Through our Family Team Meeting (FTM) program, I met a family I would later work with for Foster Home Licensing. I was the foster care worker for this family’s previous adoptions. I was thrilled to be able to work with them again. Recently an older youth was placed in their home. Initially, things went well and they notified me that the wanted to adopt the child. I was thrilled! I knew a lot of the struggles this young person had and was excited that this family wanted to love and care for this child.
Then, the youth developed behaviors which triggered meetings with the foster care workers, therapists, and anyone that could provide extra support for this youth and this family. Despite all of the support, the youth had to transition out of this family’s home. Although they loved this child and really wanted to be there for this child, it was determined that it was best to move the child to a new placement.
A change of placement can be hard for both the child involved and the foster parents. Both feel a sense of loss. I explained to the foster parents that though the child was no longer living with them, there was no reason their support needed to end. I told them they could continue to be there for this child, they could call and check up on the child, maybe eventually be a respite place for them.
A couple months later, I was able to catch up with the family and they told me that they had been speaking with the child regularly and continued to be a support for them. They assured the child they would continue to support them as long as they could. I was elated to hear this. I feel like I made a difference for this family because I gave them a way to support a child they loved and I helped this child relocate to a family more equipped to handle the behaviors triggered by their past trauma.
