Articles related to: Become a Foster Parent
4 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on May 10, 2024
Many folks want to foster, but they are not sure they have what it takes. They question, am I enough? Will I be able to do this? Do I have what a child needs?
Let’s explore what kids in care need. If you think it sounds like you, that might be a sign it is time to apply!
- A Steady Presence: Children and youth in care have been through a lot. While
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7 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on September 8, 2022
Every new placement will need something. It is a true roll of the dice regarding what that might be, but it usually involves a trip to a pharmacy or department store, often at an inconvenient hour.
As fostering families become more seasoned, they prepare in advance so some things are just an arms length away. Here are some of the top suggestions our all-star parents stock up on for success when a new placement arrives
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3 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on April 29, 2022
May is National Foster Care Month.
What does that mean? Why does it exist?
It isn’t a celebration of foster care. Foster care occurs when families do not have the supports they need to safely keep children in their homes, so that’s not something for which we should break out the party hats.
What is National Foster Care Month all about?
National Foster Care Month is a time to bring the conversation of foster care
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5 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on March 7, 2022
Our foster parents here at JRI represent a wide array of people- and we LOVE that! The more varied, the stronger we are as a program and the better we can serve the needs of children and youth in the Commonwealth.
Here are the top 10 unifying qualities shared by our successful foster parents. Enjoy!
- Resilient: Our most successful foster parents recognize that just because you’re down, you are not out. Many have
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7 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on December 28, 2021
You’ve submitted the Foster Care Inquiry Form. You’ve completed the Application. You’ve had a Physical Standards Inspection of your home and passed. You submitted your Autobiography and now, you’ve scheduled your first Foster Parent Interview.
Your heart beats a little bit faster. What is going to happen? What if you say the wrong thing? Is there a wrong thing?
Foster care interviews are a little awkward at first. It is hard to open your
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9 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on October 21, 2021
Why JRI Foster Care?
According to our most recent foster family surveys, foster parents choose to work with JRI Foster Care because of the support they receive from our team and our agency. If you’ve never done foster care, it might be hard to know what you would need in terms of support and what to look for in an agency. Well, wonder no more! Here are the supports JRI Foster Care provides and why
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3 min read
By Courtney Edge-Mattos on August 18, 2020
“I’m her seventeenth.”
Foster mom’s voice was full of emotion. My eyes widened, my skin prickled. “Seventeenth? Home?”
“Yes, she’s seven, her sister is four, and I’m their seventeenth.”
A is seven years old and has lived in seventeen homes. D is four years old and has lived in nearly as many. For the seven year old, that means a new home roughly every four months. For the four year old, that means a new
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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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There are so many wonderful people out there who want to support the children and families with whom we work.
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