Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care

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When should a parent consider residential treatment for an adopted teen who has been struggling for years? One listener shared that after trying therapy, different supports, and everything they knew to help their child heal, simply hearing the words “residential treatment” felt like a parental failure. 
In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we explore how to move beyond the question, “Am I giving up on my child?” and instead ask what level of support your teen needs right now. We also discuss how gathering information, expanding your child’s support team, and considering a higher level of care can be part of continuing to show up for your child—not abandoning them.
Resources:
A Hard but Helpful Step: Navigating Residential Treatment for Adopted Kids
Fair Play Camp
Does Your Child Need Residential Treatment
Support the show
Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
Weekly podcasts
Weekly articles/blog posts
Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!
How can parents protect kids from sexual exploitation without teaching them to fear the world around them? For adoptive, foster, and kinship families, this question can feel especially important when raising children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, disrupted attachment, or other challenges that may affect trust, boundaries, and their need for connection. In this episode, child safety advocate and author CJ Scarlet, also known as The Badass Grandma, joins us to discuss how parents and caregivers can help kids recognize grooming and unsafe situations, trust their instincts, set healthy boundaries, identify trusted adults, and build the confidence and practical safety skills they need. We also explore how parents can become the safe, responsive adults their children will turn to when something goes wrong—without placing the responsibility for preventing sexual exploitation on the child.
Resources:
thebadassgrandma.com
heroickids.app
Protecting Our Kids from Sexual Exploitation 
Understanding How Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) Help Kids Thrive 
Support the show
Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
Weekly podcasts
Weekly articles/blog posts
Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!
Are you considering whether your family is ready to foster or adopt a sibling group? Keeping siblings together can preserve important family relationships, shared history, and connection, but parenting multiple children who have experienced trauma also requires careful preparation. 
In this Weekend Wisdom episode, we explore the questions prospective foster and adoptive parents should ask before saying yes, including each child’s individual needs, sibling dynamics, trauma history, your family’s time and emotional capacity, the needs of children already in your home, and the support systems you will need for a successful placement.
Resources:
Practical Tips for Fostering a Sibling Group
Combining Kids by Birth and Adoption
Adopting Siblings
Support the show
Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
Weekly podcasts
Weekly articles/blog posts
Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!
If you want to adopt a relative from another country, the process involves much more than simply proving your family connection. International relative adoption—sometimes called international kinship adoption—must meet U.S. immigration requirements as well as the adoption laws of the child’s country. 
In this episode, we talk with Debbie Price, BSW, Executive Director of Children’s House International, and Kathy Holliday, International Specialist, also of Children’s House International. They explain who may qualify, USCIS and Hague requirements, age limits, realistic timelines, and why families should work with a Hague-accredited adoption agency from the beginning. We also explore how to prepare your family for the child’s transition, including grief and trauma, attachment, changing family roles, cultural identity, school adjustment, and the importance of patience and support after adoption.
Resources: 
International Adoption Resource Page
Kinship Adoption Resource Page
Raising a Child Through Transracial Adoption Resource Page
Support the show
Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
Weekly podcasts
Weekly articles/blog posts
Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!
Question: I recently received an autism diagnosis in my mid-30s. I have relatively low support needs and am working with my therapist to identify the best ways to manage my energy. I think I could still be a good foster parent, but will it be an issue for an agency?
Resources:
Adult Autism Diagnosis Tool Kit – from Autism Speaks
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
So You Want to Be a Foster Parent
Support the show
Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
Weekly podcasts
Weekly articles/blog posts
Resource pages on all aspects of family building