Adoption, Fostering & Tea: The New Family Social Podcast

93 - It took us four years to adopt!

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!

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.

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.

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

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"

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.

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!

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

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".

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.