Heidi, now a teenager in Austin, is thriving with her aunt and reconnecting with her biological parents on her own terms. Marie and Michael’s first placement was more difficult than expected, and they found comfort and resilience through their community and fellow parents as they looked to the future with renewed hope.

The foster care system is evolving rapidly—will public perception shift too, moving beyond the image of hopeless, abandoned kids facing a bleak future?

• A MWM production in partnership with Arrow, In Their Shoes is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts, or follow it here 

• Have a story to tell about the foster care system, or pitch any other idea? Email us at [email protected]

Do you need more information about the foster care system? Contact Arrow at arrow.org/contact

Ten years ago, Mercedes unexpectedly found herself caring for her grandchildren. At 60, she was suddenly raising five kids, aged 1 to 10, alone and without support. Out of desperation, she connected with other grandparents in the San Antonio area—a step that would eventually make her a leading advocate for informal kinship care. Meanwhile, Heidi begins to find the stability she craves, and Marie and Michael prepare for their first placement. Will their hopes become reality?

• A MWM production in partnership with Arrow, In Their Shoes is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts, or follow it here 

• Have a story to tell about the foster care system, or pitch any other idea? Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

Do you need more information about the foster care system? Contact Arrow at ⁠arrow.org/contact⁠

On any given day, over 20,000 children are in Texas’s foster care system. In Their Shoes offers an unprecedented look into the journey of the children, parents, caseworkers, and officials who are part of this often faceless system. It tells this sprawling story from a deeply personal perspective: the teenage girl reconnecting with her biological parents; the couple anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first foster child; and the grandmother who suddenly becomes the sole caretaker of five grandchildren, forever changing the course of her life.

This three episode podcast is an unflinching exploration of hope, resilience, and the enduring power of human connection, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

• A MWM production in partnership with Arrow, In Their Shoes is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts

• Have a story to tell about the foster care system, or pitch any other idea? Email us at [email protected]

Do you need more information about the foster care system? Contact Arrow at arrow.org/contact

Heidi’s time is running out: she’s fourteen and, after four years in foster care, desperate to find a stable home before turning 18 and facing adulthood alone. Meanwhile, a few miles away in North Houston, Marie and Michael are deciding if they’re ready to become foster parents. New to Texas, they feel both eager and anxious about opening their home to children in need.

• A MWM production in partnership with Arrow, In Their Shoes is out now. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts, or follow it here 

• Have a story to tell about the foster care system, or pitch any other idea? Email us at [email protected]

Do you need more information about the foster care system? Contact Arrow at arrow.org/contact