The urgent need for more foster carers
Summary
James O'Brien opens with a moving discussion on the UK's foster care crisis, featuring callers who share personal stories of the emotional complexities and profound rewards of fostering. The conversation highlights the two-way nature of the experience, emphasizing how it benefits both the children and the carers. Later, O'Brien sits down with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovits, who was imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges. They discuss Gershkovits' new book, "This Cursed Beautiful Land," which blends memoir and reportage to explore the rapid decline of Russian society and th…
Topics discussed
Intro: Evan Gershkovits and foster care segment
Government plans to recruit more foster carers
The beauty of temporary bonds in fostering
Carol Homden's personal history with fostering
Celebrating altruism and the reality of adoption
Listener call: The emotional difficulty of saying goodbye
Listener call: A father's journey into fostering
Listener call: The 'death' of a placement ending
Listener call: The first baby and the importance of role models
Listener call: Dave from Brighton and his first attempt
Listener call: Long-term fostering and unfounded allegations
Listener call: The moment it felt like 'home'
Listener call: Impact on biological children and empathy
Listener call: Jessica on preparing young adults for independence
Listener call: Future fostering and the 'wrench' of goodbye
Listener call: Empathy in biological children and the 'cold' word placement
Listener call: The emotional shift from mother to aunt
Listener call: The moment the family committed to the path
Wrap-up: The two-way street of fostering
Break and transition to more foster care stories
Listener letter: 18 years of fostering and 'nothing altruistic'
Listener letter: Pride in foster children's achievements
Listener call: Heartbreak when a 16-year-old runs away
Listener call: The legal complexities of age 16
Listener call: Keeping the door open for past foster children
Listener call: Paul from Lancashire starts fostering
Listener call: The quiet house and the decision to foster
Listener call: The emotional toll and mutual benefit
Transition to Evan Gershkovits interview
Evan Gershkovits: Planning a book on Russia's decline
Evan Gershkovits: The invasion and censorship laws
Evan Gershkovits: Why he was targeted by the FSB
Evan Gershkovits: The arrest and initial detention
Evan Gershkovits: Reading the signals in prison
Evan Gershkovits: Fatalism and the 99.7% conviction rate
Evan Gershkovits: The role of lawyers and the system
Even Gershkovits: Defending rights in court
Evan Gershkovits: The prisoner swap negotiations
Evan Gershkovits: The moral weight of the swap
Evan Gershkovits: Writing 'This Cursed Beautiful Land'
Evan Gershkovits: Narrative and future journalism
Outro and sign-off
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