Adoption Shared – Details, episodes & analysis

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 & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

Join host Eddie Elliott as he speaks with Fiona, an adoptee, adoptive parent, and mentor, about navigating education from both perspectives. With over 20 years of experience supporting women through challenging life circumstances, Fiona is dedicated to helping adoptees overcome emotional barriers and reach their full potential. As the founder of This is Me – I’m Adopted, she provides guidance to adoptees worldwide and has shared her personal journey in two books.

In this episode, Fiona discusses how her own adoption experience shaped the way she prepared her child for school, the challenges she has faced as an adoptive parent, and the strategies she has found most effective in supporting emotional well-being in education. She shares insights from her mentorship work, offering practical advice for parents and schools on creating inclusive environments and advocating for the needs of adopted children.

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

Join host Eddie Elliott as he sits down with Lucy, a children's nurse and researcher, to explore her journey of adopting twice with her wife. Lucy shares her valuable insights into the challenges and the existing inequities of healthcare access. Throughout the conversation, Lucy underscores the importance of post-adoption support, advocating for her children's needs, and the significance of being heard within a broader support network. Additionally, Lucy sheds light on her doctoral study, which examines the experiences of lesbian parents accessing healthcare for their adopted children in England. You can also explore Lucy's research further through her book, 'Courtney Goes to the Hospital: A Story of Two Mums and Their Children,' available online.

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

Join host Eddie Elliott as he sits down with Jessie, who shares her journey of adopting siblings with additional needs. Throughout the conversation, Jessie offers invaluable insights into the adoption process, preparation, and emotional aspects. With candid discussion of challenges faced, Jessie emphasises the crucial role of supportive professionals in navigating the adoption journey effectively.

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

Join host Eddie Elliott as he sits down with Stephen, a dedicated father and experienced educator, to discuss the challenges and triumphs of advocating for children with special educational needs (SEN). From the intricacies of securing an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) to the conversations between mainstream versus special schooling, Stephen shares his wealth of knowledge and personal experiences. 

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

In this episode, Eddie meets Esther who speaks about building resilient families and her journey with adoption.  Esther also shares her work with the SEND Survival Guide and Emotional Freedom Tapping technique. 

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

In this episode, Eddie meets Andrew who candidly shares his family's experience adopting a child with additional needs. Gain insights into the realities and hurdles faced by families navigating this unique journey.

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

This talk is part of our Big Give Christmas Challenge fundraising campaign . In exchange for listening, we ask that you make a donation at any level that you can, to our Big Give Christmas Challenge Fundraising Campaign - between midday 28th November to midday 5th November - raising vital funds to continue the work of We Are Family into our next decade.

In this episode, Eddie meets We Are Family Co-Founders Miranda and Marie Louise for a very special episode celebrating WAF's 10th Anniversary.  Listen to Miranda and Marie Louise share their experiences of why they created We Are Family Adoption and the need for peer to peer communities for adopters.

Membership to We Are Family is free – please help us keep it that way. 

The Big Give donation platform will be live to accept donations between Tuesday 28th November at midday to Tuesday 6th December midday. During this time, any donation made will be doubled at no extra cost to you. One donation, double the impact. Visit our website for more details: https://wearefamilyadoption.org.uk/

A message from our Co-Founders:
"Marie Louise and Miranda would like to extend a massive “thank you” to all those who have been instrumental in forming We Are Family and have kept it going over the last decade. To all our past and present members, volunteers and trustees who work hard to keep a safe space for adopters to meet. To the social workers, professionals and Heads of Service, who heard us, listened and who continue to support us. 

To Jay and Eddie who work continuously to bring together a wide range of webinars and podcasts, which enable WAF to further support members, adopters and others beyond WAF.  And lastly to the dedicated members of staff who continue WAF’s mission. Thank you all!"

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

Eddie meets Audrey Bouazizi, Head of Service for Adopt London South, part of the Adopt London RAA (Regional Adoption Agency) as she shares her experiences as a professional working in adoption and her views on the experiences of Black people within the adoption journey. 

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.

Eddie meets Tony who together with his white partner adopted sibling boys who are mixed heritage and white.  Tony shares his family's story and how they celebrate and understand their unique identities alongside navigating and embracing contact with the boys' birth mum. 

Contact We Are Family & the Adoption Shared Team:
Tweet us @WAFadoption #AdoptionShared
Tweet Eddie @Eddielliott
Email us hello@wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

Join us www.wearefamilyadoption.org.uk

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.