Anybody within a 100 foot radius (well, that may be bit of an exaggeration!) of a new foster parent who has just welcomed a child or children to their care--or a seasoned foster parent caring for a child going through a crisis--knows the importance of a support network. They can be found many places, including on social media, through an organization, or perhaps, by creating one.

As a former foster parent, Casey says that she would never have been able to survive without peer support. In her own words, she says, "There were too many tears, kid questions, and redundant stories for one caseworker to handle!" What Casey's caseworker did do, however, was give her contact information for local support groups. Not exclusively for talking through challenges, but also to celebrate the victories with people who understand. 

We invite and encourage you to share existing supports with your new and current foster families, or perhaps starting a foster parent support group could be a retention project for your Foster Parent Champion! Here are a few suggested resources to get you started: