Reflections: Stories of Foster Care

Personal storytelling is a powerful way to shape public opinion and motivate and inspire individuals to act. It can also help child welfare professionals and others understand the challenges associated with foster care and identify new ways to approach their work with children, youth, and families.

Read this year's stories to hear tips from youth, parents, foster parents, caseworkers, and other individuals with direct, firsthand experience with the child welfare system on how to best engage children and youth, help them develop lifelong connections and supports, and help them build a strong foundation that will unlock possibilities for future success.  

 

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Narratives

Feature the Reflections: Stories of Foster Care in your State and local campaigns as a quick and easy way to enhance your message. Or use them as tools for training new child welfare professionals and recruiting and training foster parents. 

  • Tanja’s Story

    Learn how they supported the children and youth who came into their home.

    Read her story

  • Tosha's Story

    Find out ways to include birth parents in their child’s life and ways to celebrate the whole family’s process.

    Read her story

  • Leslie's Story

    Learn how important it is for young people to have supportive adults advocating for them while they are in foster care. 

    Read her story

  • Sylvia's Story

    Provides ways to find support, become self-sufficient and thrive to achieve goals. 

    Read her story

  • Amnoni’s Story

    Highlights transitioning out of care and identifies ways the system can better plan and provide intentional preventative care to support youth’s long-term stability.

    Read her story

  • Mariana’s Story

    Details the impact of having supportive and determined child welfare professionals help prepare her for independence.

    Read her story

  • Connected Like Eeyore and Pooh

    Learn about building a relationship with a young adult and a commitment that lead to an adoption at age 25. 

    Read the story