Resources
Andrew’s Closet
The purpose of Andrew’s Closet is to provide tangible resources to foster families within the first 48 hours of placement and beyond.
National Foster Care Month
Every May we take time to stop and recognize everyone involved in the foster care system: the children, parents, foster parents, caseworkers, judges, as well as the family and friends who walk with everyone along the way.
National Adoption Month
A month set aside to RAISE AWARENESS and a time to recognize that we can each play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youth who are waiting to be adopted. It is also a time to a time to acknowledge the over 100,000 American children and youth currently waiting in foster care and the family members, foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help them find permanent homes and connections.
Blog
December
I find that all throughout the advent season my heart and mind are tugged in two directions. Part of me recognizes the darker days, the colder nights, the natural world inviting me to pause and sit with the darkness. What is an advent season without the reality of...
Trauma Competent Care
At Family Hope Coalition, we are convinced that one of the ways we can best support children who have experienced foster care or adoption is to become a trauma-competent caregiver. Whether you are a parent, teacher, ministry worker, or family friend, learning about...
A Mother’s Gaze
Gaze: to look steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought. On the day my foster daughter turned one, a biological family member gave me what might be one of the best presents I’ve had in a while: A picture of my foster daughter on the day she...
Book List
The Connected Child
Welcoming children into your family–and addressing their special needs–requires care, consideration, and compassion. Written by two research psychologists specializing in adoption and attachment, The Connected Child will help you:
Build bonds of affection and trust with your adopted child
Effectively deal with any learning or behavioral disorders
Discipline your child with love without making him or her feel threatened
The Whole Brain Child
In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children.
The Connected Parent
Parenting under the best of circumstances can be difficult. And raising children who have come to your home from “hard places,” who have their own set of unique needs, brings even more challenges. You may have discovered that the techniques that worked with your birth children are not working with your adopted or foster child.
The Out of Sync Child
These are often the first clues to Sensory Processing Disorder–a common but frequently misdiagnosed problem in which the central nervous system misinterprets messages from the senses. The Out-of-Sync Child offers comprehensive, clear information for parents and professionals–and a drug-free treatment approach for children.
Reframing Foster Care
ReFraming Foster Care is a collection of reflections on the foster parenting journey designed to help you do just that—find hope—and to remind you that your work is worth it and you are not alone.
Riley the Brave
Riley the Brave is the story of a little bear with big feelings! Join this super-cool, cape-wearing cub as he embarks on a journey to face his fears. Written for any child who is looking to unlock their inner courage, and particularly those healing from difficult life experiences or trauma, this book creates a safe space for conversations about complex thoughts and feelings.
Honestly Adoption
Honestly Adoption will provide you with practical, down-to-earth advice to make good decisions in your own adoption and foster parenting journey and give you the help and hope you need. Mike and Kristin Berry have adopted eight children and cared for another 23 kids in their nine-year stint as foster parents. They aren’t just experts. They have experienced every emotional high and low and encountered virtually every situation imaginable as parents. Now, they want to share what they’ve learned with you.
Honestly Adoption: Answers to 101 Questions About Adoption and Foster Care
Foster the Family
With the compassion and insight of a fellow foster parent, Jamie C. Finn helps you see your struggles through the lens of the gospel, bringing biblical truths to bear on your unique everyday realities. In these short, easy-to-read chapters, you’ll find honest, personal stories and practical lessons that provide encouragement and direction from God’s Word as you walk the journey of foster parenting.