Fosterhood Unscripted

The title says it all for this episode. One of us has made it over the finish line and here's how it feels!

It's been a long time coming but there's still longer to wait. EP and Em chat through more nuances about the paperwork, training, home study and more questions involved with the licensing problem.

We promised you an unscripted view into our fostering journey... well, here it is. Em planned on telling her extended family during their Thanksgiving get-together. How did it go? Tune in now because her story takes a curious and unplanned turn! 

It feels like 'becoming a foster parent' is so different that you have to define it, announce it. You can feel nervous or overwhelmed at the thought of verbalizing your choice to become a foster parent.  Here's the first little glimpse of what it can be like to tell people you're fostering; you'll hear a little from each end of the spectrum, as EP and Em could not feel more differently on this topic.   

Home studies are completed for private adoption and public foster care. Each home study is different. Some are invasive, some are casual. EP had plenty of fears and anxieties going into her home study (that her husband didn't really share). At the same time, Em has been thinking about how she can celebrate the fact that she's becoming a mom. She's not pregnant, so that 'natural' ways like baby showers or celebratory dinners doesn't feel fitting. But we both feel it's important for Em's community to support and lift her up in the same way she does when one of her community members is pregnant and parenting. We think we have a solution and we want to normalize it! Resource Links Find out more about Post-Placement Party Planning at fosterhoodunscripted.org Definitions: Sibling sets Emergency placement TPR (Termination of Parental Rights)  Food scarcity/insecurity

You have heard how long this process can take and this episode gives you a sneak peek into what the emotions are for someone during that time. Have you thought about it? Wondered what it'd be like for yourself? Listen in... can you see yourself doing this?   Reference Links Emergency Planning Toolkit Information about GROW Trainings (Michigan resources) First aid CPR Social history example Family collage example Self-assessment for future foster parents Corrective Notes We use words like "bio mom" or "adoptive parents" and other language that describes individuals involved with child welfare. There's a common phrase and theory called the Adoption Triad that does not involve foster parents but is relevant to understanding the world of child welfare, foster care and adoption. There's significant, impactful and important research that has been completed and is being done about the biology of kids who have experienced trauma. We encourage you to learn more about brain behavior, child development and the impact of child or adolescent trauma. We stumble over the words here, but what we're referencing is the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services

Another quick interregnum for your listening pleasure. Keeping it light-hearted and HONEST.

Training is required and included (for free in most states) in the licensing process of becoming a foster parent. Although you'll hear just one example today, know that each state and agency has their own standards and expectations for foster parent training. More on Em's training in future episodes. Again, remember that we are not experts, do not claim all training will look similar, nor seek to provide information about training in all states. We simply hope to provide you with a small bit of context in hopes that it encourages you to seek more answers with local foster care organizations or child placing agencies where you live. Resources TBRI (TCU) Binti Books, podcasts and papers can be found on our website Foster parent support groups can also be found with your local agency or Facebook group.

Enjoy this little sidebar. Check out our social media (@fosterhoodunscripted) and share your own thoughts!

Em had her first home visit! Hear more about what that looked like and listen to EP and Em catch up on some more details they've learned about the licensing and fostering process. They share doubt, encouragement, and a resources to help build each other up and armor themselves with knowledge in their pursuit. If you have any suggestions or additional resources, we'd love to hear from you! Please send an email to [email protected]

We're getting into the nitty gritty on this one. You'll learn the details and decisions involved with the licensing process. Stick with us to then end and hear how we started gathering our own data and finding our own resources to better prepare and educate ourselves for this journey. You can find more of those resources on our website, fosterhoodunscripted.org  

We have both officially decided to foster! In this episode, we'll chat about what these first interactions look like with the child placing agency (or the state) and what the application and approval process looked like for each of us. We still have so many questions but we're trying to figure it all out. For example, we thought we'd be working with the state government to become foster parents, but we quickly learned that's not how foster care is administered in most states. Later in this episode, you'll hear us speaking about CASA. We are not affiliated not did we reach out to CASA to inform them that we spoke about them on this podcast. For more information on their incredible, impactful program, visit nationalcasagal.org  

Baby steps, that's what we're aiming for with this podcast. A little info for the foster-curious, if you will. We're staying away from the deep, emotional things, keeping this podcast lighthearted and starting with a baseline conversation. Let's level-set on the realness of foster care... what the heck is it all about and where do you even begin?!

The official launch of a brand new podcast! Join millennial friends EP and Em as they discuss their real-time experiences becoming licensed foster parents. They'll chat about the step-by-step details of their licensing and placement processes, adding value as they compare and contrast experiences from different states and family systems.  Check out this introductory episode to hear more about them and their reasons for developing the podcast! The Fosterhood Unscripted podcast is a production of Fosterhood Unscripted, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit.