When you and your spouse started talking about foster care, you probably had an idea of how your home would be affected - new children, increased volume, schedules being rearranged to accommodate visits and appointments. But did you consider how your marriage would be impacted?  The call to parent kids from hard places can […]

  "I’m not sure.” “Maybe?” “I hope so!” “Probably.” “As soon as possible.” These are just a few of the endless answers that push our foster (and adoptive) families to learn “the art of flexibility.” But is there such a thing?   When preparing foster families for the foster journey, we talk a lot about […]

  Adopting a child through the foster care system is a noble and life-changing decision and it is important to know what to expect with the legal system. Navigating this part of the process can be frustrating or confusing. Understanding the general principles behind foster adoption laws can help prospective parents prepare for the journey […]

  Father’s Day is a universal holiday that dates back to the Middle Ages in Catholic Europe when Fathers were celebrated on Feast Day of Saint Joseph in 1510. However, we can go back as far as the ancient Romans who honored deceased fathers every February. In the United States Father’s Day is celebrated on […]

  The reality of foster care is that many professionals and families focus on the children and forget about the parents of these children. The Department of Family and Children Services (2009) describes partnership parenting in foster care as a family-centered approach that merges the dual roles of placement and rehabilitation into one path. It […]

  Most will agree that all children deserve to grow up in a loving and protective family. All children deserve to be fed, to receive an education, clean clothing, shoes and to sleep in a warm and safe bed at night, all basic necessities provided by a family. All children deserve the warmth, love, protection […]

  November is a natural time of the year where our minds gravitate toward thankfulness. Cultivating that practice in your children can be fun and built organically into your family structure, not just in this season but throughout the year. Below are some ideas on how to incorporate expressing gratitude in your family with your […]

  Families are able to adopt children directly from foster care. There will be time of bonding before placement officially happens that allows you to get to know one another and how you all fit together. After placement there is also a period of time (varies by state) before the family can finalize the adoption. […]

  After what may have felt like a long and tedious paperwork process you have made it to matching! Have you ever heard the phrase “hurry up and wait”? Now that you have hurried through paperwork and completed everything on your end it’s time for your Foster Care Advocate to work on your behalf. For […]

  Children from hard places often lack the skills and coping mechanisms. These skills are typically taught to children from a young age to help them calm down in times on emotional difficulty, but due to living in a constant fight or flight state, this lesson is missed. Therefore, when children in care experience big […]