Essential listening – the #YouCanAdopt podcasts

Listening to podcasts is a great way to find out more about any topic, but especially adoption. It gives you detailed information from people who are very often adoption experts – either being adopters themselves or they may be social workers or an adoption specialist.

As part of the #YOUCANADOPT campaign launched last month, six podcasts have been produced covering areas specific to adopters, and the children who need adoption. They all have great advice and tips, and encourage you to start your adoption journey. Listen to one or all six!

Single Parent Adoption

Lisa Faulkner, adoptive mum, speaks with Karen, who adopted both her children as a single mum. They talk about the things that every single adopter thinks about before embarking on this life-changing journey. The additional planning, the questions and the doubts, and both agree having good family and friends around who ask those important questions and at the same time, provide unconditional support. This podcast felt like we had joined a couple of friends talking honestly and openly about their adoption experience, and the love and care for they felt for their children was clear. To listen, click here.

Adopting as a same sex couple

Harry Derbidge and Dean Rowland talk to Lorraine and Nicky, a same sex female couple about some of the misconceptions they had about adopting. They always knew they wanted children from an early age, being gay, they didn’t think adoption was possible. Thinking they would be treated differently and not taken seriously, but that was not the case – their social worker was amazing and became a good friend.

They realised through the process that you’re not expected to be perfect nor have dealt with things in your life, to be able to adopt. Their children find the fact that they have two mums boring! – It’s not even a factor! There are still lots of myths around for many people from the LGBTQ+ community, and this podcast will help address some of these. To listen, click here.

Adopting after fertility issues

Anna Richardson talks to Lucy about her desire to become a mum naturally, and her eventual route to adoption. Lucy and her husband started trying straightaway to become pregnant, but eventually decided to complete four rounds of IVF treatment by the time she was 43.

The desire to have children didn’t go away, but her husband was concerned that they wouldn’t have the same bond as with birth children. They felt a bit of shame and kept the idea of adoption from family and friends as they felt like they had failed. Together they did lots of research, and made the decision to begin the adoption process.

They have now adopted two children (at separate times) and have never looked back. The highs, lows and intense period of the assessments was definitely worth it. Their lives have never been busier – it’s full-on! Listen here.

Adopting older children

Debbie Bright and her guest Jamie talk about the benefits of adopting older children (four years old and above) and siblings. As a foster carer, Debbie talks about her experience of moving children to their new family to start the next part of their lives, and talks to Jamie about what brought him and his partner to adoption and the adoption process. Jamie talks about bringing their boys home, who were competitive and loving towards each other and having to carefully manage their sibling relationship as they were so close in age. That was six years ago, today they are a strong dependable family. To listen, click here.

Adopting a child with complex needs

Carrier and David Grant have three birth children and one adopted son – all have special needs. They speak candidly to Claire and Paul who adopted siblings. This enlightening conversation covers many questions and core subjects key to adoption.

Adopted children have experienced trauma, because of the things they have seen and the things they have gone through, although at first this may not be apparent. A little love can’t heal that trauma, but if you are realistic and advocate for them, help them to solve their problems, seek additional advice and get the experts in to nurture and provide therapy and don’t be afraid to ask questions, then together you can fight towards making the proclamation ‘I am adopted’ a positive statement.

Thousand times harder than you thought but a million times better than you could ever imagine. The question is – Do you have the space and energy to fight for them? Find out more here.

Adopting a child from a different ethnicity

Annie Price, an adoptee growing up in a different ethnicity to her own, talks to adoptive mum Sharma. With her husband, Sharma – a mixed race couple – became approved for adoption and they were open to a number of children that needed to be adopted from black, dual heritage, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Sharma speaks about their experience through the adoption matching process and how they wanted to open their hearts to their children. Sharma also speaks about different cultures and religions and how they celebrate these festivals in their home. The story of their family’s journey is extremely heart-warming and how all four children were brought together through adoption. To listen, click here.