The most successful foster caregivers understand their role goes beyond supporting the children in their care to supporting the children’s families as a whole. Many factors may influence how you interact with a birth family, including your agency’s approach and the supports and training you receive as a caregiver.
Children, youth, and families benefit when foster and birth parents are supported by an agency culture that encourages a meaningful partnership and that provides quality support.
Child Welfare Information Gateway conducted a series of interviews with birth and foster parents—many of whom are partnership advocates with either the Birth Parent National Network (BPNN) or the Birth and Foster Parent Partnership (BFPP)—to help dispel some of the myths each may hold about the other. This factsheet shares their advice and highlights the many opportunities to help children, youth, and families in need.
View the brief here.
