Five Promises for Youth

What are the Characteristics of Successful Foster Parents?
We often hear the question: "What makes a successful foster parent?" Sometimes it's from a nervous caller...inquiring about foster parenting for the first time. Other times it might be from a person in the community who has heard horror stories or read something in the newspaper. Often this question is followed up by further inquiries about a hypothetical foster parent's age, ethnicity, motivation, experience with children, and so on.Here's what recent research says about this issue:Children in foster care are more stable, and their placement is more successful when:Foster parents are able to show empathy to the child(ren) they are working

Three Kids, Three Families, and a Real-Life Fairy Tale.
The following story was witnessed and written by Hava White, a social worker at Parents by Choice:------------------------------------------Everyone wants to be part of a fairy tale. And usually the “foster care fairy tale” ends with adoption, but is adoption the only outcome that is “permanent?” Is adoption the only fairy tale?Many foster parents become attached to their foster children even though they know that our primary goals in foster care are to keep children safe and to reunite families. Foster care, by its very definition, is temporary. For those of you who have felt or are feeling these conflicting emotions, I encourage you to read this