From Foster Care to Family Advocate: Mikaila’s Story of Resilience and Service

In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, Mikaila shares her powerful journey of entering foster care at age 12, the trauma of removal, and the life-changing impact of her first foster mom. Now a Family Recruitment Specialist with Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, Mikaila uses her lived experience to inspire and support foster families across the state. Her story highlights the urgent need for foster parents, the importance of community support, and the lasting difference one safe, loving home can make. “When you’ve aged out of foster care, you don’t have the privilege to ignore the crisis. It stays with you every day.” —Mikaila. Whether you’re considering fostering, supporting a foster family, or simply want to understand the child welfare crisis in North Carolina, Mikaila’s story will leave you inspired to act. What You’ll Learn Mikaila’s journey from foster youth to family advocate and kinship care provider. The realities children face when entering foster care and the trauma of removal. Why North Carolina urgently needs more foster parents and safe, stable homes. How supportive foster parents and mentors can change a child’s future. The unique role of kinship care in keeping families connected. Why fostering is a community effort and how you can help even if you don’t foster. The resources and support available for foster families through CHS. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro – Real foster care stories with CHS 00:28 – Meet Mikaila – Recruiter & lived experience 01:05 – Journey – From foster youth to advocate 03:29 – Kinship Care – Raising her niece 04:37 – Crisis – Need for foster parents in NC 06:38 – Placement – Waiting at DSS as a child 07:41 – Trauma – Removal and losing her pet 10:19 – Empathy – Seeing through a child’s eyes 13:58 – Community – Ways to help beyond fostering 15:12 – Support – Getting involved in awareness 16:42 – CHS – Call to action for foster parents 17:10 – Calling – Giving back through experience 18:52 – Teens – Addressing fears and myths 19:35 – Mama B – The impact of her foster mom 26:40 – Belonging – Helping kids feel valued 27:25 – Lessons – Influences from many homes 28:22 – Parenting – Biological vs. foster care 31:19 – Support – Resources for foster families 34:44 – Getting Started – Steps to begin fostering 36:10 – Service – Foster care as lasting impact 39:21 – Closing – How to get involved Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below. More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered Learn About Foster Care: Get Started About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org Be a Guest: [email protected] Follow CHS: Facebook: @chsnorthcarolina Instagram: @chs_nc LinkedIn: @chs-nc YouTube: @chsnc