By: Mary Guerin I am raising my 10-year-old granddaughter. The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected my life as a single grandparent. On March 10, I was flying up to Sacramento to attend Caregiver Day at the Capitol and three days later I was a homeschool teacher. My granddaughter and I were armed with a loaded Read more >>
By: Freddie Goldberg I am the grandmother/foster parent to my 3-year-old grandson who has been in my care for the last 15 months. The current COVID-19 crisis has been very hard on all of us. In March, my daughter received a voicemail from her social worker advising her that all visits were going to be Read more >>
Two and a half years ago, my daughter passed away unexpectedly. Her husband was not involved in our grandchildren’s lives and they ended up living with our daughter’s boyfriend, who suffered from alcoholism. My husband and I wanted the kids in our care. We knew about legal guardianship and didn’t want the kids to go Read more >>
I have been the caregiver for my two grandchildren for almost 15 years. My grandchildren were detained by Child Protective Services at the ages of five and three because my daughter was struggling with drug abuse. Both my grandchildren were placed through foster care with me and my husband for about 10 months before we Read more >>
For children coming into foster care, staying connected to family and friends is one of the most important things we can do to help them recover and reduce the trauma of being removed from home. That’s why by law children in foster care have a right to remain in their school of origin. I was Read more >>
When my two brothers and one sister entered foster care, I wanted them to come live with me. Unfortunately, my apartment didn’t meet the requirements of a foster home. This often happens to kin wishing to accept placement of relatives in foster care. My family and I were approved by the Department of Children and Read more >>
My name is Katelyn and I am a foster parent. My husband and I were approved through the RFA process in November 2017. Since December, we have had three young children placed in our home. Two have moved on to a kinship home and one has remained in our care for eight months. We are Read more >>
My name is Destiny Adams and I am caring for my two younger sisters who are in foster care. Previously, I shared my story here. What I want to reflect on today is my experience participating in a Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting. California requires that a CFT meeting be held within 60 days Read more >>
A few years ago, my husband and I became caregivers to our three nieces and nephew who were in foster care. As time passed, the two oldest girls moved out of our home after high school, our nephew moved to Mexico to live with his father, and we took guardianship of our youngest niece. My Read more >>
I first heard the word kinship/relative caregiver 15 years ago when I stepped in to care my niece, Kindra. She was just eight years old when I brought her into my home. At that time, the child welfare system in my county seemed unprepared to help and support me and I was left to navigate Read more >>