Foster Community Shares Journeys into Foster and Adoptive Parenting
This month, Foster Community, a program of Partnerships for Children, hosted an information session for families and individuals interested in becoming foster and adoptive parents. These sessions are a key first step in the licensing process, and a chance to connect directly with agencies and caregivers who have experienced it.
We were joined by eight Child Placing Agencies and our Heart Gallery, which shares stories of children currently in care and waiting for adoption. The heart of our event was a live Q&A panel: four foster and adoptive parents who shared their journey.
Daniel, a foster parent and adoptive father to three boys, spoke about the need for building a strong support network. He shared the importance of having a TEAM: Therapist, Extended family and friends, Academic support within the child’s school, and Medical professionals to meet the child’s needs.
Emily’s journey began unexpectedly when a distant relative’s daughter needed a home. Emily and her husband began the licensing process immediately and welcomed the child within two weeks. This Kinship Placement soon blossomed into much more. Since then, Emily has adopted that child’s siblings and fostered several more children on their journey to reunification with their family.
Just one week before the session, Jacob saw a child he fostered reunited with their birth mother. Jacob is a longtime emergency foster parent, and he receives every placement into his home knowing that the ultimate goal is reuniting them with their family. Jacob and the child’s biological mother were able to nurture a positive relationship as she created a safer home environment. Jacob knew this would help ease the transition for the young person experiencing the foster care system.
Sarah always knew she wanted to adopt a child from foster care. After eight months of loving and caring for her first placement, a family member was found and able to take in the child. While Sarah had been prepared to adopt the child and was devastated, the experience made her remember the reason she fosters: to help kids through the foster care system.
We’re grateful to everyone who attended, and especially to our panelists for sharing their stories. If you’re thinking about fostering or adopting in Region 7 (Travis County & surrounding counties) we hope you will join us at an upcoming session. Foster Community hosts bi-weekly Zoom sessions. Learn more and register below.