Children's Home Society of Virginia’s Post

If you haven’t booked your ticket for ‘Sound of a Hope,’ we think you'll miss out. We wouldn’t usually advertise a film, but we’re going to make an exception as this one is worth celebrating. Sound of Hope is based on a true story and focuses on the truths about foster youth, their lives, and how we can make a difference as a community. Raising awareness of foster youth and ensuring they feel heard is something we are all responsible for. Imagine the impact we could have if we all spoke up. We are all responsible for raising awareness of foster youth and ensuring they feel heard. Imagine the impact we could have if we all spoke up and raised awareness about foster youth, their lives, and the benefits of adoption. #EmpowerFosterYouth #DE&I, #RaiseAwareness, #TheImportanceoflistening Suppose we gave them a voice and truly listened. It's our collective responsibility to ensure foster youth feel heard and supported. #Empowerfosteryouth, #Raisewareness, #Ineedhelp

Based on his 40 years of experience, the great Bob Lupton once asked, "Can one person really 'empower' another person? No. But, we can create conditions and an environment that draws out how they have been created, designed and gifted to live." One-size-fits-all youth "empowerment" programs for youth aging out of foster care have been around a long time and contributed to the appalling statistics we continue to see today. (45% unemployment, 54% incarceration, 41% young parents, 11% post secondary enrollment - Annie Casey Foundation 2023 Fostering Youth Transitions) Shoving these programs at youth, peppering them with (often misguided) advice and information doesn't change anything. This approach doesn't positively affect their circumstances or help them overcome critical barriers to success for "empowerment." It's weak sauce and youth are smart enough to know it. It's like handing you or me a manual on how to roof our home then wishing us luck. It doesn't work. Nothing changes and the roof keeps leaking and on and on. Join Viable today to bring a common sense approach and authentic opportunity within reach of youth who want to help themselves, are willing to work, and want to build a life. Click here to learn more. https://lnkd.in/eFuYURyY #VulnerableToViable #TransitioningYouth #PathToAdulthood

Forrest Lang, author of Angel Blue Book, veteran, and former foster youth shares this incredible story of reuniting with the brother and family he didn’t know that he had. National Reunification Month, observed annually in June, recognizes the people and ongoing efforts around the country that help families stay together. It is also a time to recommit to strengthening, improving, and increasing those efforts all year long. This year’s theme, "Reunification: Shifting Power and Reconnecting Families All Year Long," focuses on: 1) When children cannot safely remain with their parents and need to enter foster care, reunifying them with family remains the primary goal. 2) Authentic, equitable family engagement and integrating the voice of children, youth, and families into the case planning and court processes. 3) Enhancing birth parent-foster parent partnerships to improve the foster care experience for children, youth, and parents when a child’s removal from the home is necessary and to support reunification. At Connect Our Kids we’re devoted to doing all in our power to give social workers the tools they need to both reunify families and discover and engage the extended family members that were not previously locatable. Click to read how Connect Our Kids tools were used to reconnect a teen in foster care with relatives he never knew he had: https://lnkd.in/eQiZgNU6 #Reunite #Family #NationalReunificationMonth #AngelBlueBook #connectourkids #Reunification

Equipping Foster Youth with Tools for a Successful Transition

Transitioning to independence from foster care can be challenging for youth, but with the right guidance, they can thrive! At Impact Living Services, we believe that setting a strong foundation is key. Our latest 2-part blog , "Navigating Independence," shares essential steps and strategies to help youth build life skills, find stability, and achieve long-term success. Learn more about how we empower young people to take charge of their future! #FosterCare #YouthIndependence #LifeSkills https://lnkd.in/eU5isfmt

✨New Blog Series Focusing on Adoption✨ National Adoption Month brings awareness to the adoption process, the need for more families willing to adopt, and aims to improve care for adoptive children and families. This year's theme is “Honoring Youth: Strengthening Pathways for Lasting Bonds.” The goal is to unify the community by working to increase awareness, improve connections and support, and validate the complex experience of adoptees and parents. Visit our blog for this important 4-part series. 💖 #NationalAdoptionMonth #ChildrensBureau #ChildWelfareInformationGateway Administration for Children and Families (ACF) https://lnkd.in/eMXupeN9

#Every child deserves the safety, security, and unconditional love that only a permanent family can provide. Yet, every year in the United States, about 20,000 young people #age #out of foster care without achieving this essential permanence. These youth, left to navigate life on their own, face significant challenges, including #higher #risks of homelessness, joblessness, early parenthood, and substance use. This is a #reality we cannot ignore. When we #support efforts to provide lasting, loving homes for older youth in foster care, we change the trajectory of their lives, offering them the stability they need to #thrive. Let’s #work #together to ensure no child leaves foster care without the security of a family. Whether through adoption, mentorship, or community support, each of us can play a role in making sure these young people have the foundation they #deserve. #Help us reach our goal of raising $10,000 in the month of August: https://lnkd.in/eGxQYYrm #Join #us in this critical mission to provide forever families for all children. Because every child deserves a family—no exceptions. #FosterCare #Adoption #YouthSupport #ForeverFamily #CommunityAction

Together, we can honor youth, enhance their well-being, and set them up for bright futures. Use the National Adoption Month resources and tips to help improve outcomes for youth in foster care. https://ow.ly/Gh9150U7xap #NationalAdoptionMonth

What are the most pressing policy and practice changes needed to better equip foster youth aging out of the system and into independent living? Chapin Hall foster care researcher Amy Dworsky highlights the lack of affordable housing and how it can significantly hinder foster youths’ ability to achieve key milestones such as pursuing education, securing and maintaining employment, and gaining financial independence. When housing costs are prohibitive, it creates a cascade of challenges, including financial instability and difficulty accessing essential services. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, including increasing affordable housing availability and vouchers, providing financial assistance, and creating programs that help young people develop the skills and resources they need to navigate adulthood successfully. Listen to Episode 7 of ‘Among Us’ at https://lnkd.in/gS_aDBXr. Joseph Bishop, Ph.D. UCLA School of Education and Information Studies Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Stuart Foundation #transitionagefosteryouth #adulthood #transitioningoutoffostercare #fosteryouthpolicy #fosteryouth #fostercare #fosterparents #fostersupport #fosterparent #fosterfamily #fostercareawareness #fosterparenting #YouthPolicy #FosterCareAdvocacy #AmongUsPodcast #newpodcast #Podcasting #socialjustice #FosterCareSystem #ThisIsFosterCare #FosterCareSupport #FosterCareJourney #fostercarecommunity #formerfosteryouth #fosteryouthsupport #fosteryouthvoices #fosterstudent 

Many young adults rely on their parents for financial and emotional support well into their twenties. But what about those who "graduate" from foster care each year? These young people often enter adulthood abruptly and without the same level of support. While some states offer extended foster care, many of these vulnerable young adults deserve even more. They need the kind of creativity and commitment that biological and adoptive parents provide for their own children. If you want to learn more about this important issue and how we can support these young adults, read the full article below: https://lnkd.in/eVY_fTGi Youth Empowerment Success Services - Helping Youth become housed, educated, employed, and connected 💚 www.yess4youth.org #FosterCare #SupportYoungAdults #EveryChildMatters #YouthEmpowerment #FosterCare #AgingOut