A publication dedicated to making foster care and adoption in North Carolina the best they can be
by Jonathan Rockoff • Youth coming out of foster care face many challenges as they transition into adulthood. That’s in normal times. Has the uncertainty of COVID added to the difficulty of this transition? To learn about COVID’s impact on youth transitioning from foster care to independence, I reached out to Michelle Blackmon, Program Coordinator at Fostering Bright Futures. Based
Read more
by Glenda Clare • While COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all North Carolinians, grandfamilies have been especially hard hit. More than 89,000 North Carolina children and youth are members of grandfamilies created when a grandparent or other family member raises the child of a relative unable or unwilling to parent. Although most heads of grandfamilies are under age 60
Read more
by Amy Huntsman and Maurita McCorkle • Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from a tough situation. Although the concept is simple, putting it into action can be tough for resource parents during normal times. With a pandemic, a contentious election, and civil unrest all going on, it can be even harder. The good news? Finding joy and trying
Read more
by Shanita Dildy-Goings • Every generation has their challenges, their life altering events and lessons learned. Every lifetime comes fraught with trials and tribulations that seem insurmountable at first, unforgiving at best, and at times without end. Somehow though, time after time we manage to pull through and come out stronger, wiser, and more prepared for the next game changer.
Read more
by Jamie Bazemore • The pandemic has brought loss and hardship to so many of us. But for me it has also been a reminder of how adaptable and creative humans can be. Even when faced with disruption and challenges, we somehow find a way to innovate and move forward. I hope when COVID is behind us we will continue
Read more
by Amy Huntsman • Therapy is an important tool for helping youth in foster care develop coping mechanisms and process trauma. It can be so helpful to have a safe place and an unbiased person to be honest with. Telehealth therapy, also called “teletherapy,” is mental health treatment in which patients receive counseling from licensed therapists online, usually with a
Read more
Foster and adoptive parents and kinship caregivers in North Carolina may find the following pandemic-related resources helpful. NC Resources COVID-19 North Carolina Dashboard General Child Welfare COVID-19 Guidance (May 1, 2020) Promotional Toolkit to inform and educate North Carolinians about COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and preventative measures they can take to protect themselves and their loved ones COVID-19 Video Playlist
Read more
by LeAnn McKoy • COVID-19 created the opportunity for the NC Division of Social Services to review its policies and practices to ensure the safety of children and families. We all have learned to wear masks, wash our hands more, and maintain physical distance from family and friends. New processes were adopted, while safety of children and families remained the
Read more