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In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, Shannon chats with Tara, a foster parent with 25 years’ experience. Tara shares her journey into fostering, her focus on supporting teenagers, and the importance of building a strong community and collaborating with birth families. She reflects on the challenges, joys, and personal growth that come with fostering, offering encouragement and practical advice for prospective foster parents. The episode highlights the lasting impact of providing stability, love, and support for youth in foster care, especially those often overlooked.
“If I have an empty room in my house and there’s a child sleeping on an air mattress at social services, that hits me hard.” —Tara
What You Will Learn:
Timestamps:
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, foster and adoptive mom Tracey shares the real story behind foster care — love, loss, reunification, and the courage to say “yes” again. She talks about navigating reunification, the realities of transracial adoption, supporting children’s identity, and building relationships with birth families. Tracey’s honesty reveals both the heartbreak and the deep rewards of fostering, offering encouragement to anyone considering foster care or adoption.
"There’s no perfect answer for why we keep fostering. We just have this need to open our home and love in every way we can. It’s worth every tear, every late night, every heartbreak. I’d do it over and over again because we love being parents and showing a child that someone can love them unconditionally, just because." —Tracey
What You Will Learn:
Timestamps:
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, leaders from Children’s Home Society of North Carolina discuss the urgent need for foster families, the realities faced by children in foster care, and common misconceptions about fostering.
They highlight the shortage of foster homes, the importance of keeping siblings together and children in their communities, and the support offered to foster parents. The team shares success stories and encourages listeners to consider fostering or supporting children in care, emphasizing that anyone can make a meaningful difference in a child’s life.
“What really gets me is thinking about that child sitting there, listening to DSS call families and hearing families say ‘no, no, no.’ Just thinking of the trauma that continues to inflict on them is really sad.” —Jeremy Wagner
What You Will Learn:
Timestamps:
00:27 – Introductions
02:29 – State of Foster Care in NC
04:41 – Children Sleeping in DSS Offices
07:12 – Who Are the Children?
08:47 – Sibling Groups & Placement
12:08 – Keeping Kids in Community
13:36 – Why Children Enter Care
15:31 – Misconceptions
18:09 – Youth Resilience
20:26 – Urgent & After-Hours Needs
23:00 – Recruitment & Support
24:56 – Training & Ongoing Support
29:01 – One-on-One Family Education
30:00 – Rewards & Success Stories
34:27 – How to Help
37:18 – Final Thoughts
38:45 – Closing
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, Theresa shares her personal journey into foster care, inspired by her father’s experience. As a single mom, she discusses the challenges and rewards of fostering, the importance of preparation and support, and how she involves her teenage son in the process. Theresa also highlights the emotional complexities of reunification and the value of community and advocacy, offering encouragement and practical advice for current and prospective foster families.
“In the beginning, it was hard, really hard, and I almost gave up. But I'm glad I took the risk. I jumped in with both feet, and this was the right thing for me. You're never going to be 100% ready, so stop with that; if this is your calling, do it, and be okay with the unexpected. I learned that it was okay to ask for help and to lean on others as a network.” —Theresa
What You Will Learn:
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
00:00:28 – Meet Teresa
00:05:02 – Early Influences
00:06:45 – First Placement
00:10:12 – Training & Preparation
00:11:59 – Facing the Unknowns
00:13:51 – Family & Support Systems
00:16:56 – CHS Message
00:17:16 – Preparing Biological Children
00:20:01 – Transition to Therapeutic Care
00:22:44 – Coping Through Creativity
00:24:02 – Reunification & Shared Parenting
00:28:02 – Emotional Growth
00:29:10 – Hopes for Her Foster Child
00:32:04 – Teamwork & Resources
00:33:16 – Asking for Help
00:36:13 – Advice for Prospective Foster Parents
00:37:09 – Wrap-Up
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, Tori, a foster and adoptive parent, shares her powerful story of building a family through foster care and transracial adoption.
A former educator, Tori opens up about her journey to fostering and adopting three children, the emotional ups and downs of parenting through trauma, and her experience as an African American mother raising Caucasian children. She reflects on identity, belonging, and how love and community can bridge cultural differences.
This heartfelt conversation highlights the realities of transracial adoption, the importance of diversity and representation, and the need for more families to open their hearts to fostering in North Carolina.
“Whether you birth them in your womb or birth them from your heart, love makes a family.” —Tori
What You Will Learn:
For more of Tori's story, watch here.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
00:27 – Meet Tori
01:28 – Journey to Fostering
03:12 – First Days
06:13 – Expanding the Family
08:01 – Early Reflections
08:46 – Navigating Transracial Adoption
10:30 – Transracial Parenting
11:26 – Talking About Race
12:35 – Facing Public Perceptions
14:40 – Addressing Trauma
17:23 – Open Communication
18:51 – Confidence & Representation
25:29 – Family Traditions
26:42 – Parenting Joys
32:59 – Birth Family Connections
35:29 – Belonging & Heritage
37:09 – Hopes for the Future
39:25 – Message to Future Foster Parents
41:51 – Closing
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, Mikaila shares her powerful journey of entering foster care at age 12, the trauma of removal, and the life-changing impact of her first foster mom.
Now a Family Recruitment Specialist with Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, Mikaila uses her lived experience to inspire and support foster families across the state. Her story highlights the urgent need for foster parents, the importance of community support, and the lasting difference one safe, loving home can make.
“When you’ve aged out of foster care, you don’t have the privilege to ignore the crisis. It stays with you every day.” —Mikaila.
Whether you’re considering fostering, supporting a foster family, or simply want to understand the child welfare crisis in North Carolina, Mikaila’s story will leave you inspired to act.
What You’ll Learn
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro – Real foster care stories with CHS
00:28 – Meet Mikaila – Recruiter & lived experience
01:05 – Journey – From foster youth to advocate
03:29 – Kinship Care – Raising her niece
04:37 – Crisis – Need for foster parents in NC
06:38 – Placement – Waiting at DSS as a child
07:41 – Trauma – Removal and losing her pet
10:19 – Empathy – Seeing through a child’s eyes
13:58 – Community – Ways to help beyond fostering
15:12 – Support – Getting involved in awareness
16:42 – CHS – Call to action for foster parents
17:10 – Calling – Giving back through experience
18:52 – Teens – Addressing fears and myths
19:35 – Mama B – The impact of her foster mom
26:40 – Belonging – Helping kids feel valued
27:25 – Lessons – Influences from many homes
28:22 – Parenting – Biological vs. foster care
31:19 – Support – Resources for foster families
34:44 – Getting Started – Steps to begin fostering
36:10 – Service – Foster care as lasting impact
39:21 – Closing – How to get involved
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, 12-year-old junior golfer Autumn and her adoptive father, Donnie, share their journey from foster care to adoption. Golf became a life-changing outlet for Autumn, helping her build confidence, mental resilience, and a positive outlook. With resilience, hope, and the transformative power of family and sports, they reflect on the challenges and joys of fostering, while offering encouragement to others considering adoption or foster care.
“When I was in foster care, I knew there would be better days; getting adopted was by far the best day in the world. There are kids waiting for a foster home or waiting to get adopted, and people should want to help.” —Autumn
“Don’t let your fear stop you from asking questions about foster care; that’s what led us to having the most amazing daughter in the world. There are kids like Autumn who are amazing and just need love to thrive; they were born to soar. Maybe they’re waiting for you.” —Donnie
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction and purpose of the podcast
00:27 – Meet Donnie and Autumn
00:46 – Autumn’s first day with her adoptive family
03:12 – Transition from foster care to adoption
05:04 – Autumn’s perspective on adoption
06:34 – Autumn’s joyful outlook and early life
09:24 – Choosing joy despite challenges
10:27 – Discovering golf & sports
12:34 – Becoming a top junior golfer
13:46 – Lessons learned from adoption
15:05 – Fears and hopes in fostering/adoption
17:12 – PSA: Foster care in NC
17:32 – Autumn’s charity golf tournament
19:33 – Life lessons from golf
25:11 – Staying positive through adversity
26:52 – Advice for children in foster care
28:21 – Advice for prospective foster/adoptive parents
31:56 – Raising awareness for adoption
33:02 – Sharing her story publicly
36:33 – Breaking stigmas and final thoughts
37:47 – Closing remarks
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, guest Tim shares his inspiring journey as a professional in child welfare, which leads to being a single foster parent and then adoptive parent, as well as a kinship provider. Tim recounts becoming a guardian to twins, fostering to adopt an 8-year-old boy, and later fostering and adopting his niece through kinship care. He discusses the challenges, rewards, and milestones of building a family through fostering, the importance of trauma-informed parenting, and the value of community support. Tim encourages listeners to consider fostering, emphasizing the life-changing impact it can have on both children and families.
“I didn’t know what I was getting into at first; it was scary and overwhelming, but I had a supportive community. I’ve seen incredible growth in the children I cared for. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be willing. If you’ve ever wondered about fostering, take the next step. You could be the change a child is waiting for.” —Tim
What You Will Learn:
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
00:51 – Meet Tim
01:09 – Becoming a Guardian & Caseworker
02:13 – First Adoption & Kinship Care
04:01 – Common Threads in Care
06:13 – Advice for New Families
08:53 – Support Systems
11:09 – Family Dynamics
18:06 – Single Parenting
20:16 – Foster Care in NC
20:37 – Rewarding Moments
25:21 – Parenting Lessons
31:10 – Therapeutic Progress
35:37 – Myths & Relationships
40:29 – Family Is Forever
42:37 – Encouragement
43:20 – Closing
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
In this episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, Bennie shares her family’s powerful foster care journey—how she and her husband felt called to foster, the impact on their biological son, and the joys and challenges of opening their home. She emphasizes the importance of keeping siblings together, the ongoing need for foster parents (especially for older children and sibling groups), and the role of strong support systems in making fostering sustainable.
Bennie’s story highlights the resilience of children in care, the gradual growth of love, and the profound rewards of providing a safe, nurturing home. Her story shows how love can overcome previously held notions of what you think you can handle; she also offers practical, compassionate advice for families considering fostering.
“It has been the most rewarding and fulfilling experience I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing. I would 110%, without a doubt, do it again. I call it The Dream. For me, it’s sitting outside with a cold glass of iced tea in hand, watching my three kids laugh, play, and live out their beautiful little lives. I would highly recommend it to anyone who's thinking about fostering.” —Bennie
What you will hear in this episode:
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction
00:27 – Bennie’s Family and Starting the Foster Journey
02:05 – Deciding to Foster: Influences and Hesitations
04:04 – Parenting Biological Children vs. Children in Care
06:43 – Helping Children Adjust to Placement Changes
08:32 – Most Rewarding Aspects of Fostering
09:41 – Biggest Challenges in Fostering
11:45 – Support Systems for Foster Families
12:58 – Advice for Prospective Foster Parents
14:11 – Current Needs in the Foster Care System
15:18 – Importance of Keeping Siblings Together
17:21 – Reflections on Sibling Separation
19:58 – Foster Care Statistics and Call to Action
20:19 – Adjusting to New Family Routines
24:02 – Encouraging Emotional Expression
24:50 – Loving Children in Care vs. Biological Children
27:49 – Building Bonds and Overcoming Misconceptions
32:07 – Support from Other Foster Parents
33:00 – Most Surprising Aspects of Fostering
35:10 – Would You Do It Again?
36:24 – Openness and Flexibility in Fostering
38:10 – Hopes and Dreams for Her Children
39:21 – Final Reflections and Words of Wisdom
41:38 – Podcast Closing and Farewell
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
What happens when life takes an unexpected turn, and you still feel called to give back? In this inspiring episode, we meet a “Foster Granny” who began fostering after losing her husband.
In this first full episode of In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered, she shares the challenges and joys of opening her home later in life—from providing routine and structure to building trust with children in care. She discovered that fostering not only transforms children’s lives but also brings purpose, growth, and healing for caregivers themselves.
“I used to be a Sunday school teacher, and my husband was a pastor. When he passed away in 2020, I kept myself busy—I did all the waterfalls, the hiking, the kayaking, all the activities. But something was still missing: the kids. After seeing commercials on TV about how desperate the area was for foster parents, I thought, ‘Well, maybe I should look into this and see if they will take an old, widowed lady like me.’” —Victoria
If you have ever wondered whether it is too late to foster, this story proves the opposite: it is never too late to make a difference.
What you will learn in this episode:
Foster Care Resources & Connect With Us
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a podcast from Children's Home Society of North Carolina featuring conversations about foster care, adoption, parenting, and family support. Learn more about foster care, browse past episodes, or connect with our team using the resources below.
More Episodes: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered
Learn About Foster Care: Get Started
About Children's Home Society of North Carolina: chsnc.org
Be a Guest: [email protected]
Follow CHS:
From the publisher's feed
In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered is a candid, compassionate look at the world of foster care and the people living it. Hosted by Shannon Enoch, Executive Director of Foster Care-to-Permanency…