We envision seeing gains in recruited and better supported foster families giving much needed stability to kids in foster care whose lives are upended in uncertainty as they await unknown outcomes with their birth families. We envision creating a culture…
Being in foster care often means a child is living through a painful story, suspended in time; awaiting uncertain outcomes; dealing with layers of trauma; commonly facing separation from siblings; coping with other layers loss (even if temporarily) of extended…
When we think about the foster care system, we often focus on the children whose lives are being shaped by the experience and the families opening their hearts and homes. However, there are unseen heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes…
(Guest blog- Abby Crooks) Have you ever played in the ocean and you’re floating and diving in the waves and then suddenly when you look up you’re nowhere near your friends and family on shore where you got in? As…
Insights from birth children in a foster/adoptive home “What if this ruins his life?” I understand the question. It’s one my husband and I struggled with at the beginning of our fostering journey shortly after our first child was born. …
(Guest blog- Abby Crooks) Years ago our adventure-seeking family went rock climbing in Wyoming. We’d been to rock climbing gyms, and we were ready to take on a real boulder! We quickly realized we weren’t prepared: our eyes couldn’t see…
Our family has moved around for various ministry purposes and have been members of four churches while providing foster care. Three of these churches did a wonderful job of being “foster-friendly” and one could have done much better. I have…
It’s the start of a new year. and while many things change from year to year, some things do not. One thing that is timeless is the need humans have to be known and to belong. As the writer Simone…
We are pleased to announce four new webinars listed for online viewing. Three of the webinars have the option to obtain recertification credit and are geared towards those who are fostering/have adopted or those considering (if you watch all three,…
We often hear what is needed to be a good foster parent: love, commitment, flexibility, compassion, and patience to name a few. However, we often forget to mention the things that AREN’T needed. My husband and I first went through…
“Whoever tells the best story shapes the culture.” ― Erwin McManus Currently for most Americans, the known narrative around foster care is either non-existent because the majority of people know little about it, or it’s perceived as a space primarily…
French writer, Simone Weil once said, “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” Part of the mission of America’s Kids Belong is helping kids do just that. To be rooted and…
