This special episode is part of our Teens and Tweens Support Programme, funded by Adoption England, which supports adoptive parents as their children move into adolescence. It focuses on what adoption can feel like during the teenage years, drawing directly on the voices and experiences of adopted young people involved in Adopteens.Adopteens is a peer support space for adopted teenagers, where they can meet others with shared experiences, talk openly, and build connections outside of adult-led environments.Join Annalisa Toccara-Jones as she speaks with Sadie and Nat from Adopteens about how they understand adoption as they grow older, and how it shows up across friendships, school and identity. They reflect on what it means to connect with other adopted teens, and why peer spaces can offer a sense of recognition that is often harder to find elsewhere.Their conversation explores how adoption is talked about at home and in education settings, including what feels supportive and where adult assumptions can miss the mark. It also considers the role of social media in shaping how adoption is seen and understood, alongside questions of control, consent and representation for young people.This episode offers grounded, practical insight for parents looking to better understand their teenager’s experience of adoption, and how to support open, respectful conversations as their child grows.Contact We Are Family &amp; the Adoption Shared Team: Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk Join us <a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'>www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk</a> We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.

<description>&lt;p&gt;This special episode is part of our Teens and Tweens Support Programme, funded by Adoption England, which supports adoptive parents as their children move into adolescence. It focuses on what adoption can feel like during the teenage years, drawing directly on the voices and experiences of adopted young people involved in Adopteens.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Adopteens is a peer support space for adopted teenagers, where they can meet others with shared experiences, talk openly, and build connections outside of adult-led environments.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join Annalisa Toccara-Jones as she speaks with Sadie and Nat from Adopteens about how they understand adoption as they grow older, and how it shows up across friendships, school and identity. They reflect on what it means to connect with other adopted teens, and why peer spaces can offer a sense of recognition that is often harder to find elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Their conversation explores how adoption is talked about at home and in education settings, including what feels supportive and where adult assumptions can miss the mark. It also considers the role of social media in shaping how adoption is seen and understood, alongside questions of control, consent and representation for young people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode offers grounded, practical insight for parents looking to better understand their teenager’s experience of adoption, and how to support open, respectful conversations as their child grows.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contact We Are Family &amp;amp; the Adoption Shared Team:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared&lt;br/&gt; Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott&lt;br/&gt; Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Join us &lt;a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'&gt;www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

This special episode is part of our Teens and Tweens Support Programme, funded by Adoption England, which supports adoptive parents as their children move into adolescence. It focuses on what adoption can feel like during the teenage years, drawing directly on the voices and experiences of adopted young people involved in Adopteens. Adopteens is a peer support space for adopted teenagers, where they can meet others with shared experiences, talk openly, and build connections outside of adult-l...

Understanding Your Teen: Adoption Through Their Eyes

Films and documentaries can be powerful tools in helping children and young people understand their adoption story and explore questions of identity, belonging and origin. This episode focuses on how visual storytelling can support meaningful conversations about adoption, particularly as children grow and begin to make sense of their experiences in more complex ways.Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Louise Ndibwirende about how adoption is represented on screen, and what kinds of stories tend to resonate at different ages. Drawing on her work across film and storytelling, Louise reflects on how documentaries and films can open up space for reflection, recognition and discussion within families.They explore how to approach media that may romanticise or misrepresent adoption, and how parents can support children in making sense of what they see. The conversation also considers the impact of on-screen narratives on identity and belonging, and how families can use shared viewing as a starting point for open, ongoing dialogue.This episode offers thoughtful, practical insight for parents looking to use film and documentary as a way to support honest, age-appropriate conversations about adoption.Contact We Are Family &amp; the Adoption Shared Team: Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk Join us <a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'>www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk</a> We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Films and documentaries can be powerful tools in helping children and young people understand their adoption story and explore questions of identity, belonging and origin. This episode focuses on how visual storytelling can support meaningful conversations about adoption, particularly as children grow and begin to make sense of their experiences in more complex ways.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Louise Ndibwirende about how adoption is represented on screen, and what kinds of stories tend to resonate at different ages. Drawing on her work across film and storytelling, Louise reflects on how documentaries and films can open up space for reflection, recognition and discussion within families.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They explore how to approach media that may romanticise or misrepresent adoption, and how parents can support children in making sense of what they see. The conversation also considers the impact of on-screen narratives on identity and belonging, and how families can use shared viewing as a starting point for open, ongoing dialogue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode offers thoughtful, practical insight for parents looking to use film and documentary as a way to support honest, age-appropriate conversations about adoption.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contact We Are Family &amp;amp; the Adoption Shared Team:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared&lt;br/&gt; Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott&lt;br/&gt; Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Join us &lt;a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'&gt;www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Films and documentaries can be powerful tools in helping children and young people understand their adoption story and explore questions of identity, belonging and origin. This episode focuses on how visual storytelling can support meaningful conversations about adoption, particularly as children grow and begin to make sense of their experiences in more complex ways. Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Louise Ndibwirende about how adoption is represented on screen, and what kinds of sto...

Season 6: Adoption on Screen

This episode is part of our Season 6 series, Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey, where we explore practical ways to support conversations about adoption, identity and belonging.Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Sarah Naish, CEO of the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma (COECT), about how children’s understanding of adoption shifts as they grow.Drawing on her experience as a former social worker, adoptive parent and leader in therapeutic parenting, Sarah explores how children’s questions and emotional responses change across different life stages. From early childhood through the teenage years, she shares how parents can adapt conversations to reflect a child’s development, curiosity and sense of identity.They discuss everyday emotional struggles at different ages, how to respond when a child doesn’t want to talk about adoption, and what signs might suggest a child needs additional support. The conversation also looks at the role of peer relationships, building confidence and self-acceptance, and approaching school-related situations such as bullying or family-based activities.Sarah also offers guidance on supporting teenagers who begin to question their identity more deeply, and how parents can stay steady and responsive as these conversations become more complex.This episode provides practical, experience-based insight for parents who want to keep conversations open, responsive and grounded as their child grows.Contact We Are Family &amp; the Adoption Shared Team: Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk Join us <a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'>www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk</a> We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.

<description>&lt;p&gt;This episode is part of our Season 6 series, &lt;em&gt;Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey&lt;/em&gt;, where we explore practical ways to support conversations about adoption, identity and belonging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Sarah Naish, CEO of the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma (COECT), about how children’s understanding of adoption shifts as they grow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Drawing on her experience as a former social worker, adoptive parent and leader in therapeutic parenting, Sarah explores how children’s questions and emotional responses change across different life stages. From early childhood through the teenage years, she shares how parents can adapt conversations to reflect a child’s development, curiosity and sense of identity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They discuss everyday emotional struggles at different ages, how to respond when a child doesn’t want to talk about adoption, and what signs might suggest a child needs additional support. The conversation also looks at the role of peer relationships, building confidence and self-acceptance, and approaching school-related situations such as bullying or family-based activities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sarah also offers guidance on supporting teenagers who begin to question their identity more deeply, and how parents can stay steady and responsive as these conversations become more complex.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode provides practical, experience-based insight for parents who want to keep conversations open, responsive and grounded as their child grows.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contact We Are Family &amp;amp; the Adoption Shared Team:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared&lt;br/&gt; Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott&lt;br/&gt; Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Join us &lt;a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'&gt;www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

This episode is part of our Season 6 series, Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey, where we explore practical ways to support conversations about adoption, identity and belonging. Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Sarah Naish, CEO of the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma (COECT), about how children’s understanding of adoption shifts as they grow. Drawing on her experience as a former social worker, adoptive parent and leader in therapeutic parenting, Sarah explores how child...

Season 6: Supporting Children Through Different Life Stages

This episode is part of our Season 6 series, Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey, where we explore practical ways to support conversations about adoption, identity and belonging.Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Toni about one of the questions adoptive parents often wrestle with: when do we start talking about adoption, and what do we actually say?Toni shares practical insight on how to make these conversations part of everyday family life rather than a single, high-pressure “big talk”. She discusses how children’s curiosity can ebb and flow, how to respond to tricky questions about birth families, and what to do if your child doesn’t seem interested in their story at all.They also explore the language that helps children feel secure, the common pitfalls parents can fall into, and how to prepare yourself emotionally so you can stay steady when difficult feelings arise.This episode offers thoughtful, practical guidance for parents who want to build honest, ongoing conversations that help their child understand their adoption story with confidence.Adoption Shared is a podcast brought to you by We Are Family. We believe every adoptive family deserves community. If you’d like to support our work, a donation helps us continue providing services and peer support across the UK. Find out more at <a href='https://wearefamilyadoption.org.uk/donate/'>wearefamilyadoption.org.uk/donate. </a>Contact We Are Family &amp; the Adoption Shared Team: Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk Join us <a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'>www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk</a> We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.

<description>&lt;p&gt;This episode is part of our Season 6 series, &lt;em&gt;Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey&lt;/em&gt;, where we explore practical ways to support conversations about adoption, identity and belonging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Toni about one of the questions adoptive parents often wrestle with: when do we start talking about adoption, and what do we actually say?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Toni shares practical insight on how to make these conversations part of everyday family life rather than a single, high-pressure “big talk”. She discusses how children’s curiosity can ebb and flow, how to respond to tricky questions about birth families, and what to do if your child doesn’t seem interested in their story at all.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They also explore the language that helps children feel secure, the common pitfalls parents can fall into, and how to prepare yourself emotionally so you can stay steady when difficult feelings arise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode offers thoughtful, practical guidance for parents who want to build honest, ongoing conversations that help their child understand their adoption story with confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Adoption Shared is a podcast brought to you by We Are Family. We believe every adoptive family deserves community. If you’d like to support our work, a donation helps us continue providing services and peer support across the UK. Find out more at &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href='https://wearefamilyadoption.org.uk/donate/'&gt;&lt;em&gt;wearefamilyadoption.org.uk/donate. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contact We Are Family &amp;amp; the Adoption Shared Team:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared&lt;br/&gt; Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott&lt;br/&gt; Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Join us &lt;a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'&gt;www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

This episode is part of our Season 6 series, Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey, where we explore practical ways to support conversations about adoption, identity and belonging. Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Toni about one of the questions adoptive parents often wrestle with: when do we start talking about adoption, and what do we actually say? Toni shares practical insight on how to make these conversations part of everyday family life rather than a single, high-pressure...

Season 6: When and How to Talk About Adoption

This episode is part of our Season 6 series, Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey, focusing on practical conversations about adoption, identity and belonging.Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Skye Curtis-Guilhen, a dual-heritage adopter to two children and project lead at Yorkshire Adoption Agency, where she focuses on community engagement and supporting adopters from global majority backgrounds. Skye also delivers training, including life story work, and works as a social researcher and inclusive practice consultant specialising in equity-based trauma-informed practice.Eddie and Skye explore how birth families sit within a child’s sense of self, whether there is contact or not. They discuss how children’s questions can shift over time, what to say when curiosity grows, and how to respond when information is limited or difficult to explain. Skye shares ways parents can support children through loyalty conflicts, grief or confusion, and how to acknowledge heritage and history through meaningful conversations.They also talk about managing your own emotions so you can stay open when these discussions arise.This episode offers practical guidance for parents who want to support their child’s questions about where they come from while strengthening belonging at home.Contact We Are Family &amp; the Adoption Shared Team: Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk Join us <a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'>www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk</a> We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.

<description>&lt;p&gt;This episode is part of our Season 6 series, &lt;em&gt;Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey&lt;/em&gt;, focusing on practical conversations about adoption, identity and belonging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Skye Curtis-Guilhen, a dual-heritage adopter to two children and project lead at Yorkshire Adoption Agency, where she focuses on community engagement and supporting adopters from global majority backgrounds. Skye also delivers training, including life story work, and works as a social researcher and inclusive practice consultant specialising in equity-based trauma-informed practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eddie and Skye explore how birth families sit within a child’s sense of self, whether there is contact or not. They discuss how children’s questions can shift over time, what to say when curiosity grows, and how to respond when information is limited or difficult to explain. Skye shares ways parents can support children through loyalty conflicts, grief or confusion, and how to acknowledge heritage and history through meaningful conversations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They also talk about managing your own emotions so you can stay open when these discussions arise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode offers practical guidance for parents who want to support their child’s questions about where they come from while strengthening belonging at home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Contact We Are Family &amp;amp; the Adoption Shared Team:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared&lt;br/&gt; Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott&lt;br/&gt; Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; Join us &lt;a href='http://www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk'&gt;www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We prioritise the privacy of guests and their children. All identifying information has been changed or removed. We provide guidance to all guests about how and whether details of their adoption journey and their children’s stories are shared.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

This episode is part of our Season 6 series, Helping Your Child Understand Their Journey, focusing on practical conversations about adoption, identity and belonging. Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Skye Curtis-Guilhen, a dual-heritage adopter to two children and project lead at Yorkshire Adoption Agency, where she focuses on community engagement and supporting adopters from global majority backgrounds. Skye also delivers training, including life story work, and works as a social res...

Season 6: Understanding Birth Families and Identity

Adoption Shared is produced by We Are Family adoption support community in partnership with Adopt London.  Adoption Shared explores stories which inform, support and amplify the adopter voice and community. In each episode, our host Eddie Elliott meets adopters and professionals who share their insight and experiences of the adoption journey from a variety of different perspectives. You can join We Are Family for FREE at www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk.*Please note that the views expressed in this podcast are the views of our guest speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of We Are Family or Adopt London.

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