Foster parents should be prepared for challenging behavior when they decide to open their home to vulnerable children. But once you’ve gone forward with the decision and you find yourself in a situation beyond your control, what do you do? Who can you turn to? What are your options? Here’s...
The entire family is at the dinner table enjoying a meal. Your foster teen has her cell phone but leaves it by mistake when she goes to the bathroom. The phone isn’t on silent and text messages continue to come. You don’t want to violate her privacy, but you feel...
Every Wednesday, embrella posts "A Foster Parent Asks," a feature on Facebook dedicated to asking the questions of prospective, current and former foster, adoptive and kinship parents. A foster parent asks, "We're thrilled to be adopting our ten-year-old foster daughter next month! When we first told her we were adopting...
For a foster child, pets can be a cornerstone of emotional health, sharers of unconditional friendship and a constant presence in a world that seems to be changing all the time. But they can also become the object of a foster child’s pent-up frustration and suppressed trauma. Knowing whether a...
You’re at work when you receive an urgent phone call. Your foster child has had an altercation with one of his classmates and is at risk of being expelled. On the way to his school, you contact the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) caseworker immediately. After picking up...
Foster teens have memories that are full of experiences they’ll never forget. A long summer day, a tried and true friendship or a first crush will always stand out among them. But recollections of abuse and neglect, unfamiliar placements, unreciprocated love and the strong social pressure to hide the past...
The question of discipline is important for any parent, not just for a foster parent. There are a plethora of parenting styles and techniques that those raising children utilize on a daily basis. But for foster parents, who are often caring for children with challenging behavior due to a history...
No matter how long ago it may have been, childhood is a time that leaves a mark on the present. Many of us can remember the fond moments vividly – those carefree years between the ages of 4 and 12 when we enjoyed a long summer vacation, a thrilling snow...
Adoption from foster care myths stem from legitimate concerns. While children are in foster care because they have been abused or neglected, they are no different than any other child and need a family to give them the love they deserve. When it comes to adopting from foster care, most...