Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care

Creating a Family
  • 4.7 (301)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Are you thinking about adopting or fostering a child? Confused about all the options and wondering where to begin? Or are you an adoptive or foster parent or kinship caregiver trying to be the best parent possible to this precious child? This is the podcast for you! Every week, we interview leading experts for an hour, discussing the topics you care about in deciding whether to adopt/foster or how to be a better parent. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are the national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: weekly podcasts, weekly articles, and resource pages on all aspects of family building at our website, CreatingaFamily.org. We also have an active presence on many social media platforms. Please like or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

  1. 10h ago ·  Video

    Open Adoption: Practical Strategies for Staying Connected with Birth Family

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What does healthy openness in adoption really look like—and how can adoptive parents maintain meaningful birth family connections over time? In this episode, we talk with adoptive mom Annie Iverson about practical strategies for open adoption, including staying consistent when life gets busy, setting healthy boundaries, keeping your child’s needs at the center, and adjusting openness as children grow. We also explore how connection with birth family can support an adoptee’s identity and sense of belonging, plus ways parents can honor a child’s birth family and story even when direct contact is limited or inconsistent.  Resources: Cards That Connect - use discount code Family20Open Adoption: Perspectives from the Triad#1 Secret for Navigating Open AdoptionHow to Handle Open Adoption Even When the Birth Parent Chooses to Close ItSupport the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  2. 4d ago

    Kids Do Well When They Can - Weekend Wisdom

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Parenting kids exposed to trauma is hard. Sometimes, it is very hard, but these families can thrive. In an interview with Creating a Family, Dr. Ross Greene, a Harvard Psychology professor, stressed that it was crucial for parents of children exposed to trauma to realize that kids want to do well, and if they are struggling, it is likely because they are lacking a specific skill needed to succeed. Resources: Helping Children Heal from TraumaPractical Guide to Parenting a Child Exposed to TraumaThe Explosive Child by Ross GreeneSupport the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  3. Aug 19 ·  Video

    Too Many Goodbyes: How Foster Care Instability Impacts Children

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Children in foster care can experience far more than a change in placement. They may lose caregivers, siblings, schools, routines, communities, caseworkers, therapists, and other trusted relationships—sometimes again and again. What does that repeated instability mean for a child’s behavior, sense of safety, and ability to trust? In this episode, we talk with Rita Soronen, President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, about the impact of foster care instability and what caregivers and child welfare professionals can do to create greater stability and connection.  We explore why challenging behavior can be a form of communication, how foster and adoptive parents can build safety through predictable routines and promises kept, why children’s voices must be included in permanency decisions, and how child-focused recruitment can help children find lasting families. The conversation also explores the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids model and why understanding a child’s relationships, history, culture, and needs can lead to stronger permanency outcomes. Support the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  4. Aug 15 ·  Video

    5 Ways to Handle Bedtime Battles Without Dividing Your Parenting Team - Weekend Wisdom

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Bedtime can be especially challenging for children who have experienced trauma, loss, or disrupted attachment—and even harder when parents disagree about how to respond. In this episode of Weekend Wisdom from Creating a Family, we share practical ways to approach bedtime as a team, divide the parenting load more fairly, support your child’s need for connection and regulation, and protect your relationship from exhaustion and resentment. Resources: When Parenting Feels Uneven: Helping Your Partner Step InSleep Issues in Adopted, Foster, and Kinship ChildrenFocus on Father Involvement and Co-parenting: Why It MattersSupport the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  5. Aug 12 ·  Video

    Big Feelings, Better Connection: Using Play to Help Kids Thrive

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! How can play help children heal, regulate big emotions, and strengthen attachment? We talk with Georgie Wisen-Vincent about ways that adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers can use playfulness to build connection, support emotional growth, and help children impacted by trauma thrive. She is a nationally recognized play therapy expert, co-author of the new book , The Way of Play, and the Founder/Director of The PlayStrong Institute. In this episode, we explore why play is essential to children's emotional development, how trauma, loss, neglect, and disrupted attachment can affect a child's ability to play, and what caregivers can learn from the stories and behaviors that show up during play. Georgie also shares practical ways to use playful connection to build trust, respond to big feelings, and strengthen attachment—even when a child resists play or a caregiver doesn't naturally consider themselves playful. Resources: The PlayStrong InstituteThe Way of Play: Using Little Moments of Big Connection to Raise Calm and Confident Kids How Do I Handle All These Big Feelings & Big Behaviors?The IDEAL Response: How to Maintain Connection When Correcting Your Child Support the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  6. Aug 8 ·  Video

    How Do I Find Non-Religious Resources for Fostering? - Weekend Wisdom

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: I've been looking into a lot of resources and communities for foster parents, and it seems like many of them, especially in my area, approach fostering from a Christian perspective. I was raised Christian but am no longer comfortable in Christian spaces. How do I find community?  Resources: Laura the Foster Parent Partner Annie E. Casey FoundationAdoptUSKidsDave Thomas Foundation for AdoptionSupport the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  7. Aug 5 ·  Video

    Trauma-Responsive Practices To Set Your Kids Up for Success in School

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! What are trauma-responsive practices, and how can they impact your child’s behavior, emotional well-being, and success in school? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Brandy-Lea McCombs, founder of STL234 Outreaches and a frequent speaker on reviving resilience in children, drawing from her professional research and her personal journey as an adoptive parent. Learn practical trauma-responsive practices for building connection during calm moments, responding to meltdowns, balancing empathy with healthy boundaries, and partnering with your child’s school. This conversation offers encouragement and actionable strategies for adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who want to strengthen resilience and help their children feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive. RESOURCES:  Moving Beyond Adverse Childhood Experiences: ACES and PACESWholehearted.orgPACEs ConnectionFostering Resilience in a World of AdversitySupport the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

  8. Aug 1 ·  Video

    Our Baby Was Exposed Prenatally to Substances. Should I Worry? - Weekend Wisdom

    Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks! Question: Our adopted son is almost 4 months old and perfectly healthy. He eats well, sleeps well, and seems to be hitting his milestones just fine. We know that he was exposed to cocaine during pregnancy, but he was born only three weeks early, which is still full-term. He had a healthy birth weight, he was not suffering from withdrawal in the hospital, and he has checked out as perfectly healthy at all of his pediatrician visits so far. My question is, does the lack of negative effects of cocaine in these early months of his life give us any indication of whether or not he will have learning difficulties or development issues due to the cocaine when he reaches school age? I am curious whether there is any research showing that a lack of symptoms at a young age following prenatal exposure indicates fewer symptoms at an older age.  Resources: FASD UnitedPregnancy and Breastfeeding ExposuresRaising a Child with Prenatal Substance ExposurePrenatal Substance Exposure Training for Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship ParentsSupport the show Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

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Are you thinking about adopting or fostering a child? Confused about all the options and wondering where to begin? Or are you an adoptive or foster parent or kinship caregiver trying to be the best parent possible to this precious child? This is the podcast for you! Every week, we interview leading experts for an hour, discussing the topics you care about in deciding whether to adopt/foster or how to be a better parent. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are the national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: weekly podcasts, weekly articles, and resource pages on all aspects of family building at our website, CreatingaFamily.org. We also have an active presence on many social media platforms. Please like or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

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