YouTube has updated their Communities and it looks like now any subscriber can submit a post! I have no idea if this will be of interest or what people wish to share. For now I’m holding all posts for review before posting so I can see the types of things people wish to share.
I think some shares that could be interesting or fun are:
- share photos of your foster care bedroom (no children or personal items in pictures please!)
- stories about being a foster parent
- your personal experiences in foster care
- questions for the community
- sharing about freebies for kids in foster care (like free gym memberships or swim lessons in your state or area)
- things you’ve learned as a first-time foster parent
Anything else? Excited to try this out!
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Hey! Soft launching a little news :) I am writing a guidebook!
It will a collection of practical tips and scripts that I've shared and collected from the community over the last five years.
I'm finishing the draft now and would love to include a few quotes from community members. If you are open to providing a quote, please fill this out! I'm looking for current/former foster parents, anyone that works in child welfare, and former foster youth to share. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvJ_YXywBiO5I5rR…
Thanks in advance! And more details to come soon!
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Do you work in licensing / recruiting of foster parents? This one is for you - it is free/public :)
I poll 1,300 hopeful foster parents in the US and share the topline results in this post!
www.patreon.com/posts/hopeful-foster-118101573
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Happy Holidays, everyone! :)
I'm going to be pretty busy the next few weeks, so I went ahead and make my content directory public, which is all my content, organized by topic. Hopefully this helps you find what you are looking for! I'll be keeping it public until the end of the month.
www.patreon.com/posts/new-content-112012217
This is public, so you should be able to access with one click. :) (Hopefully I set it up right)
I hope you all are doing well!
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Hi everyone! The holiday season is so complex for youth impacted by foster care. It may feel small, but your gift can be incredibly meaningful. For some youth, this is the only gift they will receive this year.
Here is the gift list! Shop stocking stuffers and gifts for teens impacted by foster care: www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/35W6Q2VYFC…
Thank you for taking the time to check out the gift list, and if you aren't able to give this year, please consider sharing with your community.
This is in partnership with Common Threads. Learn more about the important work they do here: www.commonthreadut.com/
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Hi! :) I'm trying to collect information from hopeful foster parents - people in the US who hope to foster within the next three years.
I will share the results, and my hope is it will help better inform recruiting and licensing for foster parents. We are in desperate need for foster parents. Kids continue to sleep in offices and hotels which isn't right.
Getting more people to sign up to foster is a goal of mine with my channel. Thank you for your help.
forms.gle/E5PJfZd2nvwCFsFB6
Everything in this survey is anonymous and optional.
Thank you for taking the time!!
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Hello! This year I'm putting together care packages for current and former foster youth as they head to college this Fall!
You can join in by purchasing an item for the care package here: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2G3XFD8VKSV3Y?type=w… (It will ship directly to the organization)
If you can't give right now, please share your favorite inspirational quote! We will be printing them off for the care packages. You can drop your favorite quote here: forms.gle/8u96jSMV9zpMLwCMA
Thank you United Friends of the Children for helping to make this happen and for supporting young people impacted by foster care as they start college.
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It's been three years since I started making content! 🤯 I’d love to get to know you better. Please introduce yourself, your location, and your connection to child welfare. Even if you’ve introduced yourself before, I’d love an update.💛⬇️
I’m Laura, a therapeutic foster parent in California, originally from Ohio (Go Buckeyes!). I love orcas, gymnastics, research, live music, board games, escape rooms, movies (especially comedies and action), and events (I’ve been an event planner for 10 years)!
This year, we’re deciding if we want to continue traditional foster care. Things have changed for us, and we’re navigating these changes. I’m considering pursuing CASA. I’ve learned a lot about our county’s school system and think I could help children who need specific school advocacy support. We’re also considering providing respite for bio families. We aren’t rushing this decision so we shall see!
I’m so grateful for this community. 🙏 I’ve learned so much from you all, and I hope you’ve learned from this community, as well.
Over the past three years, you’ve helped kids and families impacted by child welfare, donating roughly $50,000 worth of gifts and supplies. Every item has made a difference. Thank you 🙌
My goals for my channels are:
1) Raise awareness of the needs of kids in foster care and their families, inspiring people to get involved.
2) Help hopeful foster parents navigate licensing and prepare their homes for their first foster child.
3) Instill confidence in new foster parents as they enter foster care situations, support reunification, provide in-home support, and get help to avoid burnout.
4) Gather donations for kids in foster care, their families, foster families, transition-age youth, and former foster youth.
OK, that’s some about me! ☺️Tell me about you!
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Question for my subscribers! :)
Father's Day is coming up. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the day. Foster dads, dads who have/had kids in foster care, and current/former foster youth, what do you wish people knew about Father's Day?
Let me know in the comments! I will compile the results and share! Thanks!
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HI! I have more survey results :) Are you sick of these yet? haha I love research. Fun fact: Back in the "olden days" I used to work in corporate America doing market research for brands like Target, Starbucks, and Disney. It sucked my soul so I quit but I still have a love for research! Thanks for being here and caring!
Today's survey share is related to what motivates people to become foster parents. I specifically asked this question because across the country we are in desperate need for foster parents. We have kids who are spending the night in hotel rooms, conference rooms, casinos, and jails because of the lack of homes. Hoping recruits, agencies, and departments see this info!
Thank you to everyone who filled out the survey!!
Why did you sign up to foster? Let me know in the comments!
#fosterparent #fostercare #fosterparenting
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Practical support for becoming a foster parent, trauma-informed parenting, and navigating foster care situations, providing confidence to get started.