Advocating for Older Children in Foster Care with Barry Farmer

The latest episode of the Foster Friendly Podcast is spent with Barry Farmer. He is not only an adoptive father but a strong voice for foster care and adoption advocacy. Barry walks us through his personal narrative — a tale of being raised under kinship care and later becoming a foster parent at quite a young age. Barry and hosts, Travis and Courtney, all represent transracial adoptive families and talk about their unique experiences and observations in this space, sharing a few laughs along the way. The difficulties and delights that come with transracial adoption are among the key points Barry delves into, underscoring the value of having a cultural grasp, which plays significantly into such adoptions. His discussion also touches on his advocacy initiatives as well as the support system he extends to fellow foster and adoptive families, thus painting a complete picture of his involvement within this space. Barry sheds light on his journey as both a foster and adoptive parent: an exploration into some of the challenges and joys involved in raising older children from foster care— an often misconceived endeavor riddled with preconceived notions which, according to him, only serve to create unnecessary barriers between parents and these children who direly need love and affection. Farmer speaks about the importance of advocacy and speaking out for children in foster care who tend to be forgotten. He shares details about his radio show, the Barry Farmer Morning Show, as well as his involvement in community work that aims to provide support for foster care and adoption. Barry's inspiring story, positive life outlook, and light hearted observations will put a smile on your face as you listen. Follow Barry on socials:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambarryfarmer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barry.farmer.33Learn more about America's Kids Belong and the many ways you can get involved. Donate today to support our mission to dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes for kids in foster care. Thank you for listening to this episode of The Foster Friendly Podcast.Learn more about being a foster or adoptive parent or supporting those who are in your community.Meet kids awaiting adoption.Join us in helping kids in foster care by donating $18 a month and change the lives of foster kids before they age out.Visit AmericasKidsBelong.org and click the donate button to help us change the outcomes of kids in foster care.