We talk a lot about the child's experience in foster care, but what is this experience like for the child's birth parents? You may be surprised! Join our conversation with Dr. Darcey Merritt, a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Work who researches this topic. In this episode, we cover: What is a typical scenario, if there is such a thing, of how a parent finds themselves connecting with the child welfare system? What rights do parents/birth parents have within the system? What are some of the challenges birth parents face before the child is taken into custody? What are ..read more

What are the red flags that may alert  that a potential agency may not have the child’s or your best interest in mind? Your adoption agency will guide your international adoption, so choose wisely. Dawn highlights some of the red flags to be aware of and Creating a Family has a 3-step process for finding an adoption agency, and we include a list of questions you must ask agencies before you select.  Note that all international adoption agencies must have Hague accreditation to place children in the US. Resources: US Dept of State Complaint Registry International Adoption (Resource ..read more

Have you ever considered being a foster parent but thought that it was just too hard? You need to listen to this podcast with a group of experienced foster parents sharing the joys of being a foster parent. In this episode, we discuss: Why did you become a foster parent? We talk a lot about the challenges of fostering because we want people to go into it with realistic expectations, but we also need to talk about the many joys you have experienced as a foster parent. Let’s go around round-robin style to share some of the joys. Does the pain of when a child leaves outweigh the joys? Does it b ..read more

Question: My husband and I have been matched with a mom expecting twins any day now. One topic that was a particular stress point for us that we found difficult finding resources on was the logistics of flying/traveling with a true newborn, let alone two, and handling the waiting period for ICPC (Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children). We're working with a national agency and in our particular case, we live in Texas and our twins are being born in New York. We have a lot of questions. Is it better to fly or drive? Weighing the risk of communicable disease in an airport vs the risk ..read more

Question: I was the one who wanted to adopt.  My husband agreed because I wanted it so bad, but now, I’m the one who wishes we hadn’t done it. We adopted a 5-year-old little girl, who is now 7.  The awful truth is that I don’t love this child. I don’t even like her very much. I wish I could turn back the clock. Resources: Creating and Cultivating Attachment (Resource) Understanding and Overcoming Blocked Care (Free Course) Creating a Family Online Support Group This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and insp ..read more

Are you confused about having an open adoption? Do you worry about what this means for your family. Join us today to talk about open adoption with Sara Easterly, an adoptee, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, a birth parent, and Lori Holden, an adoptive parent. In addition to co-authoring the book, "Adoption Unfiltered", they host a podcast of the same name. In this episode, we cover: What is meant by the term “open adoption”? Contact vs. openness. What open adoption is not: Co-parenting A courtesy to birth parents Confusing to the kids About/for the parents What are some of the challenges of o ..read more

Question: Hubby and I are finally ready to take the plunge and become foster parents. We wanted to wait until our youngest was in high school. We’ve started listening to your podcast, and you’ve mentioned on several of the shows that we would likely have a choice between the local county child welfare agency and a private agency. Which should we choose? Resources: Choosing a Foster Care Agency (Resource page) Becoming a Foster Parent (Resource page) Working as Part of a Foster Care Team (Resource page) This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit wit ..read more

Do you worry about applying the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard as a foster parent? Check out this interview with Rhonda Serrano, a senior attorney at the ABA Center on Children and the Law, and Kate Schultz, the Deputy Director at Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina and a licensed foster parent.  In this episode, we cover: Where does the concept and term for “reasonable and prudent parent” come from? What were the problems that the reasonable and prudent parent standard is trying to address?  The intent is to promote and support normalcy. Why is normalcy so important f ..read more

Question: We’ve been waiting for 15 months for an expectant mom to choose us to adopt her baby. We finally got chosen, but I’m filled with fear. Are we the right family for this baby? Are we up to parenting her? Will we be ruining our lives and maybe hers? Resources: Evaluating Risk Factors in Adoption (Resource page) Raising a Child with Prenatal Substance Exposure (Resource page) Explaining Prenatal Substance Exposure, ADHD, and Autism (Suggested books) This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, fo ..read more

Question: My husband and I are seriously considering domestic infant adoption. In my research I have found grants are available for people who want to adopt. We make decent money, but do not want to spend all of our savings on adoption fees when we know expenses will only go up when we have a child. Will filling out applications for grants be a waste of time for us or will they consider us even though we make decent money? Resources: Affording Adoption (Resource page) Adoption Tax Credit (Resource page) Welcoming an Older Child to Your Family (Resource page) This podcast is produced by www ..read more