteered at the New Family Social Summer Camp which he describes as "magic". Hear how Brandon built his support network and found the strength to resume his adoption journey.

123 - Two years in, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Geoff joined us on the podcast when he'd had his sons for just three months. On this episode, he talks about how the last couple of years with kids have been and how he initially struggled to adjust to parenthood but how he's found his feet now.

122 - "I wouldn't change it for the world!"

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Jamie talks about the three-and-a-half years he's spent with his son, who arrived when he was 18 months old. He talks about what he learnt about himself as an adopter, how he managed a recurrence of his own anxiety, an ADHD diagnosis and how he sought support for his son's sensory needs.

Follow Jamie on Instagram here

121 - It's been everything we wanted, and more!

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Ross used to listen to this podcast and wonder how his own adoption journey might go, especially since his agency was concerned he didn't have enough childcare experience. A year later, he had his one-year-old son and he's loving every minute of it!

120 - Transracially adopted siblings three years in

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Aubrey returns to the podcast. It's three years since he adopted his children who are now five and eleven. He talks about how well they're doing in school, raising kids of a different gender and ethnicity to his own, and his hopes for the future.

Adopting age-gap siblings

119 - A rocky road to adoption

Wed, 13 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Laura and her partner adopted a child after IVF, miscarriages and bereavement. They talk about deciding when it's the right time, supporting their birth daughter, and the resilience their experiences have given them.

118 - Be assertive!

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Yannick returns to the podcast now his son has been with him for a year. He talks about how assertive he and his husband were with all the agencies involved in their child's adoption. They pushed back against a checklist approach and advocated for their child's individual needs.

Yannick's previous podcast

117 - Everything went wrong in family finding but we're going to matching panel tomorrow!

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Molly and Zoe return to the podcast after they changed adoption agency during assessment. They talk about a very bumpy family finding process and the children they're going to be matched with tomorrow.

Changing agency and volunteering at summer camp Molly and Zoe's previous episode

116 - My children meet their birth parents for contact

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Jake's daughters have different birth families to each other but both children have face-to-face contact with their birth parents. Jake talks about how they prepared for this as a family and the challenges and benefits of this fairly uncommon arrangement. He explains how the meetings can be emotionally charged, sometimes awkward but still beneficial for everyone.

115 - First anniversary of our son coming home

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Stuart and Bradley return to the podcast to tell us how the first year has been with their son. They talk about attachment, nursery, bonding over time and how thrilled they are to be his parents.

114 - Having Complex PTSD helps me support my adopted kids.

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Seren is an asexual, single adopter. She has Complex PTSD due to her abusive childhood. After years of mental health problems, she reached the end of her NHS therapy and tried to take her own life. She was able to access more therapy which is how she realised what happiness could feel like and how she knew she wanted to adopt. Initially, her agency didn't think she was ready but she wasn't deterred and eventually began the journey which led her to adopter a brother and sister. She talks about how parenting her children has made her "the happiest and most fulfilled I've ever been" and how she manages triggers and challenges.

If you need someone to talk to, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit their webpage Samaritans

113 - Our kids are diagnosed now

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Stuart and Simon return, having featured on two previous podcasts. They talk about their kids' additional needs and the laborious process of securing support for them. They also talk about joyful family moments, including taking their Disney princess on a rollercoaster!

Previous episode here

112 - A newborn baby through Early Permanence

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000

George and Stuart were approved for Early Permanence and picked up a newborn baby less than two weeks later.

They talk about their straightforward assessment, contact with the birth family, and why a super-kingsize bed should be on your must-buy list!

111 - Adopting an older child after encountering homophobia

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Alex and Peter adopted a six-year-old after being turned down for another child. They talk about their assessment and matching process, the attachment therapy that changed everything, and why they hope others will consider older children.

110 - "I fostered the child you adopted"

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Vivienne has been a foster carer for eight years. An eight month old baby called Bill was placed with her, initially for just a week, but he ended up staying for nearly two years. In the meantime, in another part of the country, Carlos and his partner were talking about adopting. They had a bad experience with their first agency but changed to another and were approved. Browsing Linkmaker, they saw Bill's profile and hoped he might be the child for them. On this podcast, Vivienne and Carlos talk about how their paths met when Carlos adopted Bill.

109 - Going to approval panel for early permanence

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Emily and Jude have completed their assessment process and have just seven days until panel. They're hoping to be approved as early permanence carers for a baby under a year old. Emily talks about how they decided on adoption and what they learnt as volunteers at New Family Social's Summer Camp (including mud pie recipes!). Emily talked about how she listened to other episodes of this podcast to help her decide whether she could cope with the uncertainty of early permanence.

108 - "Adopting my son made me a better person".

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Fay talks about adopting her two-year-old son after three rounds of IVF, including one miscarriage. She had heard about how much longer black children wait for adoptive families and felt that adoption would be the right way to parenthood for her. Family life has brought Fay and her wife so much happiness and she talks about the importance of play and the need for patience!

107 - "We're having the time of our lives!"

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Monty and his husband were approved for Early Permanence and had a tiny baby placed with them. Just a couple of months later, they were asked if they'd adopt the baby's older sibling. Monty talks about delays in their assessment process, becoming a parent twice in less than six months, and how much joy their children have brought them.

Monty recommends this book: Undertaking an adoption assessment in England

106 - Bi-erasure in the adoption process

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Oliver returns to the podcast to talk about how he navigated the adoption process (including some ill-informed questions) as a bisexual man. He discusses his journey to positively identify as bisexual, and also brings us up-to-date on life with his four-year-old son.

Their previous podcast can be found here Episode 97

105 - Adoption, Fostering and Tea - Live at Summer Camp

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode of Adoption, Fostering and Tea was recorded live at our annual summer camp for LGBTQ adoption and fostering families, taking questions from our audience.

104 - Adopting an older child as older adopters

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Robin and James were in their late 40s when they decided it was time to adopt. They talk about how they overcame the negative messages they'd received, as children, about gay people. They discuss their decision to adopt an older child, why they'd recommend this to others, and how they helped their son when he faced homophobic bullying.

103 - Newly diagnosed autistic adopter

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Archie was diagnosed as autistic during the adoption assessment process. Tor and Archie talk about what it's like to learn you're autistic and the strengths it brings the as parents.

102 - I researched adoption for ten years before I took the first step.

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Carlos has wanted children since he was 17. He started researching adoption in his mid-twenties and, ten years later, he's stuck in stage one but excited about his future as a single adopter for one or two children.

101 - Our foster-to-adopt baby spent weeks in intensive care.

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Charlie and Ben had said they felt unable to take a child with complex medical needs but when their daughter was born and taken straight to intensive care, they knew they wanted to make it work. They talk about early contact sessions and the toll they took. They also talk about their family's delight in meeting the new baby and how much joy she's brought into their lives.

100 - Adopting in the Public Eye

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

On our 100th episode, Miles and Pip talk openly about the process of adopting their daughters and Miles tells us about being best known for "poisoning" a fellow contestant, in front of seven million people, on the hit BBC TV show Traitors!

Traitors Season Two

99 - I've been an adoptive dad for over a decade.

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Peter and Tor adopted their children over a decade ago and they talk about what it's like to parent teens. They also share what they've learnt along the way and what they wish they'd known when they started out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLuEY6jN6gY

98 - Adoption with a Trans History

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Max and his husband adopted their son just over a year ago. Max was concerned about the assessment process because he has a trans history and has anxiety. Luckily, they had an awesome social worker who made things as easy as possible. Max talks about the joys (and tiredness!) of parenting.

97 - Without the New Family Social Summer Camp we wouldn't have our son!

Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Adam and Oliver were struggling with family finding when they came to the NFS summer camp. The people they met gave them the strength to continue and their son came home weeks later. They talk about the highs and lows, including how they've dealt with their son initially bonding more with Oliver than with Adam. They even tell us all about their "Jar Fairy" who magically sends messages to the people their son misses.

96 - We wanted one baby, we brought home two toddlers!

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Brian and Kevin knew they wanted to adopt. They imagined themselves with one new born baby, but as their assessment progressed, they realised they wanted siblings. With a few months, they had a two-year-old and a one-year-old.

95 - How we prepared for transracial adoption.

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Lee and John adopted their son three years ago when he was two. They talk about preparing for transracial adoption; the things they got right and the mistakes they made. They also talk about how the first six weeks were difficult but overall their journey has been joyful.

Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race (Book) by Reni Eddo-Lodge Buy from Waterstones
White Fragility (Book) by Robin DiAngelo Buy from Waterstones
Colin in Black and White (Netflix) Watch on Netflix (account required)
The Cultural Iceberg - https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Edward-T-Halls-Cultural-Iceberg_fig2_361162662

94 - My husband left me and our three kids

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Karl and his husband went through the adoption assessment process together but, within six months of their three children arriving and before the adoption order had been made, Karl's husband left and moved abroad. Karl had to decide whether to continue as a lone parent or end the placement. He talks about how he coped in the early days and how his ADHD gave him the strength and skills to carry on.

93 - It took us four years to adopt!

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Geoff and his husband had a long journey to adoption but their young children have now been with them for three months. Geoff talks about changing agency, a last-minute court appeal by the birth family, and what it's like in the very early days of parenting.

92 - We're becoming parents in 23 hours!

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Today is the last day before Bradley and Stuart welcome their baby into their family. They've already had playdates with the child but formal transitions start tomorrow and last a fortnight. We talk about how they've prepared for parenthood (including the obligatory Ikea shopping spree!), what they think it'll be like to have a baby and how they'll handle personal questions.

91 - Our respite foster child has been with us for a decade.

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Graham and John have been fostering their child, who initially came to them for a weekend, for almost decade. They talk about how they supported their child through the uncertainty about his future and how they're delighted he's with them permanently.

90 - Solo adopter of a child with additional needs.

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Lee is a solo transracial adopter of a child with additional needs. He talks about navigating the complexities of "the system" when seeking support for her and about how excited he is about her future.

89 - Changing Agency and Volunteering at Summer Camp

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Molly and Zoe found their first adoption agency agency hard to work with and made the difficult decision to start again with a new agency. The new agency was great and they're family finding now. They gained childcare experience by volunteering at New Family Social's summer camp and they talk about what they learnt and how it helped them to realise they'd be able to parent children with more complex needs.

88 - "Our baby was rushed to hospital"

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Chris and his husband adopted their young son when he was 17 months old. On the first night at home, he had serious breathing difficulties and was taken to hospital in an ambulance. Chris talks about the doctors trying to figure out what was wrong while Chris tried to comfort his new child, who had only been with him for a few hours

87 - From our first enquiry to parenthood in nine months.

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Yannick and his partner had a fast and smooth journey adopting their five-year-old child, who's been with them for a month. He talks about activity days and why it's important to be assertive in the process.

86 - We've adopted a second pair of siblings this week!

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Adam and Brian adopted a pair of siblings seven years ago and another pair this week. Their children are now 13, 10, 6 and 3. Just days into their life as a family of six, they talk about their hopes and fears and how they're drawing on their experience as parents to support their new children.

85 - Early permanence and neurodivergence

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Eddie and his husband had a child place through early permanence who was returned to their birth family. They went on to adopt two neurodivergent children and Eddie came to realise he also has ADHD.

84 - Grandparents speak: "They're all really loved".

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Fiona and Margaret's sons are married to each other and have adopted three children. They talk about their delight at becoming grandparents by adoption, about supporting children with additional needs and about how much they love their grandchildren.

83 - A third little monster!

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Tom and Arjay return to the podcast, just a year after adopting twin girls, to tell us they have a new baby. Their previous podcast was "Tenacious little monsters!" https://newfamilysocial.podbean.com/e/tenacious-little-monsters/ . Just two weeks after their baby arrived, they're tired but delighted.

82 - "Allow yourself to dream..."

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Leanne talks about building attachment with her two young children who were adopted together when they were one and two.

81 - My adopted kids are reaching adulthood. What next?

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:09:46 +0100

Guy adopted siblings aged four and six. They're now almost adults and he talks about their journey through education and what steps are available to them next. Guy runs an event called Step Up Expo which showcases the choices available to young people over 16.

link to step up expo

80 - Adopting age-gap siblings

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 +0100

Aubrey and his husband adopted siblings, aged nine and two, at the same time after meeting them at an activity day. One year on, Aubrey talks about parenting with an age gap, helping an older child settle into a new family and new school, and how activities for the younger child benefit the older one.

PACE - https://ddpnetwork.org/about-ddp/meant-pace/

The Invisible String - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-invisible-string-patrice-karst/2685375?ean=9780316486231

79 - A difficult start after adopting twins

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Henry and Duncan had their twins placed with they just weeks before the first lockdown. They experienced isolation and child-to-parent violence from their frightened and confused children. They fought for support and found it really useful. They now live abroad and are successfully raising their much-loved sons in a bilingual household.

As mentioned in the podcast:

The BUSS Model

78 - Frustrating family-finding

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Adam and Aaron have been on the podcast twice before. Since their last visit, they have been turned down as adopters for specific children several times and the rejection is taking its toll. They talk frankly about losing confidence and the frustration of being turned down even when they thought they were a really good match.

Previous episodes

https://newfamilysocial.podbean.com/e/aaron-and-adam-return-with-good-news/

https://newfamilysocial.podbean.com/e/59-insert-title/

77 - Transracial adoption

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Joseph is a dual heritage gay man who was adopted as a baby by white parents. As an adult, with his white partner, he fostered and then adopted a dual heritage child. Joseph talks about his experiences as an adoptee and a foster carer and adopter.

A link to Red Dust Road can be found here

76 - Adopting two boys

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Alex and his husband moved to the UK from Eastern Europe, built their support network through New Family Social and then adopted two boys. The last 18 months have had highs and lows. Alex talks about their journey, how they're dealing with a problem at school and how they keep in touch with their children's four siblings.

75 - Filial therapy - play therapy delivered by parents

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000

John is the sole parent of two children ages 5 and 8. For the last couple of years he's done filial therapy with them which is a type of play therapy delivered by parents/carers. He talks about how it helps his children to communicate feelings they don't have words for.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_therapy

74 - Fostering to Adopt a baby

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Chris and his husband are fostering-to-adopt a baby despite not having intended to take that route. Chris talks about why they were initially put off by the uncertainty foster-to-adopt brings. He also talks about their plan to have ongoing direct contact with the child's birth family.

73 - Foster carer looking after four teens

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Dave is a single carer and has been fostering teenagers since he started fostering during Covid. He talks about creating a low-conflict home in which they can thrive. He also talks about how he manages behaviour which some people find challenging.

72 - ”Tenacious little monsters!”

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Arjay and Tom adopted two year old twin girls 12 weeks ago. The had previously volunteered at New Family Social's summer camp to get childcare experience. This year they'll return with their children who they met at an exchange day. The girls had been born prematurely and that means there's some uncertainly about their health and development. The new dads are thrilled with their family life.

71 - A contested adoption

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0100

It took two years for Neil and Stuart to go through the adoption assessment process, in part due concerns about their weight. They're now delighted to have their baby but the birth parents are contesting the adoption.

70 - Aaron and Adam return with good news!

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Our guests from episode 59 - "Counting down to panel" link below. Return to tell us about their successful approval panel and what day to day life it like while they're family finding. https://newfamilysocial.podbean.com/e/59-insert-title/

69 - Adopting when you have depression

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Walter has had episodes of depression since his late teens and thought it might be a barrier to adopting. He talks about how he was treated during assessment and how he copes with his mental health issues as a parent. He has been open with his adopted son about his depression and talks about how that openness has been positive for both of them.

68 - Unsure whether to adopt?

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Cameron and his husband have been doing lot or research about adoption. They're wondering whether they know enough, whether the should move house first and when is the right time to start the process. Luckily, they're volunteering at summer camp so they can find out more.

67 - Adopting siblings alone is a privilege

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Robert is a lone parent of siblings, aged five and seven, who he adopted 18 months ago. He talks about the enormous benefits of adopting his children at the same time as well as the practicalities of working full time when you have two kids. He also talks about raising children from a different ethnic background to him own. "Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race" by Reni Eddo-Lodge "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism" by Robin DiAngelo

66 - Stuart and Simon return having adopted siblings.

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Stuart and Simon adopted siblings in lockdown. They featured in an earlier episode of this podcast called "We've just adopted siblings" and now they're back to tell us about support services, school and how they celebrated the adoption with a sand ceremony.

65 - Fostering babies

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Alex and Terry specialise in fostering babies and two of those babies joined us for the podcast! The couple discussed their journey to fostering, their first placement and the first baby who moved on from them to a permanent home. There's a desperate need for more foster carers and this episode might help you decide whether you could consider fostering.

64 - When a match falls through

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Darren and his partner were approved as adopters and linked to a child but the courts ruled that the child should not be adopted. Darren talks about their emotional journeys and their excitement now they're about to go to matching panel with a new child. He shares some tips for resilience during the process.

63 - Losing your partner after adoption

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0100

James and his husband adopted their son eight years ago but shortly afterwards, James's husband died suddenly. James talks about getting through the early days, with support from friends and family, and about how he helped his young son understand what had happened. He also talks about meeting and falling in love with a new partner and how, together, they keep the memory of his late husband alive for their son. Here is a link to the book "No Matter What" - https://www.littleparachutes.com/books/no-matter-what/

62 - Adoption introductions with two toddlers

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Josh and his partner did introductions with their boys just six weeks ago. He talks in detail about the introductions process and the very early days of placement, while Tor says it's ten years today since she began intros with her son. They chat about the gradual transition for children from their foster carers' care to their adopters' care and discuss whether life is too short to make fish fingers from scratch!

61 - Waiting two years to start stage one

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Brandon and Pier have been stuck at pre-stage-one for two years due to their immigration status, wedding and house move. They're finally ready to start. They've been to all the information sessions, made a spreadsheet and chosen an agency. Brandon talks about their families back in Italy, their support network and how they're building their childcare experience while trying to decide what kind of needs they can cope with in the children they hope to adopt.

60 - We were both adopted and now we’re adopting siblings

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0100

Ash and John talk about adoption journey, having both been adopted themselves. Ash explains how he was adopted and has no details of his birth family. John tells how he was given up for adoption after his birth mother was sexually assaulted. John and his older half-brother were adopted together. John tells how his foster family made introductions difficult, but his mother was determined to adopt him and his brother. Ash shares how in the culture he was raised, adoption wasn’t spoken about, but his extended family all knew that he and his sister were adopted.

59 - Counting down to panel

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Aaron and Adam are counting down to their panel. They share how their experience has been smooth, thanks to their social worker. Aaron explains that big life events, which had happen to both of them, were positives when it came to assessment because they showed their resilience and demonstrated that the couple knew how to deal with traumatic events. They talk about how the process helped them to better understand each other's approach to the adoption and how it highlighted each other’s strengths.

58 - Things are still hard but they’re improving

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Myfanwy and Jay return to update us on their journey. They share how supportive their son's school as been, putting in to place a number of provisions to help him. One the of the scheme, called "thrive", worked well but has come to an end. The school is continuing to put other provisions in place to help. They share how sometimes it’s still difficult, but they have more strategies in place to help defuse difficult situations. Jay explains the importance of picking the “right” school.

Their previous episodes are 44 - The honeymoon period is over and 34 - When introductions go wrong...

57 - We’re open to adopt a large sibling group

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Lucy and Marie are in stage two with panel coming up soon. They share how there have been some delays in stage one. Marie was sure right from the start that she wanted siblings, being an only child, and because they felt that adopting siblings at the same time would help the children and mean they wouldn't have to go through the assessment process more than once. They know they would like to adopt at least two but are open to adopting a bigger sibling group. They have built a network of people that have adopted siblings and that has helped cement their decision.

56 - Early permanence - when the child returns to birth family

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Eleanor did Early Permanence twice. Her daughter remained with her and her son returned to his birth family. A link to the therapist mentioned in the podcast, https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-reece-saunders-57528267

55 - When assessment takes ages

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000

It took two years for Alan and Douglas to be assessed. Alan talk about how this benefitted them and how they're coping with waiting.

54 - Separating from your partner after adopting

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Tim talks about splitting from his partner after adoption and how they manage to parent well despite some ongoing difficulties. He also talks about overcoming mental health issues and arriving at a much happier place.

53 - Surviving Christmas!

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

How do adoptive and foster families do Christmas? Lee, Charlie and Chris tell us how they survive and thrive in the holidays.

52 - Family finding

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Alex and Chris had a potential match fall through but they're staying positive about family finding.

51 - Adopting when you’ve had depression

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Kate and Charlotte talk about their happy adoption journey and how they dealt with Charlotte's history of depression during assessment.

50 - Family finding as a single gay man

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 13:21:49 +0100

James is going to adopt as a single gay man. He's currently searching for his child.

49 - Being asked to adopt another baby

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Alex and James had had their son for a year when the phone range and they were asked if they could take their son's younger sibling immediately.

48 - Early permanence after infertility

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Rosie and Emily adopted a young baby through early permanence after IVF failed.

47 - Adopting after personal trauma

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Amber escaped a forced marriage and rebuilt her life. She decided to adopt when she was 40 and talks about how adopting complements her spiritual beliefs.

46 - Adopting siblings one at a time

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Michael and Matthew adopted a son and, four weeks later, found out another baby was on the way.

45 - Consensual Non-Monogamy and Adoption

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Mark and his partner are consensually non-monogamous. He talks about how they were outed and the effects on their application to adopt.

44 - The honeymoon period is over

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Myfanwy returns to talk about her son's emerging needs. She talks about child to parent violence, anger and waiting for support. Listen to Myfanwy's previous podcast here When introductions go wrong this will open in a new window.

43 - We adopted one child then did it all over again

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 07:00:00 +0100

Tony and his husband had a straightforward and joyful adoption journey

42 - Raising three bilingual daughters

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Avi and Danny adopted three girls one at a time. They speak Hebrew at home. They talk about building their support network and their eldest daughter's emerging needs. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

41 - Adopting before it was legal

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Lynne talks about applying to adopt before same sex couples were legally allowed to do so and supporting her adult son now. You can listen to her TED talk here https://www.ted.com/talks/lynne_elvins_the_myths_of_gay_adoption Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

40 - Adopting a baby with cancer

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Andrew and John adopted a baby with a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma. Andrew talks about how they've all coped with the medical uncertainty and how they went on to adopt again.

Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

39 - Fostering older children is the best thing I’ve done!

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

John is a single foster carer in Scotland with a ten-year-old child permanently placed with him, a 16-year-old child temporarily placed and a crazy puppy. As someone who admits who knew next to nothing about children when he picked up a leaflet about fostering, he loves being a foster carer.

New Family Social - Donation Landing

38 - Adopting an older autistic child has been a joy

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Emily and her partner adopted a seven year old autistic boy who has brought so much into their lives. Emily encourages prospective adopters to be open minded about children with additional needs. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

37 - How has adoption changed in the last 14 years?

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Andrew, one of England's first adopters in a same-gender relationship, talks to David, who's going through the application process now.

36 - Adopting from Abroad

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Anna talks about adopting a baby from Russia Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

35 - Adopting a child with a serious medical condition.

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Claire talks about adopting her daughters and how they manage Belle's serious health issues. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

34 - When introductions go wrong...

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Myfanwy and Jay talk about the foster carer trying to sabotage introductions.

33 - Adopting when you’re autistic

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Yiannis and Dimitris talk about adopting how Yiannis's autism diagnosis put them on the path to adopting. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

32 - When problems feel personal

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Ian talks about his child's challenging behaviour and how to cope when it feels personal. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

New Family Social - Donation Landing

31 - Foster carers from Muslim backgrounds

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Nowal and Sarah are fostering a teenager. They talk about the assessment process, family support and knowing your limits! Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

30 - Adopting older children

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Sam and his partner adopted older siblings. He talks about parenting teenagers. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

29 - Adopting when you’re non-binary

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Charlie talks about their successful, if tricky, adoption journey as an out non-binary person. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

28 - Young couple from abroad waiting for a match.

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Adopting in the UK as a young couple from abroad. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

27 - Prospective adopters at stage two

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Jessie and Kate are in the adoption application process and starting to think about a child coming home. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

26 - Fostering a teenager as a single gay man

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Dan started fostering four months ago and tells us what it's like to care for a teenager as a single carer. Text KIDS to 70490 to give a one-off donation of £10 to help children in care find their forever families with LGBT+ families. Listeners outside the UK can make a donation through our website https://newfamilysocial.org.uk/Donation-Landing Thank you so much.

25 - How out do we have to be?

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0100

What does 'out' look like in different cultures?