People can choose to adopt to build their families. Others become foster parents and provide permanent homes for children who can’t reunify with their families.

Whatever the reasons foster-adoptive parents Ryan and Suzie-Marie McCorriston learned being a foster parent changes your perspective forever. Join them, along with foster-adoptive mom Amy Bates, as they share their adoption stories.

Foster parents are encouraged in our classes to interact with relatives of the children in their care. But how do you handle that relationship and why is it important? Hear from a kinship provider, who’s also been a foster parent and from a representative of Utah’s Kinship Coalition.

Guests: Kinship provider and former foster mom Jeanie Pettit and Bacall Hincks, Grandfamilies Program Director for Children’s Service Society of Utah

Talking with children about race and ethnicity can leave many parents feeling unsure about where to begin. How old should your child be to begin the conversation? How do you respond when kids of all ages ask questions about racial issues in the news?  One Salt Lake foster family has experience with those conversations and can give you some good tips as to where to start.

Guests: Foster parents Amy and Michael Morris, and Diversity Specialist Esmeralda Malili

The link between behavior and trauma is an important concept for foster parents to understand, as they nurture children in their care. What does it look like? How do you deal with your own triggers?  Foster parents from South Jordan, Utah talk about the very different responses of two brothers they fostered and adopted.

Guests:  Foster parents Doug and Janet McLain, Trainer Les Harris

Kids need their parents. Even kids in foster care. Want to learn more about helping kids AND their families? We have a wonderful story to share with you.