It is not uncommon for a family to ask about behavior of children in care, or say they'd like to find a child with "low or no behaviors." The question always arises: What does that actually mean? It is our hope that if we share with you what "behavior" looks like, and more importantly how a family can help a child to manage and learn through their behaviors, that they will feel more empowered to solve challenges together. Note: We are aware of any audio issues that happened during recording but hope you find this episode enjoyable and informative. For more information on how to become a resource parent, call us at (916) 344-0199 or visit our website at SSYAF.ORG

A program like Pathways to Permanency needs a strong director to steer the ship. When we are supporting youth and families in their journeys to permanency, it's important to have someone able to look at the big picture as well as the individual impacts. We are lucky enough to have such a leader in our Program Director, Yuri Kimura. Today we get to hear her perspective on foster care and our program. For more information please call us at (916) 368-5114, or visit our website at SSYAF.ORG.

We talk about it a lot: foster care is a lot more than just caring for young children. There are older children in need of permanent homes, too. We support the process of finding permanency for older youth through our Destination Family program. The goal is to match youth who have at least one barrier to permanency (often age) with loving families who will nurture them. Hear from one of our resource parents who is on the path to permanency through Destination Family. For more information call (916) 368-5114 or visit our website at SSYAF.ORG.

We are always learning. We learn more about how to care for our youth, how to support our families, and how to support our pathways to permanency. The systems of care have learned that more youth are in need of various forms of support to get them through crises and learn new coping skills, and this means we need more families who will support those youth. Hear from three professionals who work with youth with specialized needs, and support the special families who care for them.

January is National Mentoring Month which means it is time to celebrate another of our programs- Wonder! We have had a chance to sit down with several of the mentors (called Guides) before, but this time we had the opportunity to talk with some of their Coaches so we can teach you even more about how the program works and how- and why- you should get involved! For more information please call (916) 368-5114, or visit our website at ssyaf.org.

As we learn more about the needs of youth in foster care, our approach has changed and programs have grown. This growth has included new sub-programs which fall into this idea of taking your parenting and care to the next level- serving more complex needs and supporting permanency for youth who may otherwise face barriers to finding it. Join us as we talk to the staff members dedicated to helping kids and families truly thrive, through their support and guidance. For more information please contact us today at (916) 368-5114, or visit our website at ssyaf.org!

It has been a little while since we posted a new episode; as we are working on new projects and developing new programs to introduce you to foster care and keep you updated on the changes to our program and the child welfare system as a whole, we also wanted to make sure to check in with you and remind you that we hope you are thriving. For more information please call us at 916-344-0199 or visit our website at ssyaf.org.

Pride month: A celebration of what a community has overcome. A chance to be free to be who you are. A chance to be colorful, to live out loud. And a chance to honor those who have come before us, those who will come after, and remember that not everyone has a safe place to celebrate themselves. Thank you for joining us this month as we talk about inspiring pride.

Many foster carers and social workers have worked with youth whose stories mirror that of Ma'Khia Bryant. Her life was important. She was special. We hope we can honor her and those like her. We are lucky enough to be joined by Amnoni Myers, Resource Family Training Specialist, who was gracious enough to share the parallels between Ma'Khia's story and her own. Who she was and what she experienced are important, and connects back to three key points for all youth in care:

1. Can they name at least one adult with whom they feel connection?

2. What happened to them that makes them feel, think, or act the way they do?

3. How can we meet families and youth where they are to help improve the system as a whole?

For more information please visit our website at ssyaf.org, or call (916)368-5114.

May is Foster Care Awareness Month! Part 1: Our goal in Recruitment and Outreach is to support you in making informed decisions: getting involved with foster care is a selfless decision and a big change to your life. Our hope is that by getting your questions early on, we can help you along your journey of understanding and education. This month our guests asked some of the most frequently asked questions we get asked when we take calls, attend events, or receive inquiries. Please feel free to send more our way! For more info about our organization visit ssyaf.org or call our Sacramento office at 916-368-5114.