In celebration of National Adoption Week, Jane Poore is joined by Al Coates. They talk about a range of elements that were part of Al’s journey as a parent, adopter, foster carer, and social worker.
In 1999, Al and his wife Paula adopted a sibling group of three, later expanding their family by adopting two children they had fostered, followed by their sibling in 2013. Al became a qualified social worker in 2013 and, two years later, advanced to the role of a social work practice educator. With over 20 years of experience working with adoptive families and foster carers, he has dedicated his career to training and advising parents and carers on managing challenging behaviours in children.
Drawing on both his personal and professional experiences, Al is also a qualified advanced non-violent resistance practitioner, specialising in supporting families facing difficult dynamics. Beyond his hands-on work, Al is a passionate advocate for adoption-related issues, lobbying for change and raising awareness. He hosts the weekly 'Adoption & Fostering Podcast' and contributes articles on topics such as childhood challenging, violent, and aggressive behaviour.
Al is also a 2024 Churchill Fellow. His research explores supporting adopters, kinship carers & foster carers to care for children with challenging behaviour.
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We have provided a transcript for this podcast episode to offer an alternative version and promote accessibility. Please note that this is a transcription of a video interview. The content remains the same whilst some changes have been made to improve readability in a written format. Therefore, there may be some inconsistencies between the recording and the written conversation.
Recommended resources
Publications and articles written by Al Coates
Episode 16 | Post-adoption depression with Dr Lynn Snow
Recommended reading
Adopting a child (CoramBAAF)
Our adoption journey (CoramBAAF)
Exploring and assessing motivations to adopt (CoramBAAF)
The adopter's handbook (CoramBAAF)
The adopter's handbook on education (CoramBAAF)
The adopter's handbook on therapy (CoramBAAF)