Holt’s foster care and adoption specialist shares why it’s important to help foster kids stay connected to their biological families, regardless of the reasons they entered the foster care system.  When a child is entering into care, every situation or case is different. As a foster care worker, the one thing we hear a lot … The post The Importance of Foster Kids Maintaining Connections With Biological Relatives appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

Foster parenting can be challenging, but parents who welcome children with compassion, empathy and no expectations will have the most success.  Parenting a child is a challenging task. And when it comes to parenting a foster youth, that challenge increases — but not because of the child. As one former foster youth observed, the increased … The post Perspectives All Foster Parents Should Embrace appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

In China, children living with HIV face intense stigma and discrimination. But through the kindness and generosity of Holt donors, they find love, care and compassion in Holt’s HIV group homes. This story originally appeared in Holt’s fall 2017 sponsorship magazine.  Most of the children here don’t know they are HIV+. It’s too risky. Their … The post Caring for Children With HIV in China appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

Through Holt’s new donor-supported foster care program in Cambodia,  one boy with special medical needs finds a loving place to heal.  Kiri’s mother brought him to the hospital for medical care, but then left and never came back. We may never know why she felt forced to make this heartbreaking decision… He was just 1 … The post Holt Donors Help One Boy Find a Nurturing Home to Heal appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

In honor of National Foster Care Month, learn about Holt’s longstanding foster care program in Thailand as well as one first-generation foster mother who cared for 13 children over 20 years.  In 1977, Mrs. Bayan and her family became one of Holt’s first foster families in Thailand — joining the program just one year after Holt … The post Honoring First-Generation Foster Mothers in Thailand appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

Child welfare professionals often use the word “permanency” to describe the desired outcome for children in foster care. But what does that really mean? Permanency refers to the idea that a child has a lifelong place to belong, with a committed caregiver who assumes the legal responsibility of a parent-child relationship. Permanency can be achieved … The post Permanency: Why It’s Important for Foster Children and How Parents Can Help appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

Together, Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Kim have fostered over 140 children in Korea. In August 2017, they visited Holt families in Oregon — an experience they, and the adoptees and adoptive families they met, will never forget. This story originally appeared on the Holt blog in September 2017.  Mrs. Yang sat in a room at … The post 140 Children, Forever Loved From Korea appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

Holt’s U.S. foster care and adoption specialist shares about the kids in U.S. foster care today.   What excludes a foster child from many other children in the world is maltreatment. Maltreatment is a behavior acted on a child that causes high risk of harm that can hinder the security, development and trust children have. Physical … The post Who Are the Children and Youth in U.S. Foster Care appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

The best place for children is NOT a hotel room. Can we all agree that children belong in families who are safe and able to meet their needs? This is why we have foster care. What happens, though, when the system intended to protect children has weaknesses of its own? What if the state removes … The post Children Belong in Homes, Not Hotel Rooms appeared first on Holt International Stories ..read more

An interview with Kobgarn Trakulvaree, executive director of Holt Sahathai Foundation, Holt’s partner organization in Thailand. How is the pandemic affecting children and families in Holt’s Thailand programs? Ten percent of the families we are helping are actually unemployed due to the pandemic. The rest have experienced pay reduction. Prior to the pandemic, the average … The post How COVID-19 is Affecting Sponsored Kids in Thailand: a Q&A appeared first on Holt International Blog ..read more