Join EP & Em as they share the real-time journey of millennial friends in two different states setting out to normalize foster parenting.
You’ll hear thoughts, fears and questions that come when they decide to move forward with fostering. They’ll share the details of the licensing and placement process, which look different for each of them. And, they’ll release future seasons to help motivate others to join the bandwagon.
Fosterhood Unscripted is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Find out more at fosterhoodunscripted.org
The title says it all for this episode. One of us has made it over the finish line and here's how it feels!
2 Mar 2025
Almost Licensed!
It's been a long time coming but there's still longer to wait. EP and Em chat through more nuances about the paperwork, training, home study and more questions involved with the licensing problem.
25 Feb 2025
SIKE: Not Telling Family
We promised you an unscripted view into our fostering journey... well, here it is. Em planned on telling her extended family during their Thanksgiving get-together. How did it go? Tune in now because her story takes a curious and unplanned turn!
13 Feb 2025
Telling Friends & Family
It feels like 'becoming a foster parent' is so different that you have to define it, announce it. You can feel nervous or overwhelmed at the thought of verbalizing your choice to become a foster parent.
Here's the first little glimpse of what it can be like to tell people you're fostering; you'll hear a little from each end of the spectrum, as EP and Em could not feel more differently on this topic.
12 Feb 2025
EP's Home Study and Em's Post Placement Party Planning
Home studies are completed for private adoption and public foster care. Each home study is different. Some are invasive, some are casual. EP had plenty of fears and anxieties going into her home study (that her husband didn't really share).
At the same time, Em has been thinking about how she can celebrate the fact that she's becoming a mom. She's not pregnant, so that 'natural' ways like baby showers or celebratory dinners doesn't feel fitting. But we both feel it's important for Em's community to support and lift her up in the same way she does when one of her community members is pregnant and parenting. We think we have a solution and we want to normalize it!
Resource Links
Find out more about Post-Placement Party Planning at fosterhoodunscripted.org
Definitions:
Sibling sets
Emergency placement
TPR (Termination of Parental Rights)
Food scarcity/insecurity
11 Feb 2025
On Track for Placement
You have heard how long this process can take and this episode gives you a sneak peek into what the emotions are for someone during that time. Have you thought about it? Wondered what it'd be like for yourself? Listen in... can you see yourself doing this?
Reference Links
Emergency Planning Toolkit
Information about GROW Trainings (Michigan resources)
First aid
CPR
Social history example
Family collage example
Self-assessment for future foster parents
Corrective Notes
We use words like "bio mom" or "adoptive parents" and other language that describes individuals involved with child welfare. There's a common phrase and theory called the Adoption Triad that does not involve foster parents but is relevant to understanding the world of child welfare, foster care and adoption.
There's significant, impactful and important research that has been completed and is being done about the biology of kids who have experienced trauma. We encourage you to learn more about brain behavior, child development and the impact of child or adolescent trauma.
We stumble over the words here, but what we're referencing is the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services
10 Feb 2025
Real Talk with EP
Another quick interregnum for your listening pleasure. Keeping it light-hearted and HONEST.
9 Feb 2025
EP's Training and Em's Home Visit
Training is required and included (for free in most states) in the licensing process of becoming a foster parent. Although you'll hear just one example today, know that each state and agency has their own standards and expectations for foster parent training. More on Em's training in future episodes. Again, remember that we are not experts, do not claim all training will look similar, nor seek to provide information about training in all states. We simply hope to provide you with a small bit of context in hopes that it encourages you to seek more answers with local foster care organizations or child placing agencies where you live.
Resources
TBRI (TCU)
Binti
Books, podcasts and papers can be found on our website
Foster parent support groups can also be found with your local agency or Facebook group.
1 Feb 2025
Real Talk with EP (and her husband)
Enjoy this little sidebar. Check out our social media (@fosterhoodunscripted) and share your own thoughts!
31 Jan 2025
1 Home Visit and 2 Hopeful Hearts
Em had her first home visit! Hear more about what that looked like and listen to EP and Em catch up on some more details they've learned about the licensing and fostering process. They share doubt, encouragement, and a resources to help build each other up and armor themselves with knowledge in their pursuit. If you have any suggestions or additional resources, we'd love to hear from you! Please send an email to SayingHi@FosterhoodUnscripted.com
29 Jan 2025
Committed, but still unclear.
We're getting into the nitty gritty on this one. You'll learn the details and decisions involved with the licensing process. Stick with us to then end and hear how we started gathering our own data and finding our own resources to better prepare and educate ourselves for this journey. You can find more of those resources on our website, fosterhoodunscripted.org
28 Jan 2025
The First Steps towards Fostering
We have both officially decided to foster! In this episode, we'll chat about what these first interactions look like with the child placing agency (or the state) and what the application and approval process looked like for each of us. We still have so many questions but we're trying to figure it all out. For example, we thought we'd be working with the state government to become foster parents, but we quickly learned that's not how foster care is administered in most states.Later in this episode, you'll hear us speaking about CASA. We are not affiliated not did we reach out to CASA to inform them that we spoke about them on this podcast. For more information on their incredible, impactful program, visit nationalcasagal.org
26 Jan 2025
Wait, What? Let's start from the beginning.
Baby steps, that's what we're aiming for with this podcast.
A little info for the foster-curious, if you will.
We're staying away from the deep, emotional things, keeping this podcast lighthearted and starting with a baseline conversation.
Let's level-set on the realness of foster care... what the heck is it all about and where do you even begin?!
5 Dec 2024
Fosterhood Unscripted: An Intro
The official launch of a brand new podcast!
Join millennial friends EP and Em as they discuss their real-time experiences becoming licensed foster parents.
They'll chat about the step-by-step details of their licensing and placement processes, adding value as they compare and contrast experiences from different states and family systems.
Check out this introductory episode to hear more about them and their reasons for developing the podcast!
The Fosterhood Unscripted podcast is a production of Fosterhood Unscripted, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 12 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
11
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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