There’s a lot to say about adopting and fostering in the UK. There’s even more to talk about when you add being LGBT+ into the mix. Over the past year, we’ve heard plenty from our community. They’ve shared the challenges they face, their wise words and inspirational resilience.

These are the most popular and most downloaded episodes of Adoption, Fostering & Tea released in 2021.

Parenting traumatised siblings  Available since July 07, 2021

Professional psychotherapist – Nino – discusses and analyses his own experience of adopting three children with trauma. Tor and Nino discuss the ways in which trauma can manifest in children and how that can affect parenting.

The Great Behaviour Breakdown  Available since March 24, 2021

Adopter Kate talks about her experience of attachment difficulty with her 10-month-old daughter. Kate talks about how she felt rejected by her daughter in the beginning and how she handled it.

'We weren’t allowed in the foster carer’s house' Available since March 17, 2021

We talk to Jasper about his experience of adopting during lockdown. Jasper talks about the difficulty in bonding with a child whilst maintaining social distance and parenting for the first time during the pandemic.

A really wonderful family life together Available since March 03, 2021

Nancy – CEO of LGBT+ charity Stonewall – chats about her transracial adoptions, expectations of having a family and how adapting is so important. She also discusses her nervousness of doing or saying anything wrong to social workers as a lesbian couple.

We’ve just adopted siblings Available since April 21, 2021

Stuart and Simon talk about adopting siblings after 10 years of being together. They talk through their assessment process, how it compares to birth parents’ experiences and why they decided to adopt siblings.

There's many more episodes of Adoption, Fostering & Tea. Log in to see the full back catalogue. Please note, you’ll need a membership to listen to the full range. Join as a Bronze member for free.

Want to get involved?

Share your experience with us. If you’re an LGBT+ adopter or foster carer, we’d love to hear your story. You could inspire and encourage many other LGBT+ people along their family-making journeys. If you’re interested, please contact us using this form. 

You can also support the podcast by with your cold, hard cash. If you're able to make a donation, please do. It helps us to keep bringing LGBT+ people's stories to the wider world, inspiring others to parent our country's must vulnerable children.