As I sit here thinking of life and what our family has become over the past couple of years, I have a mix of emotions. If anyone knows me, they know how much I love my kids, but there is more to the story than most know.
We knew we wanted to adopt again after we finalized David's adoption. We had been searching the websites and reaching out to all of the local agencies. In November of 2012 we attended a matching event held by Heartland for Children at Family Fun Center.
It was just last fall that Jacob began visits with a prospective adoptive family when everything just fell into place and this family knew he was just perfect for them!
This sibling group met their forever family at a local matching event. Their instant connection with this family lead to a perfect match and a forever family through adoption!
When speaking of Adoption Success Stories I automatically think of the Goff Family!
This family was matched with Faith and everything started to come into place - just as if they were the family meant for Faith!
Theresa Mixon has been fostering since 1998 and is currently fostering two children. She has a 17 year old male that has been residing in her home for two years. Ms. Mixon believes in ensuring the children are actively involved in community activities and athletics...
My wife, Joy-Lynn and I became Foster Parent Mentors (FPM) through Heartland for Children in 2012. When we were approached with the opportunity to be an added support for incoming Foster Parents, we jumped at the opportunity because we saw the value in having someone who other Foster Parents could relate to as being an invaluable resource; especially, if the individual(s) were completely new to the fostering and/or parenting experience.
As FPMs through Heartland, we've had the chance to interact with incoming Foster Parents on many levels including assisting with respite, providing guidance or best practices with difficult behavioral issues, advocating for a child who had to be moved from one home to another, making recommendations on working with case management, providing another vantage point through the process of Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), and many other areas that Foster Parents can encounter during their first and continuing years of child advocates.
What we've gained as FPMs is a heightened level of understanding of how important it is to identify the needs of incoming Foster Parents. Being able to make recommendations on how the training component has and can continue to successfully equip incoming parents with the proper training and education; is a value add that Heartland has really welcomed input on.
Cebien Alty - HFC Foster Parent, Foster Parent Mentor