Therapeutic Foster Parents Needed in the Triangle

March 8, 2010

By: Ashley Tyndall, MSW

Seth (name has been changed) has seen more than most of us would even imagine. This small child was a victim of regular physical and emotional abuse, and he witnessed his sisters being sexually abused. Seth often went without meals, and he describes a week that went by with only a jar of peanut butter to share with all of his brothers and sisters. By age eight, Seth and his siblings had been entered Child Protective Services Custody and were placed in separate foster homes.

Understandably, Seth had some behavioral and emotional difficulties that many people just couldn’t understand. He needed a committed family to provide a higher level of support than traditional foster care. Seth was referred to KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs of NC, which provides Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC). TFC agencies like KidsPeace serve children that have a mental health diagnosis. Many of the children who are referred to us have been abused or neglected in the past, and some have never had an adult who could stick with them

KidsPeace believes that these children can be best served in their own communities and within a family structure. TFC parents don’t need to be experts in child psychology, but they do need a genuine desire to help children in crisis. KidsPeace offers a high level of ongoing training and 24/7 support, as well as a stipend to cover the financial expenses of having a child in your home. We focus on fostering resiliency and increasing the protective factors that help kids succeed. We also take extra time to match children’s specific needs with the strengths and preferences of our foster families in order to ensure the best possible match.

At first, Seth couldn’t see why he should trust his therapeutic foster parents any more than the biological parents that had allowed such horrible things to happen to him. But his foster parents refused to give up on him. Gradually, he began having fewer nightmares, his negative behaviors decreased, and he even made honor roll at school for the first time. Seth is currently eleven years old and is midway through the process of being legally adopted by his KidsPeace foster parents. He still has a long way to go, but he recently told his social worker, “I’m pretty sure KidsPeace saved my life.”

While there are many different opportunities to serve children like Seth, we are always in need of individuals or couples who are willing to open their homes to a child in need. It takes a special person or couple to do this kind of work, and it will change you. I asked Mrs. Bishop, one of our therapeutic foster parents from Durham, for her permission to share some of her written responses after completing the KidsPeace pre-licensure training:
“We as a people have so much to share with the world, but we limit ourselves by only doing for family and close friends. Today, I proclaim that those boundaries are broken for me. I am going to go forth and share my love with every person I can.”
The Bishops became licensed as a KidsPeace family, and welcomed a pregnant sixteen year old girl into their home. Their foster child gave birth to a daughter two months ago.
“There are ups and downs, and it’s hard work. But it’s so rewarding to know that we’re helping someone who needs it the most.”

If you are interested in learning more about being a KidsPeace therapeutic foster family, or finding other ways to serve children in need, please call or email. I’ll be hosting an informational session at 7pm on Wednesday February 24th in the SummitKids area across from the Elementary Worship room. You can also check out KidsPeace National Centers online at www.kidspeace.org or our YouTube channel for videos at www.youtube.com/user/KidsPeaceFosterCare.

Ashley Tyndall, MSW
Family Resource Specialist
KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs
Office 919-872-6447
Cell 919-412-8032
ashley.tyndall@kidspeace.org

Comments

No comments have been posted.

View all articles from KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs

Return to the overview page for KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs