{"id":2007,"date":"2021-04-12T15:50:33","date_gmt":"2021-04-12T15:50:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/?p=2007"},"modified":"2021-04-21T21:03:14","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T21:03:14","slug":"book-review-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/?p=2007","title":{"rendered":"Book Review<\/br>The Story of Foster Care, Volume One "},"content":{"rendered":"

by Jeanne Preisler \u2022<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I initially purchased the book The Story of Foster Care Volume One<\/em> by Empty Frames Initiative<\/a> because of its North Carolina connection. Three of the authors were involved with the North Carolina Child Welfare Family Advisory Council and I wanted to honor them by purchasing their work. Little did I know when the book arrived a short time later just how impactful it would be. The Story of Foster Care<\/em> is a unique compilation of photos, stories, poems, and quotes beautifully woven together to illustrate \u201cthe complex nature of the United States foster care system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of the book\u2019s success is that it highlights diverse perspectives, including those of former foster youth, social workers, and foster parents. It is not for the squeamish. The first page holds a content warning: \u201cmature content, discretion is advised.\u201d But to authentically discuss the experience of foster care we have to hear the stories, and some of those are heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

The book sprang out of \u201cStorytelling Through Photography,\u201d an Empty Frames Initiative curriculum about helping empower youth as they age out of foster care. Believing that each individual story is important, the Empty Frames Initiative team has created a truly special book. Not only did the book aid in the healing of the authors involved, but it holds enormous value as an educational tool for the child welfare community.<\/p>\n

This book is especially timely for the theme of this issue of Fostering Perspectives:<\/em> \u201cresource parents supporting permanence.\u201d How can we expect to truly support permanence without fully understanding all the dimensions of foster care? In the excerpt below, Sarah Chambers describes her foster mom as a \u201cbreath of restorative air,\u201d who showed her she was \u201cworthy of time and healing.\u201d Is that not what supporting permanence is all about? Restoration through our time and allowing the love for the youth to prevail no matter what.<\/p>\n

For anyone looking for a new book club option, a small group discussion within your faith community, or topics to discuss at your next foster\/adoptive support group meeting, I recommend this book. Not only will you have plenty to discuss, you\u2019ll get tangible ideas on how to take action after reading it.<\/p>\n

Respite for My Soul<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

by Sarah Chambers<\/p>\n

At 16, I went to live with my foster mom Chris after being released from juvenile detention. I had spent years running away in search of change. I\u2019ve described Chris as a breath of restorative air, air which I had been gasping for my whole life. And then one day like an answer to a prayer that I had almost let go \u2026there she was, a stranger opening her home to me despite knowing my chaos.<\/p>\n

Chris wasn\u2019t an especially emotional woman, she passed the time with me playing cards, at times validated my past hurts which I only spoke of when prompted, she gave me quiet comfort and a stability I had never known.<\/p>\n

I know what created a shift in me; it was how she invested time in me. I vividly remember her glancing at her clock, preparing to take me to visitation, medical appointments, counseling, social activities. Her actions showed me I was worthy of time and healing.<\/p>\n

Today, her clock hangs in my home, reminding me to be conscious of what I choose to spend time in; it is our most worthy resource.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From \u201cThe Story of Foster Care Volume One\u201d by Empty Frames Initiative<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Jeanne Preisler \u2022 I initially purchased the book The Story of Foster Care Volume One by Empty Frames Initiative because of its North Carolina […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2021,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,17,24,1,21],"tags":[788,1636],"series":[1628],"class_list":["post-2007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting-kids-in-care","category-promoting-permanency","category-resources","category-uncategorized","category-youth-perspectives","tag-book-review","tag-lived-experience","series-may-2021"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2007"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2007"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fosteringperspectives.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fseries&post=2007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}