Foster Parenting Podcast

D & K have some exciting news to share.  Austin and Dillon are now free for adoption!  Hear them share some cute stories about the boys and walk us through their “Termination of Parental Rights” hearing.  Also an update on Tommy and Molly’s reunification.

T & W tackle the issue of keeping our girls safe while bringing older (near teenage) foster sons into our home.  Most of the episode is devoted to how everyone is doing with the new transition into a family of 6. Here is the Christmas card that we mention made by “Luke”.

Life and foster parenting take an unexpected turn for T & W.  Tomorrow we welcome a new long term placement into our family.  Listen in to learn more about Nolan and Luke.

D & K begin a new phase in life with a new placement.  They are two boys; Dillon and Austin.  Hear about their transition from a different foster home into their potential forever family.  D & K discuss their own transition from being the Mommy and Daddy for Tommy and Molly to their transition to the Mommy and Daddy for Dillon and Austin.

Everyone seems to love the “Starfish Story” by Loren Eiseley. We’ve got a new take on this old classic and promise you’ll never see starfish the same way again.  This is an episode you won’t want to miss; it matters to this one! Photo courtesy of OrangeCounty_Girl The post Episode 90 – A New Starfish Story first appeared on Foster & Adoption Parenting Podcast. The post Episode 90 – A New Starfish Story first appeared on Foster & Adoption Parenting Podcast.

W interviews Rich Bobby, a social worker specializing in kids in residential treatment centers.  They discus the differences between juvenile hall, group homes and residential treatment.  This episode will help you discern if you’re prepared to help a child transition from residential treatment to a family.  Also some great advice that can help you parent any child. You can follow Rich on twitter at http://twitter.com/RichardBobby

K & W at Together for Adoption Conference W & K share a rare episode.  They were both at the “Together for Adoption” Conference and recorded a podcast while they were there.  W asks K about her emotions after reunifying Tommy and Molly with their birth mother. This is the episode to listen to if you’re worried about forming an attachment and then letting the kids go. We’d like to let our listeners know about another new podcast by foster parents.  It’s called “The Journey“.  They’ve got a unique story.  We wish them the best as they begin podcasting and parenting. http://thejourneycast.com/

After a great many request, T & W found an education on false allegations. We discuss the 4 different types of allegations against foster parents as well as the differences between unfounded, inconclusive and substantiated.  Listen in on how to avoid false allegations and what to do if you’re falsely accused.

D & K are preparing Tommy and Molly for their upcoming reunification with their birth mom.  They discuss the increase in birth parent visits and how they’re feeling about the kids moving out of their home. Discover the deep-seated controversy that may rip their home apart (okay, not really).

A very special episode in which we interview our daughters Andrea and Linda.  Make sure to catch our new “listener corner” jingle sent in by Dan, host of the new podcast “Fostering with Love“.  Make sure to check out his show. http://fosteringwithlove.blogspot.com/ Here are the pictures mentioned in this episode. If you are going to look at the pictures while listening to the embedded player, we recommend you use the “Play in Popup” feature below.  Clicking on a photo will open the image in your current window.

Our special guest, Amber, answers listener questions from the perspective of a county social worker in California. Topics include: What information should and should not be kept from a foster parent? Why does it feel like my social worker hates it when I ask questions? Getting along with your social worker Getting faster responses How often to expect visits from your social worker Advocating for your child Finding out about court dates and case progress What does a bio-family need to do in order to reunify? We’d like to especially thank Amber for spending her time answering our questions. To interact with Amber and other listeners, use the comment section.

We explore the issues that surround finding the right child for you and your family. There are three important questions that should be seriously considered as you approach this important and delicate topic. We suggest a number of ways to prepare your life and your home for your child.

D & K give and update on their last court date with some unexpected results. They discuss what’s next for their family, how Molly and Tommy are handling things and how they emotional navigate “a crazy system.”

D & K face the anxiety of an approaching court date that may terminate Tommy and Molly’s mother’s parental rights. This may mean that D & K will already be adopting. Hear how they’re facing the unknown and what they’ve been learning. The Detroit News recently did a story about the shortage of foster parents in Michigan. The article can be found here.

We answer a listener question on how best to get extended family involved in the life of foster children. Should you restrict contact at first in order to develop attachment with you first? What if your extended family isn’t crazy about adoption or foster care, how do you bring them along?