The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast
By Marcy Bursac, Adoptive Mom of Siblings
Through monthly heartfelt conversations, her hope is that you see that 30% of the children currently in foster care are adoptable and you don’t need to be a traditional foster parent to adopt them.
To learn more about the foster care adoption process visit: forgottenadoptionoption.com.
The Forgotten Adoption Option PodcastNov 08, 2022
challenges facing youth who age out of the foster care system
Lisa Schelbe is the associate dean of academic affairs and an associate professor at Florida State University College of Social Work and a faculty affiliate at the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. She is the Director of the Child Well-Being Research Network. Additionally, she serves as co-Editor-in-Chief of the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal.
Her primary research interest focuses broadly on child welfare, child maltreatment prevention, and child well-being and she published a book called Some Type of Way: Aging out of Foster Care in 2023.
how to know if you can parent children with special needs
tips for thriving as a second mother
what it is like to work inside the child welfare system
connections to prioritize if you age out of the foster care system
Dr. Wynter is a Foster Youth Voice Whisperer, Child Welfare Strategist & Systems Thinker. She and I met after I published my first book "The Forgotten Adoption Option". A few local readers had told me barriers they were facing as they tried to get licensed to adopt through foster care. Dr. Wynter took me under her wing and pointed me to some existing legislature that I was able to share with my state - Missouri.
Gaelin Elmore is a professional speaker, a board member at the Association for Training on Trauma and Attachment in Children, and the director of coaching at The Forgotten Initiative. Dr. Wynter and Gaelin have recently debuted their book called "Follow the Love". It is about the importance of permanent connections for young people transitioning out of foster care.
mental health and emotional literacy for children
HOW to know it's time to close your license
how to help adoptees thrive
tailoring to the needs of first-generation college students
a look at the global orphan crisis
Meet Gary Schneider Founder & CEO - Every Orphan’s Hope and Vision Catalyst & Founder - Orphan Sunday. Learn more about Gary's work and explore opportunities for child sponsorship at: everyorphan.org. If you're interested in learning more about Zambia signing the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption, check out: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/Intercountry-Adoption-News/adoption-notice-zambia-1oct2015.html
being an emergency foster home
La' Toria Kern who serves as a foster parent for emergency situations in Las Vegas. She is also the founder and executive and artistic director as a nonprofit called FAMILYArts @ WHALER's Creation.
HOW to invite your employer to become an adoption-friendly workplace
Angie Schaefer is the Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at Safety National. Want to ask your employer to add or expand adoption benefits? Use the Adoption-Friendly Workplace Toolkit. Does your employer already have adoption benefits, invite them to participate in the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces Survey.
a practical strategy for parenting adopted children - Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®)
how Mississippi is increasing their pace of adoptions from foster care
modernizing child welfare technology
Meet Matthew Wollack, Vice President of Strategic Development at Wolverine Human Services and President & CEO of eNoble.
how to stay committed to children in the foster care system regardless of the outcome
You'll learn about how she handled the adventure and uncertainties of the foster care system.
current adoption trends according to data and research
leveraging technology to connect forever families to waiting children
HOW to write a children's book about foster care adoption
HOW to make a make a child in foster care comfortable in your home
HOW to use the kitchen to connect with children who have been in foster care
HOW to understand the unmet needs of children in foster care
HOW to share your family's foster care adoption story
Meet Ancil Lea, adoptive dad & business owner, who peaked the hearts of almost 8 million adults through a simple LinkedIn post.
HOW to verbalize and process fears associated with adopting children in foster care
HOW to find and become an adoption-friendly workplace
HOW to see professional photographs and bios of children waiting to be adopted through foster care
HOW you can obtain required training hours without having to go in-person to a class
HOW to know you're ready to adopt
HOW to spot a future adoptive parent
HOW to help waiting children find YOU
Meet Travis & Anna - Adoptive Parents
Meet Sandra Flach - Adoptive Mom & Author
Dive deeper into fetal alcohol spectrum disorder using Sandra's resources at: www.justicefororphansny.org/new-resources.
Meet Ben & Emily: Soon-To-Be Adoptive Parents
Q&A with Nathan & Marcy
Meet Tanya - Adoptive Mom of a Sibling Pair
Meet Melody - Foster Youth
Meet Mary - Adopted Child
Meet Dalton - Adopted at Age 6
Meet Pam - Adoptive Mom (of a sibling group of 7!)
Meet CJ - Foster Child & Author
Meet Amber - Adoptive Mom (of a sibling pair!)
Meet Sherry Hursey - Creator, Co-Writer and Star of “Lilly’s Light: The Movie
By celebrating current and retired foster parents and spreading awareness about the need for more foster families, Marcy and Sherry hope to inspire prospective foster parents to take the next steps in caring for children in need. Sherry Hursey (Lilly) is an award-winning actress, vocalist, writer and producer whose face and voice are very familiar to television, radio and film audiences worldwide.
Most recognized as Ilene from the hit series HOME IMPROVEMENT and Kirsten Dunst’s mother in the Universal blockbuster BRING IT ON, Sherry has an extensive list of credits from stage to screen. Spreading her wings and following the call of her spirit, Sherry wrote, produced and starred in the uplifting musical pilot LILLY’S LIGHT, which aired on PBS and was the winner of the KIDS FIRST BEST AWARD! Following this, she founded Lilly’s Fostering Hearts (lillysfosteringhearts.org), a non-profit org advocating for displaced and foster youth. This led her to producing PSAs and interstitials for public TV. Sherry is now the co-owner of Turning On the Light Entertainment (TOtLEntertainment.com), for which her and her husband Rick Cowling’s hearts and talents are being fully expressed by producing inspiring and uplifting, positive music and media.
“Lilly’s Light: The Movie” is currently available for purchase or rental on platforms like Amazon, iTunes, and YouTube.
Meet Nathan - Foster Dad (for 16 years!) to Teens and Young Adults
He has been a foster parent for 16 years.
Meet Big Brother & Little Sister - My Adopted Sibling Pair
Meet Natalie - Adoptive Mom (who adopted her first 2 placements!)
Meet Robin & Dave - Adoptive Parents (of older boys!)
Meet Alice - Adoptive Mom (and one of my mentors!)
Meet Grandpa Bob - Adoptive Grandparent (and my dad!)
Meet Rita Soronen - Foster Care Adoption Advocate
Learn about the opportunity to adopt and advocate for children through the foster care system from Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.