JRI Foster Care Blog

4 min read

Foster Care Stipend

By Courtney Edge-Mattos, LSWA on March 15, 2024

Is the foster care stipend taxable? Is it considered income? What is it for?

Money is generally an uncomfortable topic, made more uncomfortable when discussing foster care. Well, foster care is full of uncomfortable conversations so let’s dive in together!

What is the foster care stipend?

The foster care stipend is money received by a caregiver to provide care for a child or youth in the custody of a state child welfare agency (in Massachusetts

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3 min read

Our Favorite Four Letter Word: Teen

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on November 17, 2023

Teen…Our favorite four letter word…

Teen…Seven years of growth, excitement, fear, expectations, and change.

Teen…A stage of development not unlike that of a toddler, but in a frame closer to an adult.

Teen…Our most in-need population.

Recently, a person on our social media feed sparked conversation about teens.  They made the standard statement that teens are tough.  True.  All ages and stages have joys and challenges.  Teen challenges are notorious and often have larger consequences

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6 min read

JRI's Foster Care Youth College-Bound

By Bob Unger and Barbara LeBlanc-Unger on September 12, 2023

Riley Borden was 14 and in middle school when the state Department of Children & Families removed her and her younger brother from their father’s home and placed her in the first of what ultimately would be seven foster homes.

It was a hard time, but Riley did not let it deter her from planning a successful future — a future that will include going to college in September, placing her among the fewer than

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3 min read

Why do people choose to foster?

By Courtney Edge-Mattos, LSWA on June 20, 2023

The reasons are varied, but generally boil down to these five points.

 

choose to foster

Be a Light:

You’ve gone through hard things and had someone who helped you come out the other side.  Now you want to pay it forward!  The flip side- you went through hard things and wish you’d had someone to guide you.  Now you are going to be the person you wish you’d had!

*Read “The Lighthouse Effect” by Steve Pemberton!

You

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6 min read

Fostering Fear: How to Manage Fears about Fostering

By Courtney Edge-Mattos, LSWA on May 26, 2023

Foster care is a huge commitment. 

The approval process alone can take half a year.  It is the embodiment of the old adage “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Yet many people never take that first step.  Wonderful, stable, emotionally healthy, kind, well-meaning, resilient people remain frozen in place- interested, but unable to bring themselves to hit send on the application.  Other times, they send and when the Homefinder contacts

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4 min read

May is National Foster Care Month

By Courtney Edge-Mattos, LSWA on May 15, 2023

It is a month to learn more about foster care in our communities, to understand the challenges within the foster care system, understand the challenges faced by families whose children enter foster care, and considering how we can make improvements.

Many folks consider fostering and some apply. We would love you to apply, so if you feel that’s your path forward, let’s chat! However, fostering isn’t a fit for everyone. Worry not, foster friends- there’s

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6 min read

What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Foster Care Edition

By Courtney Edge-Mattos, LSWA on April 17, 2023

You’ve submitted your application, your background checks have been run, and now a person is coming to your home to begin the assessment process!

This is a huge step in the right direction, but a bit anxiety provoking.  What will this social worker be looking for?  What if there is a problem?  How should you act?

Let’s take a walk through a home inspection visit, Foster Friends.

*Before we get going, please note that

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11 min read

Supporting Grieving Children in Foster Care

By Courtney Edge-Mattos, LSWA on February 28, 2023

Foster care is born out of tragedy and trauma. A child who enters foster care, whether it is shortly after birth or during the late teen years, has become separated from the familiar.  Many people first think only of the loss of one’s parents and siblings, but as we peel back the layers, we realize that children and youth in foster care suffer a myriad of losses simply by entering care.  Aside from losing immediate

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3 min read

Foster Parenting: Small Stuff is Big Stuff

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on February 16, 2023

The girls’ long-term foster parent had an emergency and had to go to be with her family.  She did not know how long she would be gone.  The girls, elementary school students, had developed a strong bond with Foster Mama and felt safe with her.  They suddenly felt scared.  Where were they going to go?  Were they going to see her again?  We cobbled together a respite plan and moved them within hours.  It wasn’t

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2 min read

Faces of Foster Care: Jazzlynn

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on November 18, 2022

Foster care is a large, complex system.  It is important to remember that individual lives and stories make up foster care.  Please take a moment to hear Jazzlynn's story, one of the many Faces of Foster Care. 

Jazzlynn, or "Jazzy" for short, is 15 years old. She's been in and out of foster care for the majority of her life. She doesn't remember all of the schools she's been to or the names of the

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Foster Care...Foster Hope

A Blog to Support Foster Parents

Our foster care program is rooted in the principle that every child deserves to feel safe, to be nurtured, and to thrive. Our foster families and staff are committed to maximizing each child's potential within our stable and loving foster homes.

Remember:

  • Stable homes nurture neglected children.
  • Compassionate homes mend painful pasts.
  • YOUR home can change the life of a child.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please complete our foster care interest form.

Featured Posts

Preparing for An Arrival

You’ve taken the classes.  You’ve been fingerprinted, interviewed, reference-checked.  You’ve watched the “Removed” movie fourteen times.  You’ve read blogs and

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Helping Hands

There are so many wonderful people out there who want to support the children and families with whom we work. 

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JRI Service Navigator

Do you have a question about JRI services?

Rachel has been a part of the JRI team since January, 2000. For over 20 years, Rachel has been working in the field of human services assisting families with accessing and navigating services. Rachel received her Bachelors degree in psychology and Masters Degree in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University. She was promoted in July 2005 to Family Networks Program Director where she closely worked with the Department of Children Families for 10 years ensuring that children and families received the highest quality of individualized services ranging from community based through residential care. Rachel is very dedicated to helping the individuals she works with and is committed to improving the lives of children and families. Rachel’s passion for creative service programming inspires her in her role as JRI Service Navigator.