Cadon Riley likes to express his voice through the lens of music. We were honored to have him join us to talk about his new song that he hopes will inspire other young people going through the foster care experience.  Riley is a student at Utah Tech.  He is also a mental health and foster care advocate.  He loves to share his experience, in and out of foster care, especially through singing and performing. Riley has a passion for helping people and creating a space for people to explore their own identities. To listen and support Cadon's song, check out the following platforms: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/0uIQ8jlwHnLyXd0dTH4U9W?si=52s2I7qlToma3lPukw_JiA. Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/searching-for-you/1714850917?i=1714850918 YouTube Music https://youtu.be/NTQ_iKV6LgA?si=2XFN2nN4HT48Ia9r Deezer https://deezer.page.link/9Au2XiiJJMYLYyme9 Tidal https://tidal.com/album/326218170 Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0CMCX97LM?ref=dm_sh_LKVhCB17vkNbGGH2aPGMHY8uS Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

This month we are airing an episode from the podcast The Open Adoption Project by Lanette and Shaun Nelson. This episode shares the story of two mothers connected initially through their shared love for their children. This episode discusses the challenges of foster care, drug addiction, and maintaining connections...particularly in regard to parenting children in foster and adoption situations. You can listen the Shaun and Lanette's podcast The Open Adoption Project here Learn more about Adoption on our website Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

This episode is a re-broadcast of Episode 29. It may surprise you to find out teens in foster care want and need lifelong connections – yet, when it comes to adopting, many families rarely consider older kids and teenagers. As Foster Youth Voice Month continues, our Fostering Conversations podcast examines the obstacles youth who age out of foster care face. Listen to the inspiring stories of youth who beat the odds – and learn the reality about teens in the foster care system. To learn more about Utah's Transition to Adult Living program, click here.  To join Utah's Foster Club click here. Learn more about the 1999 Collective here. Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

In this episode, we explore kinship's role in foster care.  September is Kinship Care Awareness month, and The Kinship Coalition says some 20,000 families in Utah are caring for at least one relative child. DCFS Kinship Supervisor Ashley Barton explores what it means to prioritize kin, and how foster parents can support these efforts.   Resources for Kinship Caregivers: Utah Foster Care: Kinship Children's Services Society of Utah Grandfamilies Grandparents Academy Generations United Child Welfare League of America Casey Family Programs Annie E Casey Foundation Child Welfare   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

During a typical school day, our children can spend as much time in class as they do at home, which makes success at school all the more important. Tyler Bastian is director at Utah’s first farm-based charter high school and McKay Esplin is an LCSW and Utah Foster Care trainer. In our latest episode, they offer insight on how parents and students can build and foster positive school relationships. For more information: Roots High Charter School Volunteer Opportunities at Utah Foster Care   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

Support systems are crucial for young people who have experienced foster care. The 1999 Collective is a new community in Utah created by two people who have a wealth of knowledge and lived experience to share. Together, Natalie Clark and Alexa Hudson want to make sure young men and women are able to access all the education, housing, and other resources they need. 1999 Collective Services For those who've experienced foster care after age 13, we can: Meet to discuss $ available for college, trade school or other education options (specific to you!)Provide group workshops on post-secondary educationFill out the FAFSA and other applications with youGo with you to state agencies to secure documentation or apply for servicesHelp you write personal statements for scholarships and applicationsIntroduce you to support programs at collegeProvide monthly events to build community among foster care alumni and allies If you need anything (housing, mental health, etc.), we will try to connect you to resources that can support Contact The 1999 Collective: Phone: 801.876.0029 (Call OR Text!) Email: connect@1999collective.org Instagram & Tik Tok: @1999collectiveUT   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

Trigger Warning: This episode contains subjects that may be upsetting to some.  Please use discretion. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and loving environment, especially those in foster care who have already experienced trauma and displacement. However, queer kids in foster care face unique challenges and are often more vulnerable than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. It is essential for us as a society to recognize and address these challenges, and most importantly, to show up for queer kids in foster care by providing them with the support, understanding, and acceptance they need to thrive. Research has shown that LGBTQ kids who have support from caring adults are more likely to succeed academically, have higher self-esteem, and experience lower rates of substance abuse and suicide. By showing up for these children, we can significantly improve their long-term outcomes and set them on a path toward success. Our guest this month, Jonathan Foulk, Co-CEO of the Utah Pride center shares his heartbreaking story of growing up queer in foster care. For more resources: Utah Pride Center Safe Home Pledge Mama Dragons   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

First Lady Abby Cox has heard from countless foster families, teens and children about what the state of Utah can do to Show Up for Foster Care. She’s been sharing what she’s learned with her husband Governor Spencer Cox – and now, they share with us some of their goals for improving the lives of children and families in the coming months. To learn how you can get involved, check out the First Lady's Show Up Initiative or check out the awesome opportunities right here at Utah Foster Care/volunteer.   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

In this month’s episode we are joined by Community Champion Kristin Andrus. Kristin is the mother of six and part of the powerful team of women at The Policy Project, which seeks to "remove barriers to opportunity through solution-based policy." Kristin shares what she has learned from these youth she has met with around the state. Utah Foster Care’s Director of Education, Liz Rivera, shares tips for connecting with and communicating with youth who have experienced trauma. Kristin’s work has had an important impact in communities throughout Utah, using her voice and passion to encourage Utah Foster Care’s community to show up for foster families and children. She encourages everyone to “help the helpers in whatever capacity they are able. To “help the helpers” and volunteer at Utah Foster Care, click here. More on Kristin and her work with The Policy Project here. Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

In Utah, there are around 2,700 children in foster care at any given time and some 1,300 licensed foster/adoptive families. Children in foster care often have special needs due to neglect, abuse or separation. Substance abuse is a contributing factor in many foster care cases. Parenting a child with trauma can be challenging.  Luckily, our understandings of neuroscience gives us hope. In their collaborative book, 'What Happened to You,' Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Our earliest experiences shape our lives far down the road, and What Happened to You? provides powerful scientific and emotional insights into the behavioral patterns so many of us struggle to understand. Here, Winfrey shares stories from her own past, understanding through experience the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma and adversity at a young age. Joining forces with Dr. Perry, one of the world’s leading experts on childhood and brain development, Winfrey and Dr. Perry marry the power of storytelling with science to better understand and overcome the effects of our pasts. Other Trauma-Informed Resources: The Child Trauma Academy Dan Siegel Books and Research AdoptUsKids Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

Becoming a foster parent takes a great deal of consideration, preparation, and patience faced with uncertainty. Family dynamics change when a new child comes into the home. Families willing to open their hearts and homes to a child in care will need support once they receive that initial call for placement.  While our journey to fostering may look different, we go into it for the same reason: to make a difference in the life of a child. The Mentoring Program pairs seasoned foster families with newly licensed families to help navigate the ins and outs of foster care. Offering support from the beginning of the foster care journey is necessary to increase outcomes, build confidence, and create long-term, stable placements. To request a mentor or to be a mentor, click here For Cluster Support Group information, click here For Wishing Well information, click here   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

"Each year more than 10 million children in the United States endure the trauma of abuse, violence, natural disasters, and other adverse events. These experiences can give rise to significant emotional and behavioral problems that can profoundly disrupt the children’s lives and bring them in contact with child-serving professionals. For therapists, child welfare workers, case managers, and other helping professionals involved in the care of traumatized children and their families, the essential act of listening to trauma stories may take an emotional toll that compromises professional functioning and diminishes quality of life." [1] Secondary trauma is the emotional duress that results when hearing the about the firsthand trauma experiences of another. Secondary trauma is often a common side effect for foster parents. Amy Bates M.S.Ed, trainer for Utah Foster Care,  shares strategies for overcoming this stress and even thriving as a foster parent.   Resources: Secondary Traumatic Stress-Administration for Children and Families National Child Traumatic Stress Network Healing Secondary Trauma Book Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

It's tempting to villainize first parents for the trauma caused by addiction, but we know that when foster parents and first parents can work together, the outcomes are better for the child. In this month's episode we hear from Utah Foster Mom Shari Peña. She doesn’t just take in the child, she takes in the whole family. This is a foster mom’s gift of connection. It began when a young mother’s children were placed in foster care because of her substance use disorder and homelessness. That mother, Kylei, shares how difficult it was looking Shari in the eye, let alone looking at herself in the mirror. Kylei felt shame because her children were in foster care. With Shari’s love and her efforts to connect, Kylei found the drive to make it through a recovery program and remain in her children’s lives. Studies show strong evidence that connection can be healing. A child often comes into a foster home feeling out of place and lonely. The same is true for the parents of these children. The work foster parents do doesn't have to end with the child in their care, they can have an integral part in the success of their parents as well. Resources for Foster Parents Working with Birth Families Video Setting Yourself Up in Co-parenting Working with Birth Parents Helping Visits go Well   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

It may surprise you to find out teens in foster care want and need lifelong connections – yet, when it comes to adopting, many families rarely consider older kids and teenagers. As National Adoption Month continues, our Fostering Conversations podcast examines the obstacles faced by youth who age out of foster care. Listen to the inspiring stories of youth who beat the odds – and learn the reality about teens in the foster care system. To learn more about Utah's Transition to Adult Living program, click here.  To join Utah's Foster Club click here. Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?

Trauma Responses: Beyond Fight or Flight Childhood trauma can trigger a chronic “fight or flight” response, even when children are placed in safe, loving foster homes. How do caregivers deal with that response to build relationships? At Utah Foster Care’s Annual Symposium, Dr. George Thompson provided insight into how a trauma-informed system of care can play a critical role in establishing a sense of safety. A full re-cap of our Symposium can be found on our blog here. Dr. Thompson is a child psychiatrist devoted to assisting families and healthcare organizations to build emotionally safe, curious, collaborative, and coherent cultures that transform trauma into wisdom. He, along with co-author Marilyn Sanders, is the author of the recent book, Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child: Systems of Care for Strengthening Kids, Families, and Communities. Thompson serves on the advisory board of the Polyvagal Institute and is treasurer of the board of directors of the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute. He and his team are creating a model youth psychiatric residential program, the Thompson Centers for Heroic Change. For a copy of Dr. Thompson’s Book: Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child fill out this form. ~~~~ 2022 Fostering Community Award recipient: Rachel Garrett Check out Common Thread and all the great work they are doing for teens affected by foster care.  Visit Common Thread on the web or follow them on Instagram at @Commonthread_ut

Children living with relatives increased 51% between 2000 and 2010.  In 2010, 1700 children were placed with relatives after being removed from their parents. The most recent census tells us that number is not going down.  Being placed with Kin/relatives vs. foster care has a number of benefits: Minimizes traumaIncreased permanencyBetter overall well beingPreserves cultural and community identityPromotes lasting connections Children’s Service Society of Utah (CSS) is an organization that empowers families and caregivers through services that support the safety and well-being of children. Grandfamilies is a support, advocacy, educational and crisis intervention program of the Children’s Service Society. The program was created in 2002 to meet the growing needs of individuals and/or families that are caring for a relative’s child. Our focus is to provide information and support to these families so that the needs of safety and permanency for the children in these families can be met. Their services include: Crisis interventionAdult educational support groupsChildren’s support groupsLinks to community resourcesDrug and alcohol prevention services for children To learn more about the Grandfamilies program, click here Utah Foster Care also has resources for Kinship Families. 2022 Kinship Town Hall Topic: The impact of trauma in kinship families Date: Tuesday Sept 20th Time: 5:00-7:00PM Location: Children’s Service Society of Utah, 655 E 4500 S, ste 200, SLC, 84107

Foster parents learn in training classes about the uncertainty surrounding children in foster care. A child may be in their home for a few days, a year, or a lifetime. Grief and loss are a reality when a child is reunified. In this episode, we’ll explore how foster parents can get support to deal with the emotional stress of children leaving their home. While loss affects people in different ways, many people experience the following symptoms when they are grieving. Just remember almost anything you experience in grief is normal. Common symptoms of grief: Shock and disbelief—Right after a loss, it can be hard to accept what happened. You may feel numb and have trouble believing that the loss really happened, even deny the truth.Sadness—Profound sadness is probably the most universally experienced symptoms of grief. You may have feelings of emptiness, despair, yearning or deep loneliness. You may also cry a lot or feel emotionally unstable.Guilt—You may regret or feel guilty about things you did or did not say or do. You may also feel guilty about certain feelings. Sometimes, children will blame themselves for causing the loss, even though they did nothing wrong.Anger—Even if the loss was nobody’s fault, you may feel angry and resentful. You may feel the need to blame someone for the injustice that was done to you.Fear—A significant loss can trigger a host of worries and fears. You may feel anxious, helpless or insecure. You may even have panic attacks.Physical symptoms— We often think of grief as a strictly emotional process, but grief often involves physical problems, including fatigue, nausea, lowered immunity weight loss or weight gain, aches and pains and insomnia. How to Support Others Who are Grieving Be a good listenerLet them feel sadDo not minimize griefDo not be judgmentalShare your feelingsAsk about their feelingsAcknowledge the painBe available when you canTalk openly and honestly about the situation unless the person does not want toIf symptoms of depression are severe or persistent and the person is not coping with Day to day activities, encourage the use of professional help Other Resources:     Saying Goodbye Handouts    Grief and Finding Meaning ~ Unlocking Us Podcast   Ambiguous Loss and Grief for Siblings in Adoption Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?  First Name*

Vroom! Brain Building at Your Fingertips. Did you know that 80% of a child’s brain is developed between birth and 4 years old? In partnership with the Bezos Family Foundation, Envision Utah’s early learning is working to empower all Utah parents when it comes to helping their child develop and be successful. As a caregiver, you can help your young children build neural connections through Vroom, a free app that turns everyday moments into brain-building activities. As Travis Allred from Envision Utah tells us, Vroom gives you bite-sized, science-based tips that help you give children a great start in life.   3 Ways to get Vroom: Get the appVisit Vroom websiteText Vroom to 48258   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?  First Name* Last Name* PhoneE-Mail

When it comes to LGBTQ youth in care, the data is heartbreaking.  Not only are LGBTQ youth over-represented in the foster care system, “12.9% of LGBTQ youth report being treated poorly by the foster care system compared to 5.8% of non-LGBTQ youth.” These youth face a higher number of placements, are more likely to live in group homes, and often end up homeless.  LGBTQ youth in care also experience added trauma and are hospitalized for mental health concerns more than their non-lgbtq peers. The need for safe and affirming homes for these kids is crucial. Many in the LGBTQ community aren’t aware that they can be foster parents. In honor of Pride Month, our podcast features two of our Utah LGBTQ foster parents and the director of Youth and Families from the Human Rights Campaign All Children All Families program. Resources: Local resources for foster families caring for LGBTQ youth- Utah Foster Care LGBTQ Resources Promoting the health and well-being of LGBTQ youth at The Family Acceptance Project   and   LGBTQ Family Acceptance What is SOGIE? (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Video William’s Institute study on Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Foster Care Transgender information and Statistics: Understanding the Transgender Community Are you an organization that works with children? Find out how to be part of the Human Rights Campaign’s  All Children-All Families Program   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?  First Name* Last Name* Phone

Did you know that you don’t have to be married to foster or adopt children in Utah? It’s true, some of our best foster families are lead by single parents. Local single foster parents, Kristen and Michael share their experiences fostering —what it’s like, why they do it, and how to get started. According to a report from The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, just under 15,000 single women and nearly 2,000 single men adopted children or youth from foster care in 2017. Check out Single Foster Parent Tips for more ideas on making it work as a single foster parent.   Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?  First Name* Last Name* PhoneE-Mail Town State*