Earlier this year, a five-month-old baby entered the foster care system due to concerns about their mother’s mental health. The mother’s support system lived hours away and out of state, and faced with the trauma of being separated from her child, the mother fled the state with the baby. Upon returning, the child entered a foster home and both the mother and child experienced a massive amount of fear and stress. With the young family thrown into uncertainty, the 30 Days to Family program at FosterAdopt Connect extended their services and shortly the child’s paternal aunt was located and willing to help.
The mother had grown comfortable with her the interaction between the current foster parent and herself because she was receiving updates and was allowed to be involved in her child’s life. After hearing the news that the aunt was willing to care for the baby, the mother was skeptical and concerned that she would be cut off from her baby.
In a meeting facilitated by the 30 Days to Family team, the mother and aunt came to the understanding that the aunt wanted to care for both the baby and the mother. The extended family opened their hearts to share that they would always be there for the young mother, even in the hardest times.
This family went from mistrust and separation to togetherness and cooperation in a single meeting creating stable, long-term support for the child. Keeping connections strong is so important for children entering the foster care system. Research has shown that children placed into the care of their extended family, rather than the home of a stranger, leads to far better long term outcomes.
The baby moved to the aunt’s home with their two cousins. The baby will now be in a home that will build connections for the rest of their life, and sustain any previous connections from their past so that they may become stronger. To find out more about the 30 Days to Family program, click here .