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Read moreSeries: May 2017 • Vol. 21, No. 2
Healthy relationships and young people in foster care
The last issue of Fostering Perspectives talked about what resource parents can do to promote the physical health of the children in their care. Physical health is critical, but there are other dimensions of well-being to think about, including social and emotional health. One way to touch on these other facets of well-being is to focus on healthy relationships. There
Read moreHow we react and carry ourselves matters!
by Jeanne Preisler “A smile can make all the difference.” I bet you have heard that expression before. Smiles are powerful. For most of us, our day gets a little brighter when someone smiles at us. You may have even heard that smiles can be detected over the phone. A study from the University of Portsmouth demonstrated we actually can
Read moreA trauma-informed approach and self-care can make a big difference for resource parents
by Bob DeMarco When we were completing our home study and identifying the characteristics the child we would foster would have, we were thinking about a child with physical disabilities. My wife is a physical therapist specializing in pediatrics, so it seemed like a natural fit. We wanted to help a child or children who would otherwise not have a
Read moreProtecting youth in care from dating violence
by Claudia Kearney It is not talked about much, but teen dating violence is extremely common. Nearly 1.5 million high school students a year are physically abused by a dating partner. The violence is not always physical—it can also be sexual or emotional. Statistics show that one in three adolescents is a victim of physical, sexual, or emotional violence in
Read moreYouth in care say self-care supports healthy relationships
by Megan Holmes To have healthy relationships with others, one must first have a healthy relationship with oneself. For this, safe, enjoyable practices for maintaining mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health are needed. The right self-care practices can be the key to creating an environment where healthy relationships can flourish. Self-Care Self-care means recognizing when it is time to step
Read moreA Foster Care Alumna’s Thoughts on Self-Care
by Shanita Didly-Goings Relief coursed through me when, at age 12, my siblings and I were taken from our uncle. But relief quickly turned to weariness as 11 years of abuse started to catch up to me. Then we had five years of trauma due to our separation in the system. I ended up developing some pretty bad self-care habits.
Read moreFighting human trafficking in North Carolina
by Kiricka Yarbough Smith Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country, and it’s on the rise.It is happening right now in North Carolina. There are two kinds of human trafficking. Sex trafficking is recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for a commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion. When
Read moreYouth in foster care are vulnerable to exploitationAn excerpt from Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew’s testimony before Congress
On October 23, 2013, foster care alumna and human trafficking survivor Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means as part of a hearing on preventing and addressing sex trafficking of youth in foster care. The following is an excerpt of her testimony. Her full remarks, as well as the transcript
Read moreA healthy relationship in my life todayPerspectives from children and youth in foster care
In the last issue of Fostering Perspectives we asked young people in foster care, “Describe a healthy relationship in your life today. How do you know it is healthy?“ Here’s what they had to say. * * * * * First Place Dionna, age 16 Healthy relationships contain: trust, loyalty, forgiveness, laughter, honesty, and unconditional love. I am thankful to
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