Resource Families Thrive

May is Foster Care Awareness Month! Part 1: Our goal in Recruitment and Outreach is to support you in making informed decisions: getting involved with foster care is a selfless decision and a big change to your life. Our hope is that by getting your questions early on, we can help you along your journey of understanding and education. This month our guests asked some of the most frequently asked q...

Communication is the key in any relationship, and one of the most important parts of that is understanding the other person. How can you know you understand their message? By showing them; by using active listening skills you are demonstrating that your relationship with them matters, that you care about what they are saying and how they are feeling. You are naming emotions and working out the iss...

The child welfare system has changed more since 2017 than it has in its prior history. A large part of that is the expansion of Kinship Care. Kinship means anyone with a connection to a child in the foster care system. It is important to build this into our systems of care because according to research, youth in kinship care experience shorter times in foster care, fewer placement moves, and a hig...

The past year it has been so much fun as we have been able to develop our podcast with your support. We have talked to more people than I can adequately represent in a review episode, but here are some of the most powerful moments we had. All of it comes back to "Why:" why foster care, why adoption, why mentorship; and why you are ready now. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. We l...

Holidays throughout the year are typically focused on celebrations with family. Be it the 4th of July, Labor Day, or Christmas we spend those times celebrating with loved ones. So how do we support those kids who are currently living with someone other than their first family? How do we honor their traditions, maintain the important connections they have in their lives, and celebrate who they are?...

As a parent recruiter, I often say "we're not looking for homes for kids. A home is walls, roof, and 3 meals a day. We're looking for FAMILIES for kids." For the second episode of National Adoption Month we're talking to two such families- people who have put in the time, energy, and patience to help a child to thrive. What they have provided to their children are relationships that last a lifetim...

Welcome to Part 1 of our 2-part celebration of National Adoption Month. We start with a foundational understanding of what adoption really means; for this episode we are joined by two members of our organization who are experts in the area of adoption competence. It is my hope that you will be able to take some of this understanding with you as your start your foster-to-adopt journey. Stay tuned f...

October is Juvenile Justice Awareness month. Teens served by probation are often thought of as lost, tough, and resistant to help. The reality is they need what any other child in a system of care needs- stability and a safe place to land so they can grow and develop. This month we have the amazing opportunity to spotlight one of our programs that works directly with youth served by probation. We...

Permanency: one of our most often-used words in everything we do. Our program is pathways to Permanency. For some kids that means they have a safe person to talk to, have fun with, or just spend time with. Wonder Mentors are there to support one child in finding new experiences and building new connections, and are an important part of the Permanency team in that child's life.

People wear multiple hats in life – we all have intersecting identities that contribute to our many layers of experiences, layers and layers of self. For members of marginalized or underprivileged groups, those layers can make it difficult to traverse systems. Imagine having to navigate through life identifying as a black person, a youth in foster care, a member of the queer community, a person wi...

Our program is carefully guided by two directors- Yuri and Jen- who have supported us through program growth and changes over the past several years; from state reforms to a fantastic merger which strengthened our combined agencies they have been a guiding force. We are lucky to hear more from Jen, to tell you more about what she does to support us, you, and the kids in your care. Please visit our...

The most important part of being a resource parent is just that: being a parent. Whether you are a forever parent or a for-now parent, you have an impact on young lives that can carry into adulthood. Hear from Nona, a 14-year veteran resource parent, about her experiences in foster care. Please visit our website at ssyaf.org, or call Daniel Sederquist [916-870-6675] for any additional information!

Crisis management comes first from knowing how we, as the adults in a situation, are feeling. Here are a few tips and tricks about how to keep yourself grounded so you can better assess a situation, and figure out how to best respond. Please visit our website at ssyaf.org, or call Daniel Sederquist [916-870-6675] for any additional information!

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now as all of us navigate the coronavirus pandemic. Join us as we share some tips on how to manage those uncertain situations for yourself and the kids in your care. Please visit our website at ssyaf.org, or call Daniel Sederquist [916-870-6675] for any additional information!

Being a Resource Parent means helping not just kids, but their families too. Meet some of the amazing people that help support those families as they navigate the complex system that is Child Welfare. Please visit our website at ssyaf.org, or call Daniel Sederquist [916-870-6675] for any additional information!