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Committed to Kids with Special Needs | Insights from Toni Helwig
Ep. 9 Unconditional love as a foster parent means showing up again and again… even after the child leaves your home. It looks like answering late-night calls, sending groceries across state lines, and reminding a child—no matter where life takes them—that they still have a family.
In this episode of Licensed to Love, you’ll hear the story of a foster-adoptive mom whose commitment didn’t end when the kids turned 18. For her, forever truly means forever.
Toni Marrocco-Helwig shares what it really means to provide a safe home and unconditional love to children in foster care—especially those with special needs who often wait the longest for families. For 15 years, Toni and her husband Mike have welcomed more than 50 children into their home, offering stability, patience, and lifelong support.
Foster parents can play a powerful role in supporting birth families.
Building trust takes time. Showing up consistently is more powerful than words.
Loving children with special needs or trauma backgrounds requires patience, flexibility, and a willingness to meet them where they are.
Key Takeaways
🔗 Learn more about fostering and support services at
🌐 FamiliesThriveinc.org
📞 Contact Families Thrive: 585-232-5110
Chapters:
0:00 – Introduction
0:38 – Meet Toni: Foster Mom to More Than 50 Children
1:28 – What Foster Care Really Looks Like at Home
2:49 – Fostering Children With Special Needs
5:24 – Supporting Birth Families
11:00 – Loving Kids Even After They Leave Home
14:56 – Why Commitment Means Never Giving Up
19:19 – How Trauma Shapes Behavior
21:14 – Parenting Doesn’t End at 18
24:48 – The Teenage Years
26:42 – Living Moment to Moment as a Foster Parent
29:05 – Don't Take it Personal
31:50 – Parenting Strategies That Build Trust
32:58 – Why Consistency Matters
38:11 – The Daycare Story: A Child’s Fear of Being Left Behind
40:15 – Why Unconditional Love Is Half the Battle
41:53 – Celebrating Small Wins and Progress
43:17 – What Happens When Kids Are Given Up On
44:17 – Expectations vs. Reality in Foster Care
45:34 – What Foster Parents Need to Understand
48:06 – Earning Trust One Day at a Time
48:35 – Fighting for Your Child
50:04 – Why Kids Come Back Years Later
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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By Families Thrive IncEp. 9 Unconditional love as a foster parent means showing up again and again… even after the child leaves your home. It looks like answering late-night calls, sending groceries across state lines, and reminding a child—no matter where life takes them—that they still have a family.
In this episode of Licensed to Love, you’ll hear the story of a foster-adoptive mom whose commitment didn’t end when the kids turned 18. For her, forever truly means forever.
Toni Marrocco-Helwig shares what it really means to provide a safe home and unconditional love to children in foster care—especially those with special needs who often wait the longest for families. For 15 years, Toni and her husband Mike have welcomed more than 50 children into their home, offering stability, patience, and lifelong support.
Foster parents can play a powerful role in supporting birth families.
Building trust takes time. Showing up consistently is more powerful than words.
Loving children with special needs or trauma backgrounds requires patience, flexibility, and a willingness to meet them where they are.
Key Takeaways
🔗 Learn more about fostering and support services at
🌐 FamiliesThriveinc.org
📞 Contact Families Thrive: 585-232-5110
Chapters:
0:00 – Introduction
0:38 – Meet Toni: Foster Mom to More Than 50 Children
1:28 – What Foster Care Really Looks Like at Home
2:49 – Fostering Children With Special Needs
5:24 – Supporting Birth Families
11:00 – Loving Kids Even After They Leave Home
14:56 – Why Commitment Means Never Giving Up
19:19 – How Trauma Shapes Behavior
21:14 – Parenting Doesn’t End at 18
24:48 – The Teenage Years
26:42 – Living Moment to Moment as a Foster Parent
29:05 – Don't Take it Personal
31:50 – Parenting Strategies That Build Trust
32:58 – Why Consistency Matters
38:11 – The Daycare Story: A Child’s Fear of Being Left Behind
40:15 – Why Unconditional Love Is Half the Battle
41:53 – Celebrating Small Wins and Progress
43:17 – What Happens When Kids Are Given Up On
44:17 – Expectations vs. Reality in Foster Care
45:34 – What Foster Parents Need to Understand
48:06 – Earning Trust One Day at a Time
48:35 – Fighting for Your Child
50:04 – Why Kids Come Back Years Later
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices