Foster Care & Adoption

Clear is Kind: Fostering Trust and Connection in Families

Creating strong family bonds through honesty and consistency “Clear is kind.” As a foster and adoptive parent, this simple saying became a game changer for my parenting journey, especially for our children with a history of trauma. We form stronger bonds as a family when we are communicating …

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Honoring My Kids’ Roots in a Multicultural Family

A foster and adoptive mom’s reflections on love, culture, and belonging I am not sure it will ever feel like enough… but I will always try to honor my kids’ roots. When we became a foster family, the first children who came to live with us were siblings, a teen boy and a toddler girl, who were …

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8 Reasons to Foster Teens

In most states, the majority of youth waiting for foster homes are teenagers. Fostering teens is a great fit for people who are looking to walk alongside youth as they become more self-sufficient, and you get the opportunity to connect them to permanent connections as they become adults. …

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Adoption Necessities

Knowledge, Bravery, and Strength Everyone’s adoption journey – child or parent – is different. Of the few things that are the same, I’m reminded of a quote from a childhood favorite, Christopher Robin: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” The …

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Fostering Communication

When a child enters foster care or transitions to a new home, everyone involved in the process and the child’s care experiences a wide range of emotions. Foster parents play a crucial role in supporting the child, the child’s family, and the rest of child’s care team – well outside of the …

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From Paperwork to Placement

You did it! You completed the process to get licensed as a foster parent! And now? The clock is ticking, anxiety creates a topsy-turvy roller coaster in your stomach, and every time the phone rings, you have a paranoid sense that a social worker is calling you from an obscure number to tell you that …

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Foster Care and Adoption Children’s Booklist

In honor of National Foster Care month, we wanted to share a list of books and workbooks for youth in foster care or in adopted families. Books are a wonderful way for children to explore other people’s life experiences, while at the same time seeing their own stories represented and know they are …

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Family (Dys)Function: Navigating Family Dynamics in Foster and Adoptive Care

Same mom, different dads. Same parents. Two kids in your home with no relation whatsoever. No biological family contact. Biological family contact that is court ordered. Court ordered contact with one parent, but not the other; one grandparent, but not the other; two siblings, but not the …

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How to Thank A Social Worker

March is recognized annually as National Social Worker Month. Social workers are a critical part of our work here at Nexus Family Healing, and we want to acknowledge and share the work they do while also giving you some ideas on how to thank the social workers you may have in your life. The …

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The Village That Holds Us Up: Social Worker Appreciation

The first time we met our first Nexus Family Healing social worker, Michaela, we were immediately disarmed by her cheerful smile and genuine demeanor. Expecting narrowed eyes and sharply directed questions, we were instead met with gratitude and grace, even as she went through the mountains of …

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How Will I Ever Find the Time To Connect With Each of My Kids?!

Our youngest daughter was acting out at school, and she is usually our most angelic child, the one we rarely worry would misbehaving. She has a big heart, a kind soul, and a perpetually joyful demeanor. Naturally, we were concerned for her. Was it trauma rearing its ugly head? Was it a bullying …

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Through the Eyes of a Foster Parent: What I Didn’t Know About RAD, and What I’m Still Learning

Reactive Attachment Disorder *A disclaimer before reading: I reference a county social worker in this article. Our Nexus workers have always been advocates of our family and each child. Similarly, most county workers we have worked with have been much more thorough. This is more of an anomaly, …

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