The final entry of our “first day in foster care tips” series for foster parents notes the importance of following the newly placed child’s lead on communication: Take the time…
Elizabeth LunneySeptember 11, 2023
Here’s another tip on employing empathy to make a child’s first day in foster care less stressful – focusing on their new environment: Once the paperwork is done (and if…
Elizabeth LunneySeptember 5, 2023
Imagine what feelings you might experience if you found yourself in this scenario: Someone you don't know has picked you up from your home without notice, and you’ve had to…
Elizabeth LunneyAugust 28, 2023
By Emily Garringer (Emily Garringer and her husband Matthew are foster parents who work with the KidsPeace Foster Care office in Muncie, Indiana. She reflects on the ways her experience…
Foster TalkMarch 17, 2023
An Adoption Story by Ariel Helman I started my career as an intern in KidsPeace’s Kingston foster care office, and one day I walked into a visitation room with three children…
fcmediaApril 13, 2022
Four years ago, we had our first foster placement arrive - with about two hours’ notice and as much information as the caseworker had (information, BTW, that ultimately ended up…
Megan CraigDecember 9, 2020
Nick and Kelly Kohler knew from the beginning of their relationship they wanted to look into adoption as a way to build a family. Now they’re the proud parents of…
fcmediaDecember 2, 2020
Part 3 – Getting Through the Challenging Times Foster parenting will have its challenging moments that are beyond our control: a child’s behavior may backslide because of changes with his…
Bryan HoffstetterOctober 22, 2020
Part 2 – Your foster care journey, as a partnership … Once a couple is approved as foster parents and has a placement in the home, the focus may shift…
Bryan HoffstetterOctober 19, 2020
Part 1 – Beginning the adventure… Parenting takes a good deal of time and energy. Having a healthy marriage/relationship is important for parenting in general, and even more so for…
Bryan HoffstetterOctober 16, 2020
Most people have heard of traditional foster care, which gives youth a safe and stable home environment after they are removed from their home of origin. Foster parents in this…
Caitlin DeLatteJune 23, 2020
One of the most consistent hallmarks of being a foster family is uncertainty. We never quite know how long a placement will be with us, or what is going to…
Foster TalkMay 20, 2020
Parenting is hard work. It takes patience, forgiveness, diligence, consistency, unconditional love, and so much more. Parenting a child from trauma is even harder work. Extreme behaviors, intense feelings, and…
Megan CraigFebruary 4, 2020
Can you believe it?? All those days/months/years of waiting and riding the wave of emotions and wondering if you would ever end up making this family officially permanent have actually…
Megan CraigDecember 9, 2019
TPR - “Termination of Parental Rights” - the final step before an adoption can move forward. On the surface, it might seem like just one more hurdle to go through…
Megan CraigNovember 13, 2019
You’re feeling frustrated; as much as you love being a foster parent, it isn’t always easy. Your child is facing significant challenges and dealing with difficult behaviors in public -…
Caitlin DeLatteOctober 11, 2019
Remember first and foremost, you are CHOOSING to be a foster parent. You need to make sure that you are going into foster care with the intention of having the…
Rebecca CadeOctober 1, 2019
When a parent brings foster children into the home, the additional child will change your family dynamics. After all, it is not just the adults who will be fostering this…
Bryan HoffstetterOctober 1, 2019
There are a lot of factors that can affect a foster child’s academic performance - including prenatal drug exposure, lack of early childhood education, frequent school changes, and lack of…
Heather MooreAugust 9, 2019
When it comes to school, there are plenty of challenging behaviors kids might exhibit, and some of them might make you feel very concerned. What is triggering my child? What…
Caitlin DeLatteAugust 9, 2019
Parenting Difficult Behaviors | Temper tantrums Temper tantrums are among the most challenging behaviors for foster parents to manage because from the outside it looks like the child has complete…
Heather MooreJuly 23, 2019
By Jonathan Craig I once had a coworker ask me if being a foster parent was worth it. I gave some answer about the emotional highs and lows and how,…
Jonathan CraigJuly 9, 2019
Foster care stipends are a type of financial assistance that is given to the foster family who is caring for a child through a Children and Youth agency or a…
Cori RuszkowskiJuly 8, 2019
Many foster families become very excited when they get word that the county Children and Youth agency is pursuing a “goal change” … but hold onto your hats, because the…
Cori RuszkowskiJuly 1, 2019
While foster parents are the agent of change for the children they foster, they need the support and guidance of professionals who are educated about the foster care system. Foster…
Heather MooreJune 11, 2019
There are so many important jobs foster parents have when placed with a child. Obvious ones include being a nurturer, a stable mentor, and loving parent – but another responsibility…
Foster TalkMay 31, 2019
Getting a diagnosis is like doing a jigsaw puzzle without half the pieces, some pieces without the whole picture printed on it, and not knowing what your puzzle is supposed…
Foster TalkMay 13, 2019
In the final installment of their blog series, Megan and Heather tackle an appropriate subject: how foster parents must be prepared for the inevitable experience of saying goodbye… Megan Part…
Foster TalkFebruary 7, 2019
Heather and Megan tackle the delicate role that a foster families’ relationship with the biological family plays in caring for a child. Heather I think that for foster parents one…
Foster TalkJanuary 16, 2019
In this installment of Foster Talk, Heather and Megan answer the question, “What’s a funny thing that’s happened to you while fostering?” Megan Not a whole lot is terribly funny…
Foster TalkJanuary 3, 2019
The holidays are special for many families, but Heather and Megan note that there are unique challenges facing foster households this time of year… Heather While the holidays are typically…
Foster TalkDecember 3, 2018
In this installment of Foster Talk, Heather and Megan talk about a unique experience for a new foster parent: getting their first call about a potential placement… Heather As a…
Foster TalkNovember 14, 2018
On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, the two foster parents behind the “Foster Talk”feature on fostercare.com talk about how they hope the blog series can provide guidance to both…
Foster TalkNovember 2, 2018
Heather Moore is regional manager for KidsPeace Foster Care in southeast Pennsylvania and a foster parent; Megan Craig is a foster parent based in Doylestown, PA. In this Foster Talk…
Foster TalkNovember 1, 2018
Heather Moore is regional manager for KidsPeace Foster Care in southeast Pennsylvania and a foster parent; Megan Craig is a foster parent based in Doylestown, PA. In this Foster Talk…
Foster TalkOctober 2, 2018
Heather Moore is the regional manager for KidsPeace Foster Care in southeast Pennsylvania and a foster parent; Megan Craig is a foster parent based in Doylestown, PA. In this Foster…
Foster TalkSeptember 6, 2018
Heather Moore is the regional manager for KidsPeace Foster Care in southeast Pennsylvania and a foster parent; Megan Craig is a foster parent based in Doylestown, PA. In this Foster…
Foster TalkAugust 29, 2018
Heather Moore is regional manager for KidsPeace Foster Care in southeast Pennsylvania and a foster parent; Megan Craig is a foster parent based in Doylestown, PA. In the first of…
Foster TalkAugust 14, 2018