Module 5: Foster Care
Readings
Read the Intro to the book, Labeled: Ward of the State by Kenisha E. Anthony. This memoir is an incredible book written by a woman who experienced the foster care system, aged out, and has since become a caseworker to work in the world of system reform in order to change the experience for children like her. It’s a powerful read. we will only read the intro, but I encourage you to read through this book at some point!
Anthony, Kenisha E. Labeled: Ward of the state: A memoir, 2020.
Video
This week’s video content includes two videos, our FTC training module video and a documentary on the Foster Care System in LA. This documentary follows several families across the full system experience. An additional video that could be watched in place of this one is Foster and is streamed on Amazon Prime if you have access to that streaming platform!
Bonus Content:
The Flipped Table Theology Podcast episode on Foster Care is linked below:
Link to Understanding the Foster Care System Resource (this resource is for Flipped Table Collective Members and for students of this class! So please don’t share.
The link below takes you to our Recommendations Collections. Under books you can find recommendations for books on the foster care system.
Our Family Connection Program utilizes church and nonprofit buildings to provide a safe space and relational supervision for parent-child visits for families working towards reunification from the foster care system. We provide extensive training, mentorship and ongoing support for all Family Connection Sites.
Assignment
You have 2 bigger assignments this week, the first is to schedule an interview/conversation with a caseworker, an adult who was in foster care growing up, a parent who has reunified, or someone who is adjacent to the foster care system. It's best if this individual has experience with your local community system. Ask them about their experience. What things do they see need to change? Ask them how they would like to see the community and local churches engage with children/teens in the system?
You will also have to add to your resource chart from Module 4. Add the local resources below:
Make a list of agencies that work with families, children, and adolescents in foster care. Investigate each resource and make a note about what they do and who they support.
Include resources that work with children and teenagers in foster care.
Include resources that work with foster parents.
Include resources that work with kinship placements. (these may be publicly marketed for grandparents who are raising grandkids).
Include resources that work with families who are reunifying or who have reunified.
Include resources that work with teenagers who are aging out of the foster care system or who have aged out of the foster care system.
Include resources that work with adoptive families.
If at any time during this program, you need support with the material or technical assistance, please email support@flippedtablecollective.com and someone from our team will be in touch with you soon.