A publication dedicated to making foster care and adoption in North Carolina the best they can be
Cason (age 13) This handsome young man has quite the personality. Cason is described by those that know him best as affectionate, funny, and inquisitive. He is outgoing, with an upbeat personality and always willing to engage. Cason is athletic and displays interest in a variety of sports. Cason loves being outdoors, hunting, fishing, and camping. Cason desires to be
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by Jonathan Rockoff • During the pandemic, child welfare agencies have worked hard to ensure the safety of children and families. To get an inside view of this effort, I spoke with two North Carolina child welfare professionals. Myca Jeter, Foster Care Director for Access Family Services, says after the pandemic hit her immediate concern was for resource families and
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November is National Adoption month! We use this month to honor families who have adopted and raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care. When reunification is not possible and an alternative plan is required, adoption is one way to achieve permanency. Right now there are hundreds of children and youth waiting
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Children’s Home Society of NC (CHS) worked in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago to develop a leading-edge practice model to build on the strengths of its Foster Care to Permanency program. A CHS and Chapin Hall team, as well as foster parents, birth parents, and youth with foster care experience, partnered to develop this practice model
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by Jonathan Rockoff • When Tyson Robertson was growing up, he and his mother spent time in a homeless shelter while she struggled with substance use disorder. Soon after he was out on his own, it became clear his mother was heading down the same path. Only this time, it would be his siblings, Tyshawn and Tyanna, who’d be staying
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by Glenda Clare • Grandparents and other relatives (often referred to as kinship caregivers or heads of grandfamilies) often assume custody after receiving a call from a concerned neighbor or visiting and finding dirty, unfed children alone in a messy home. In times of crisis, relatives step in to care for the children. Parental abuse of alcohol and other drugs,
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by Selena Childs • Children and youth entering foster care in North Carolina are often placed with relatives. This arrangement is intended to be temporary, because the goal is almost always to return the child to their parent’s home. This is called reunification. If the court determines that reunification is not in the youth’s best interests, the system seeks a
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Alexis (age 14) There is something that attracts others to be around this beautiful young lady. It may be her engaging personality or that stunning smile. Alexis is a pleasure to be around and she never meets a stranger. Alexis dreams of joining a family she will be able to connect with, that will love her unconditionally, and provide her
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I heard something about a new program called KinGAP. What is it? KinGAP is the name of North Carolina’s Kinship Care and Guardianship Assistance Program. KinGAP is considered when a child or youth’s best interests are to stay connected to their birth parents and extended family and permanency is unable to be achieved another way. KinGAP is a payment program
Read moreFor more information on the following children or adoption in general, call the NC Kids Adoption and Foster Care Network at 1-877-NCKIDS-1 Dajaun (age 10) Dajaun is a friendly and talkative little boy who is very inquisitive. He likes all types of music and loves to dance. Dajaun also likes to play basketball, baseball, and soccer. He loves to make
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