Part 2: Navigating the Foster Care System to Bring Felt-Safety to the Kids

In Part 1 of this conversation, we acknowledged that while the foster care system is meant to be a system of protection for children, it doesn't center the child and often does more harm. We specifically discussed how this harm is felt and seen during the transition of a child into foster care, during birth family visits, and in relationship to case worker visits.

In Part 2, we keep the conversation going and address how the system often puts birth parents and foster parents into separate corners causing unnecessary harm to the relationship of the two sets of people who care most about the kid. We then address the system's response to the needs of our youth, often mandating or encouraging services that simply don't work to provide healing. And lastly, we take a look at the roller coaster ride of foster care and encourage foster parents and case workers to get off the ride. How do we get felt-safety as an adult so we can stand on the ground next to the ride holding the hand of the child and sharing our felt-safety with him? 

Join us for Part 3 next week. 

 

Episode resources: 

Maybe Days: A book for children in foster care: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1557988021?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzther00e8-20&creativeASIN=1557988021&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2CZA8GTQDJRT0&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin 

Restore Network's Trauma Informed Care Support Page: https://therestorenetwork.org/trauma-informed-resources/