Trauma-Informed Residential Care for Youth in Foster Care
Thousands of children enter foster care each year due to abuse, neglect, and unsafe living conditions. Many arrive carrying deep trauma that requires specialized, trauma-informed care to begin healing. Trauma-informed care is a compassionate and empathetic approach that recognizes and responds to the impact of traumatic experiences in a child’s life. Diane was one of […]
How Community Support Makes Family Reunification Possible
Across the country, thousands of children enter foster care each year, not because of abuse alone, but because of housing instability and poverty. When basic needs like beds, food, or safe housing go unmet, families become vulnerable to separation. However, when communities step in with practical support, families can reunify or even prevent foster care […]
The Impact of Unstable Housing on Children
A child should never have to wonder where they’ll sleep tonight. But for far too many children across our country, housing instability is part of everyday life. Some move from couch to couch with their parents. Some stay in crowded motel rooms. Others change foster homes over and over again, carrying their belongings in trash […]
What Is Child Welfare? A Clear Guide to How the System Works
When safety breaks down at home, child welfare becomes the bridge to stability. It begins with prevention and safe reunification whenever possible. If not, kinship and foster care, eventually adoption, become the next best options. The system spans courts, caseworkers, nonprofits, and caregivers, all working toward three goals: safety, permanency, and well-being. In this article, we take a […]
Apps for Foster Parents: Foster Friendly and More
Apps for foster parents put effective support at their fingertips. In the child welfare space, nonprofits and government agencies are embracing digital resources. Among their number is our Tennessee-based partner, the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative (GFBCI). With our help, the GFBCI created Every Child TN to better serve children and families involved in foster […]
Teens Waiting for Adoption: Dreaming of a Family
Older youth and young adults in foster care face a much lower adoption rate than younger children. Because of this, teens waiting for adoption often need to wait for a long time. The most recent national data show: There are thousands of older teens waiting for adoption, and our partner Timothy Hill Ranch is committed […]
Foster Care Mentors: Support for Youth Leaving Foster Care
The need for family doesn’t end once a young adult ages out of foster care. Over 15,000 youth graduate from state custody each year without achieving permanency, either through reunification with their birth families or through adoption. Mentorship offers the support of a family even after foster care ends, and one of the unsung groups […]
Community Support for Families: How Collective Care Works
What does a healthy community look like? Some may think of manicured lawns and flower beds, but the true mark of a healthy community is its ability to provide a safe and supportive environment for families and children to thrive. Yet in the United States, many families and children face a crisis of well-being. Oftentimes, […]
Reunification After Foster Care: A Father’s Fight for His Children
Parents seeking reunification after foster care must meet state requirements and follow specific steps. The process ensures a safe transition from foster care, but without guidance, the steps to reunify can overwhelm some parents. This is especially true for parents with few resources or little support. Our partner, Restore Hope, provides that guidance and support […]
Transition-Aged Youth In Foster Care: Community Heals
Perhaps the most often-overlooked population affected by the child welfare crisis is transition-aged youth. When it comes to foster care in particular, most people envision children between infancy and early teens. Yet, 13% of all kids in foster care are 17 or older (most states offer extended foster care for qualifying youth). Over 15,000 transition-aged […]
Parent Coaching for Families: How Trauma-Informed Care Preserved a Kinship Home
Trauma often strains relationships and threatens a family’s well-being, whether they’re foster, kinship, adoptive, or biological. When not treated, the effects may lead to broken or unhealthy relationships. Our partner, Chosen Care, exists to help children and their families connect through parent coaching. By using psychology-based strategies and trauma-informed care, they help build strong, stable […]
Supporting Transition-Aged Youth in Foster Care
Few 18-year-olds are ready to be completely independent, yet thousands of young adults age out of foster care each year without a family or support system. These transition-aged youth (TAYs) enter adulthood alone without guidance, assistance, or encouragement. The outcomes are grim: 90% in chronic poverty, 80% of men incarcerated, and 70% of women pregnant […]
