If I could give ONE piece of advice to every hopeful or current foster parent, it'd be this: get on social media and follow Laura @foster.parenting.
Her content is incredible. I'm sure many of you already know about the practical support she shares about trauma-informed parenting and navigating the foster care system.
When I reached out to Laura about the launch of respitefostermom.com, she did not hesitate to send a warm congratulations and thoughtful responses to the questions I sent her about her foster care journey. She is truly making a difference in the world of foster care and I am so honored to have her contributions to share with you today. So without further ado, here's my Q&A with Laura, the Foster Parent Partner.
(1) Laura, what led you to pursue foster care? I learned about foster care when I was in high school. I remember talking to my dad about how it worked and what happened to kids. It really stuck with me, and it was something I always thought about as I went through college and moved out to California. When I met my husband, Chris, we talked about it early in our relationship. After being married for about five years, we decided to attend an introductory session to really understand the commitment and if it was a good fit for us. We decided to take it one week at a time and see how it went and if it felt like we could help. While going through the training it became very clear that there were many families that needed help, and we could step in to help in a very meaningful way. We got licensed and said "yes" to our first kids in 2019. And since then, we have never looked back.
(2) What is your favorite thing about creating content for foster parents? The constant learning! I have learned so much from the community and have met some amazing people who have taught me so much - things that I could have never learned in classes or trainings. I am so grateful for everyone who has contributed and offered their own advice, considerations, and nuances. Creating content and seeing the comments has personally helped me not feel so alone in some of my experiences. Being a foster parent can sometimes make you feel like you are on an island. (3) What encouragement would you give to someone who is thinking about providing respite foster care?
Respite foster care is an important part of child welfare - I don't think it gets enough recognition, so I will shout it out loudly - WE NEED YOU! Having caregivers that we can trust and rely on to step in to help can reduce burnout and compassion fatigue, and it can also help reduce parental stress during hard seasons. All of these things can lead to disruptions and or even sometimes maltreatment of kids in foster care. Respite care is a great way to prevent these things from happening.
Thank you, Laura, for your contributions!
(Emily | Respite Foster Mom speaking): Do yourself a favor and follow Laura on social media. Here are some wonderful posts she has on respite care:
Talking to kids about respite: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CYe8nw-I1B8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Respite care: the good, the bad, the ugly: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXt1YyqPe-T/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&img_index=1
What burnout looks like: https://www.instagram.com/p/CesModBsHAf/
Signs of blocked care: https://www.instagram.com/p/CjgbCbvO8xX/
Emily | Respite Foster Mom