Comfort Cases Unpacked

Nicholas Balestracci
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Season 8 is here with a brand-new name: Comfort Cases: Unpacked. The name and look may be fresh, but the mission remains the same. Hosted by Dr. Rob Scheer, the podcast continues to share meaningful conversations and honest stories that bring the world of foster care to life in a way statistics alone never could. One of the questions we hear most often is: What can I actually do to make a difference? Tuning in is an important place to start. By listening, learning, and sharing these stories, you can become a more informed advocate for children and youth in foster care. Every episode is an act of advocacy. Every listener who shares it helps carry the message further than we can alone. We cannot wait for you to hear what we have been working on for Season 8! Learn more: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/Make a difference: https://give.comfortcases.org/campaign/697953/donate

Episodes

  1. 16h ago

    Black-Market Adoption, Reunion & Adoptee Rights | Patricia Knight Meyer | UnPacked

    Wonderland: Memoir of a Black-Market Adoption, Reunion & the Fight for Adoptee Rights Welcome to National Adoption Awareness Month. Throughout November, every episode of Comfort Cases: UnPacked will feature a story about adoption, exploring the experiences, complexities, challenges, and voices that shape what adoption means for children, families, and adoptees themselves. We begin with a story that is extraordinary, deeply personal, and at times difficult to believe. This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined by Patricia Knight Meyer, an adoptee, author, and adoption reform advocate whose search for the truth about her own life uncovered a black-market adoption, a hidden legal history, and questions that would ultimately shape her advocacy for adoptee rights. Patricia was adopted during the Baby Scoop Era, a period between 1945 and 1975 marked by intense social pressure surrounding unmarried pregnancy and more than 4 million infant adoptions. But when Patricia was 19 years old, she learned something shocking: her adoption had never actually been made legal. That discovery launched a decades-long search for answers. Patricia eventually uncovered the truth about the attorney involved in her placement, reunited with both of her birth parents, and began examining the larger systems of secrecy, sealed records, and lack of transparency that shaped adoption for generations. Her new book, Wonderland: Memoir of a Black-Market Adoption, releases November 3, 2026, as National Adoption Awareness Month begins. Rob and Patricia discuss identity, secrecy, reunion, adoptee rights, original birth records, and what happens when adoptees are finally able to access the truth about their own lives. They also explore why reunion is rarely the simple happy ending people imagine, what Patricia learned from reconnecting with both of her birth parents, and why adoption systems must provide greater transparency and accountability. At the center of the conversation is a fundamental question: Who should have the right to know the truth about an adoptee’s own history? Conversation Highlights Learning at age 19 that her adoption had never been legally finalized Uncovering the truth about her black-market placement Reuniting with both of her birth parents The emotional complexity of adoption reunion The history and social pressures of the Baby Scoop Era Why original birth certificates and adoption records were sealed The fight for adoptee rights and access to original birth records Why transparency and accountability matter in adoption systems About Patricia Knight Meyer Patricia Knight Meyer is an adoptee, writer, speaker, and full-time adoption reform advocate. A black-market baby of the Baby Scoop Era, Patricia discovered at age 19 that she had never legally been adopted. Her search for answers eventually led to reunions with both birth parents. Today, Patricia serves on the board of the National Association of Adoptees and Parents, hosts NAAP Happy Hour, and advocates for greater transparency, oversight, and access to original birth records. She is also the founder of YAYDNA Genetic Greetings. Her new book, Wonderland: Memoir of a Black-Market Adoption, is published November 3, 2026, by Unsolicited Press. Connect with Patricia Knight Meyer Website: https://www.myadoptedlife.com/ Book: https://www.wonderlandthememoir.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciaknightmeyer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somebodys__baby TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myadoptedlife Upcoming Event Patricia will participate in Down the Rabbit Hole: The Fight for Texas Adoptee Rights Then and Now on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, with a free livestream available at 6:30 PM CT. Event Information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/down-the-rabbit-hole-the-fight-for-texas-adoptee-rights-then-and-now-tickets-1999238210305 Throughout National Adoption Awareness Month, Comfort Cases: UnPacked will continue sharing adoption stories from different perspectives, including adoptees, adoptive families, and advocates whose experiences challenge us to think more deeply about family, identity, belonging, and permanency. Learn more about Comfort Cases: https://www.comfortcases.org/ Follow Comfort Cases: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfortcases Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfortcases/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases X: https://twitter.com/comfortcases Listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked at https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/ or your favorite podcast platform. 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Email info@comfortcases.org.

  2. Oct 27

    How to Talk to Kids About Anything with Dr. Robyn Silverman | Comfort Cases: UnPacked

    How do you talk to a child about something difficult without making it feel like a lecture, an interrogation, or one enormous “talk”? This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer welcomes Dr. Robyn Silverman, child and teen development specialist, bestselling author, and host of How to Talk to Kids About Anything. Known as “The Conversation Doc,” Dr. Robyn shares practical ways parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, educators, and other caring adults can build trust and help children feel comfortable opening up. Starting with money and finances, Rob and Dr. Robyn explore how everyday conversations can help children navigate self-esteem, friendship, mistakes, grief, mental health, relationships, identity, and belonging. They also discuss how to approach sensitive topics with children who have experienced trauma, separation, or instability—and how to respond when a child shares something serious. The goal isn’t to find the perfect words. It’s to keep talking. IN THIS EPISODE • Talking about money and finances in age-appropriate ways • Why smaller, ongoing conversations work better than one big “talk” • Building trust with children who have experienced instability • Discussing grief, separation, identity, and belonging without forcing disclosure • Responding when a child speaks negatively about themselves • Talking about mistakes and failure without reinforcing shame • What to do when a child shares something serious • Why connection comes before correction • Listening so children know they can come to you about anything ABOUT DR. ROBYN SILVERMAN Dr. Robyn Silverman is a child and teen development specialist, speaker, bestselling author, and host of How to Talk to Kids About Anything. She founded Powerful Words Character Development, created Kidversation Cards, and developed the Empower-Launch Leadership Academy. Her work has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and in The New York Times. CONNECT WITH DR. ROBYN Website: https://drrobynsilverman.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrRobynSilverman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrRobynSilverman/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@DrRobynSilverman CONNECT WITH COMFORT CASES Learn about our mission to bring dignity, comfort, and hope to children experiencing foster care: https://comfortcases.org/ Find more episodes and listening platforms: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/ Subscribe for more conversations, and share this episode with someone who cares for or works with children. #ComfortCases #UnPacked #DrRobynSilverman #Parenting #FosterCare

  3. Oct 20

    Support Before Separation: Rethinking Child Welfare with Tewabech Genet Stewart

    Listeners and Viewers: This interview was initially scheduled to post in November during National Adoption Awareness Month. But because of scheduling and the content's impact, we chose to air it early. Why does help sometimes arrive only after a child has been removed from home? After 22 years inside Florida’s child welfare system, Tewabech Genet Stewart began questioning the assumptions behind family separation, adoption, and support. Becoming an adoptive mother made those questions even more urgent. On Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer and Genet explore a powerful possibility: meaningful help for families before a crisis leads to separation. The conversation gets real about poverty, safety, the loss alongside the love in adoption, and the difference between supporting families and policing families. Genet brings a deeply personal perspective. Experiences of family separation during the Liberian civil war, decades working in child welfare, and adopting a son through foster care shaped Genet’s understanding of family, loss, and belonging. At the heart of the episode: Would children choose the child welfare system as currently designed? 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE • From child welfare executive to outspoken critic • How becoming an adoptive mother deepened Genet’s concerns • Why resources may become available after removal • The loss and separation sometimes missing from adoption narratives • Protecting children experiencing genuine abuse, neglect, or danger • Bringing lived experience into child welfare decisions • Building support around dignity, prevention, and community 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION How could communities better support families before a crisis? Share thoughts in the comments. 📌 A NOTE TO LISTENERS AND VIEWERS Originally scheduled for November during National Adoption Awareness Month, this interview is airing early because of scheduling considerations and the impact of the conversation. Comfort Cases: UnPacked Season 8, Episode 302 Airdate: October 20, 2026 Host: Rob Scheer Guest: Tewabech Genet Stewart ABOUT GENET Tewabech Genet Stewart is a speaker, strategic consultant, former child welfare executive, and adoptive mother. Experiences in Liberia and Florida shape Genet’s work around family, belonging, and human dignity. In January 2027, Genet plans to launch Tewabech Genet LLC, a consulting and speaking practice that helps organizations and funders rethink how they support children and families. CONNECT WITH GENET Website: http://www.tewabechgenet.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tewabechgenet/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tewabech-genet-stewart-b415b457 CONNECT WITH COMFORT CASES Website: https://www.comfortcases.org/ Previous episodes: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfortcases Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfortcases/ X: https://twitter.com/comfortcases TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases 📩 Questions or suggestions for future guests? Email: info@comfortcases.org Subscribe for more honest conversations about foster care, family, and belonging. #ComfortCases #UnPacked #ChildWelfare

  4. Oct 13

    Old Before Their Time: What Trauma Does to Children in Foster Care with Dr. Frank Putnam

    What if a child’s behavior is not simply “acting out” — but a response to something their body and brain have learned in order to survive? This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined by Dr. Frank W. Putnam, professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and an internationally recognized expert on the effects of childhood abuse, trauma, and family violence. For nearly four decades, Dr. Putnam’s work has examined how childhood maltreatment can affect emotional development, physical health, relationships, and even biology over time. Much of that work has included children involved in foster care, adoption, child protective services, and residential treatment — young people whose behavior is too often misunderstood without recognizing the trauma behind it. Rob and Dr. Putnam discuss how trauma can show up in ways caregivers may mistake for defiance, manipulation, withdrawal, or “bad behavior,” and why understanding those signals can completely change the way adults respond. They also explore the long-term effects of childhood trauma, the importance of stable and supportive relationships, and why providing a child with a safe placement is only the beginning of the healing process. Dr. Putnam’s latest book, Old Before Their Time, brings together decades of research into how childhood maltreatment can follow someone into adulthood — and what caregivers, professionals, and systems can do to help change that trajectory. CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS • How childhood trauma can appear as behavior that adults may misunderstand • What foster and adoptive parents should know when a child’s full history is unknown • How abuse, neglect, and chronic instability can affect both mental and physical health • What dissociation can look like in children and why it may be overlooked • Why Developmental Trauma Disorder can provide a useful framework for understanding children with complex trauma histories • The kinds of training foster and adoptive parents need to better recognize and respond to trauma • Why one stable, caring adult can have a profound impact on a child’s development • What research tells us about intergenerational trauma and breaking cycles of abuse • Why permanency and a safe home are essential, but may not be enough on their own • How trauma-informed care can change the way parents, teachers, caseworkers, and systems respond to children ABOUT DR. FRANK W. PUTNAM Frank W. Putnam, MD, is a professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and an internationally recognized expert on the effects of childhood abuse and family violence. He co-founded the Female Growth and Development Study with the late Dr. Penelope Trickett. This long-term research project followed survivors of childhood sexual abuse from childhood into adulthood. His work has explored trauma, dissociation, mental and physical health, development, and biological aging. Dr. Putnam is the author of more than 200 research papers and four books. His latest book, Old Before Their Time, examines how childhood maltreatment can shape health and development across a lifetime and what decades of research can teach us about prevention, treatment, and healing. CONNECT WITH DR. FRANK PUTNAM Website: https://www.frankputnam.com/ LEARN MORE ABOUT COMFORT CASES Website: https://www.comfortcases.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfortcases Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfortcases/ X: https://twitter.com/comfortcases TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases Listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked at https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/ or on your favorite podcast platform. 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Reach out at info@comfortcases.org — we’d love to hear from you!

  5. Oct 6

    It Takes a Community: Keeping Families Together Before Crisis Becomes Foster Care

    COMFORT CASES: UNPACKED | PREVENTING CRISIS THROUGH COMMUNITY What if helping a family before a crisis becomes overwhelming could prevent a child from ever entering foster care? Sometimes the need is enormous. But sometimes it is a bed. A ride. Groceries. Clothing. A utility bill. Or simply having someone nearby who is willing to help. This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined by Adrien Lewis, founder of CarePortal, a technology platform designed to connect children and families in crisis with people and communities ready to respond. Adrien is also a foster and adoptive parent, and his own experience helped shape the way he sees one of the most persistent challenges facing vulnerable families: social isolation. When families have no one to call, relatively manageable problems can escalate quickly. And while government systems play an essential role in protecting children, they cannot replace the relationships, practical support and community connections that help families stay stable in the first place. Rob and Adrien discuss why keeping families together requires more than services alone, how CarePortal connects needs identified by child serving professionals with local churches, businesses, organizations and individuals and why seemingly small acts of support can sometimes change the entire trajectory of a family. At the center of the conversation is a powerful idea: sometimes preventing a crisis begins by making sure a family knows they are not facing it alone. CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS • Why social isolation can make already difficult family situations much worse • Where government and child welfare systems reach their limits • Common misconceptions about why children enter foster care • How Adrien’s experience as a foster and adoptive parent shaped his work • How CarePortal’s Care Sharing model connects families with local support • Why needs like beds, transportation, clothing or groceries can have an outsized impact • How early community intervention can help strengthen families before a crisis escalates • Why practical help must be offered without judgment or stigma • What CarePortal has learned after reaching hundreds of thousands of children and families • How individuals, congregations, businesses and community organizations can get involved ABOUT ADRIEN LEWIS Adrien Lewis began his career in business development, working across healthcare, technology and education. A mission trip to Haiti with his wife, Cynthia, in 2007 changed the direction of his life and eventually led him to work more deeply with vulnerable children and families. Adrien later became a foster and adoptive parent and ultimately left the business world to focus full time on this work. He went on to develop CarePortal, a Care Sharing technology platform that connects needs identified by child serving professionals with local people, churches, businesses and organizations that want to help. CONNECT WITH ADRIEN LEWIS & CAREPORTAL Website: [www.careportal.org](http://www.careportal.org) Facebook: [www.facebook.com/TheCarePortal](http://www.facebook.com/TheCarePortal) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/careportal](http://www.instagram.com/careportal) X: x.com/_careportal LinkedIn: [www.linkedin.com/in/adrien-lewis/](http://www.linkedin.com/in/adrien-lewis/) ABOUT COMFORT CASES To find out more about Comfort Cases, please visit: [www.comfortcases.org](http://www.comfortcases.org) FOLLOW COMFORT CASES Facebook: [www.facebook.com/comfortcases](http://www.facebook.com/comfortcases) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/comfortcases/](http://www.instagram.com/comfortcases/) Twitter/X: twitter.com/comfortcases TikTok: [www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases](http://www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases) LISTEN TO COMFORT CASES: UNPACKED To listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked, visit: [www.comfortcases.org/podcast](http://www.comfortcases.org/podcast) You can also find Comfort Cases: UnPacked on your favorite podcast platform. Have thoughts, questions or an idea for a future guest? Reach out at [info@comfortcases.org](mailto:info@comfortcases.org). We’d love to hear from you! #ComfortCases #ComfortCasesUnPacked #CarePortal #FosterCare #ChildWelfare #FamilySupport #CommunitySupport #KeepingFamiliesTogether #FosterFamilies #SocialIsolation

  6. Sep 29

    When Art Helps Heal: Building Resilience Through Creativity and Connection with Matt Sandoval

    ,Today on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, I’m joined by Matt Sandoval, M.Ed., M.S.W., LMSW, Chief Executive Officer of Art Heals Arizona, formerly known as Free Arts. Matt is a social worker, educator, and nonprofit leader who helps children and teens transform trauma into resilience through art and mentorship. His work is especially focused on young people experiencing trauma, instability, or separation from their families. In this conversation, we explore why creativity can be such a powerful tool for healing, how a consistent relationship with a caring adult can help young people feel seen and supported, and what research and program evaluation can teach us about the impact of these approaches. IN THIS EPISODE 🎨 Why art can be much more than a recreational activity and how creative expression can support healing and resilience 🤝 How art-based mentorship helps children and teens experiencing trauma, parental separation, and instability build meaningful relationships 💭 Why creativity can give young people a way to process difficult emotions when they may not yet have the words to describe what they have experienced ❤️ The connection between art and mentorship and why the relationship with a trusted adult is such an important part of the model 📊 How Art Heals Arizona evaluates its programs and measures outcomes like resilience, connection, and emotional well-being 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Practical ways foster parents, caregivers, educators and social workers can bring more creativity into their work with children 🌱 What Matt hopes more communities will understand about the role art, mentorship, and creativity can play in helping young people heal ABOUT MATT SANDOVAL Matt Sandoval, M.Ed., M.S.W., LMSW, is the Chief Executive Officer of Art Heals Arizona, formerly Free Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children and teens transform trauma into resilience through art and mentorship. Under Matt’s leadership, the organization has expanded its services across Arizona and grown its role as a thought leader in resilience-building programs. Matt is a speaker and trainer on trauma-informed care, mentorship, and healing through the arts. He also has clinical experience using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy. He holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University. ABOUT ART HEALS ARIZONA Art Heals Arizona works with children and teens experiencing trauma, instability and separation from their families, using the combination of creative expression and mentorship to help young people build resilience and develop healthier ways to process difficult experiences. The organization recently hosted its Resilience Hearts Symposium in Scottsdale, bringing together professionals focused on resilience-building and trauma-informed work. LEARN MORE Website: (http://www.arthealsaz.org) Matt Sandoval on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-sandoval-94765b5/ A CONVERSATION FOR ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT CHILDREN Whether you are a foster parent, caregiver, educator, social worker, mentor, or simply someone who believes every child deserves the opportunity to heal and thrive, this conversation offers a powerful look at how creativity and connection can make a difference. Subscribe to Comfort Cases and follow along with Comfort Cases: UnPacked for more conversations about children, foster care, resilience, healing and the people working to create meaningful change.

  7. Sep 22

    Creating Stability: How Community Can Change a Child’s Future with Larry Rein

    What does stability really mean for a child in foster care? It is more than simply having a place to sleep. It means knowing where you'll be tomorrow. It means having adults you can trust. It means not having to start over again and again while the adults around you determine what comes next. This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined by Larry Rein, President and CEO of ChildNet, the nonprofit Community Based Care lead agency responsible for managing foster care services in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida. Larry has been with ChildNet since its founding in 2002 and has spent more than two decades strengthening the network of families, service providers, community organizations, and advocates supporting children and families involved in foster care. Together, Rob and Larry discuss what happens behind the phrase “foster care system,” why stability means so much more than simply finding a placement, and where the system still struggles to provide children with the consistency and support they need. They also explore an important reality: Foster care cannot succeed through agencies alone. Foster parents, kinship caregivers, schools, businesses, donors, volunteers, service providers, and everyday community members all have a role to play in helping children and families succeed. At the heart of the conversation is a question that affects every community: What would change if we stopped thinking of foster care as someone else’s responsibility? CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS • What ChildNet’s role actually looks like in the lives of children and families • Common misconceptions about why children enter foster care • Why turning a placement into true stability requires much more than finding a home • The impact repeated moves and disruptions can have on children in care • Why reunification, adoption, kinship care, and permanency can look different for every child and family • The enormous responsibilities placed on foster parents and kinship caregivers • What has improved in foster care over the past two decades—and where major challenges remain • Why agencies cannot solve the challenges of foster care without community involvement • How businesses, schools, donors, volunteers, and local organizations can support children and families • Where Larry sees opportunities to improve outcomes for children in the years ahead • How someone who wants to help can find the role that is right for them ABOUT LARRY REIN Larry N. Rein is President and Chief Executive Officer of ChildNet, Inc., the nonprofit Community Based Care lead agency contracted by the State of Florida to manage foster care services in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Larry has been with ChildNet since its inception in 2002, previously serving as Vice President of Network Development and Palm Beach Executive Director. He also serves on the boards and executive committees of several behavioral health and child welfare organizations, including the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network, Florida Coalition for Children, and Florida Coalition for Children Foundation. Larry holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a Master of Science degree from St. John’s University. His service to children and families has earned him both 211 Broward’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the FLITE Center’s Lifetime Heroes Award. CONNECT WITH LARRY REIN & CHILDNET Website: https://www.childnet.us/ Facebook: @ChildNet Instagram: @childnetfl LinkedIn: ChildNet, Inc. CONNECT WITH COMFORT CASES Website: https://www.comfortcases.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfortcases Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfortcases/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/comfortcases TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases Listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/ You can also listen on your favorite podcast platform. 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Email us at info@comfortcases.org — we’d love to hear from you!

  8. Sep 15

    Beyond a Placement: Creating Homes Where Young People Can Heal

    What does it really mean to give a young person in foster care a home? Not simply a placement. Not just a bed. But a place where they feel safe enough, supported enough, and understood enough to begin to heal. This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined from the United Kingdom by Trevor Elliott MBE, Managing Director of Kennedy Elliott and a longtime foster carer and advocate for vulnerable children and young people. The conversation opens on a lighter and deeply personal note as Rob reflects on receiving his honorary degree from Lynn University and compares that experience with Trevor being awarded an MBE, Member of the Order of the British Empire, for his service to vulnerable children. From there, the discussion turns to the work both men have devoted much of their lives to: improving the way children and young people experience foster care. Trevor became a foster carer in his twenties and has spent decades supporting young people through fostering, residential care, mentoring, sports, and community programs. Today, his work focuses on creating environments where young people who have experienced trauma can build trust, stability, and a genuine sense of belonging. Rob and Trevor also compare the foster care systems in the United States and United Kingdom, exploring the challenges both countries share, including placement instability, shortages of foster homes, changing pressures on caregivers, and the need to better prepare adults to support young people growing up in an increasingly complex world. As Trevor puts it: “We need more homes for these kids.” But more homes alone are not enough. Trevor also stresses the need for more “foster carers” and better training to give them the coping mechanisms and tools they need to support children growing up in today’s technology era. What receiving an MBE meant to Trevor, and Rob’s comparison to receiving his honorary degree from Lynn University Trevor’s experience becoming a foster carer in his twenties The difference between providing a young person with a placement and creating a true home Why trauma, past relationships, and broken trust can influence a young person’s behavior The importance of responding to challenging behavior with understanding rather than judgment Why the UK needs more foster carers and more homes for children in care Why foster carers need better preparation and coping strategies for raising young people in today’s technology era The similarities and differences between foster care in the United Kingdom and the United States The impact of placement instability and repeated moves on young people Why relationships, mentoring, sports, and community can play such an important role in healing How adults can help children in care see themselves as more than a label or a circumstance Trevor Elliott MBE has dedicated much of his adult life to supporting vulnerable children and young people. He became a foster carer in his twenties and went on to establish residential children’s homes across London while continuing to support young people through fostering, sports, mentorship, and community programs. Trevor is Managing Director of Kennedy Elliott, which provides accommodation and trauma-informed support for young people ages 11–25 who have experienced significant adversity. Its approach focuses on creating safe, nurturing environments and dependable relationships where young people can heal, develop, and reach their potential. Trevor has also used his platform to advocate publicly for children in care and to draw attention to the growing pressures facing the UK foster care system. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to vulnerable children. Website: Kennedy Elliott For those in our audience who are in Trevor’s home of the United Kingdom, a reminder that in 2022, Comfort Cases UK opened its doors, supporting the approximately 80,000 children and young people in foster care there. Please consider supporting Comfort Cases UK by visiting: www.comfortcasesuk.org To find out more about Comfort Cases, please visit our website: www.comfortcases.org. You can also follow us on our social media channels: Facebook Instagram Twitter/X TikTok To listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked, please visit www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast platform. 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Reach out at fosteringchange@comfortcases.org — we’d love to hear from you! Conversation Highlights About Trevor Elliott MBE Connect with Trevor Elliott & Kennedy Elliott

  9. Sep 8

    When the Safety Net Disappears: Youth in Foster Care, Aging Out, and the College Dream That Shouldn't Be Out of Reach

    What happens when a young person turns 18 and the system that has been responsible for them suddenly expects them to figure out adulthood on their own? For many young adults, leaving home for college comes with parents helping them move into a dorm, answering late-night phone calls, offering financial support, and reminding them that there is always somewhere to come home to. For youth aging out of foster care, that safety net may simply not exist. This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined by Eddie Sumlin and Kynya Cade of First Place for Youth, an organization helping transition-age foster youth build stable, independent lives through housing, education, employment, coaching, and long-term support. Eddie brings nearly two decades of experience helping young people pursue education and career opportunities. Kynya brings something equally important: lived experience. A former foster youth and current college student, Kynya has spent nearly three years in First Place for Youth's transitional housing program and is now an intern with the organization. Together, Rob, Eddie, and Kynya explore what “aging out” really looks like, why higher education can remain out of reach for so many foster youth, and the difference between expecting an 18-year-old to be independent and actually giving them the tools to succeed. At the center of the conversation is an important reminder: young people leaving foster care don't need lower expectations. They need the same support, opportunity, and people in their corner that every young person deserves. What “aging out” of foster care actually means for a young person The difference between turning 18 and truly being prepared for adulthood Why college can remain out of reach for foster youth even when they have the ability and ambition to succeed How housing instability can affect education, employment, and long-term independence Why First Place for Youth combines housing, education, employment, and individualized coaching What Kynya experienced as she transitioned from foster care into adulthood How stable support helped Kynya pursue college and begin helping other young people Why one consistent, caring adult can have an enormous impact on a young person's future What communities, employers, mentors, donors, and advocates can do to support youth leaving foster care Eddie Sumlin has dedicated nearly 20 years to helping young people achieve educational and career success. For the past eight years, he has worked with First Place for Youth, supporting former foster youth as they pursue higher education, employment, stable housing, and independent living. Before joining First Place for Youth, Eddie spent nearly a decade working with a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-supported college access initiative, helping students navigate the path to higher education. Today, his work focuses on making sure young adults leaving foster care have the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need not simply to survive adulthood, but to thrive. Kynya Cade is a 20-year-old former foster youth and student at Santa Monica College, where she is studying psychology. She has participated in First Place for Youth's transitional housing program for nearly three years and recently joined the organization as an intern. Kynya's journey offers a firsthand perspective on both the challenges young people can face when leaving foster care and what becomes possible when they have access to stable housing, education, meaningful relationships, and opportunity. Website: First Place for Youth Facebook: First Place for Youth Instagram: @FirstPlaceforYouth LinkedIn: First Place for Youth Kynya Cade: LinkedIn To find out more about Comfort Cases, please visit our website: www.comfortcases.org. You can also follow us on our social media channels: Facebook Instagram Twitter/X TikTok To listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked, please visit www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast platform. 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Reach out at fosteringchange@comfortcases.org — we'd love to hear from you! Conversation HighlightsAbout Eddie SumlinAbout Kynya CadeConnect with First Place for Youth

  10. Sep 1

    Unpacking the Podcast: What’s Next | David Thalberg & Nicholas Balestracci

    A new season. A new name. And a chance to unpack where we’ve been and where we’re going next. After seven seasons as Fostering Change, we’re beginning a new chapter with Comfort Cases: UnPacked. The name may be changing, but the mission remains the same: creating honest conversations about foster care, amplifying lived experiences, and introducing you to the “Good Humans” working every day to create change. For the Season 8 premiere, Rob Scheer turns the microphones around and welcomes two people who are usually behind the scenes: David Thalberg, Public Relations Director for Comfort Cases and the podcast's producer, and Nicholas Balestracci, Vice President of Marketing for Comfort Cases. Together, Rob, David, and Nick reflect on how the podcast has evolved, what goes into creating each episode, and why storytelling has become such an important part of the Comfort Cases mission. They also look ahead to The F Word: America’s Foster Care Crisis, a special investigative series exploring some of the most difficult issues facing the child welfare system, as well as Rob’s upcoming podcast, Built on Purpose. Most importantly, they answer a question Rob likes to ask every year: Why should we keep doing this? ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS • Why Fostering Change became Comfort Cases: UnPacked • How the podcast has evolved over seven seasons • What David and Nick do behind the scenes • How the team chooses guests and stories • What David and Nick have learned from listening to lived experiences • Memorable guests and conversations • Why storytelling is essential to the Comfort Cases mission • A preview of The F Word: America’s Foster Care Crisis and Built on Purpose ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ABOUT DAVID THALBERG David Thalberg serves as Public Relations Director for Comfort Cases and is President of the Stryker-Munley Group in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since 2020, David has helped lead communications and media relations for Comfort Cases and the Scheer family. He also produces Comfort Cases: UnPacked, The F Word: America’s Foster Care Crisis, and Rob Scheer’s upcoming podcast, Built on Purpose. With more than 30 years of experience, David advises organizations and leaders on strategic communications, media relations, positioning, branding, thought leadership, and storytelling. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ABOUT NICHOLAS BALESTRACCI Nicholas Balestracci is Vice President of Marketing at Comfort Cases, where he helps expand awareness of the organization and its mission to bring dignity, hope, and comfort to children and youth in foster care. Nick also leads the technical and digital production of Comfort Cases: UnPacked by editing and engineering episodes, publishing the show across podcast and video platforms, and overseeing social media content for Comfort Cases and its podcasts. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CONNECT WITH DAVID THALBERG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidthalberg X: https://x.com/davidthalberg TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbirrrrrd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidthalberg/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CONNECT WITH COMFORT CASES Website: https://www.comfortcases.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfortcases Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfortcases/ X: https://x.com/comfortcases TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@comfort_cases Listen to previous episodes and discover what’s coming next: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/ 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Email fosteringchange@comfortcases.org. We’d love to hear from you.

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Season 8 is here with a brand-new name: Comfort Cases: Unpacked. The name and look may be fresh, but the mission remains the same. Hosted by Dr. Rob Scheer, the podcast continues to share meaningful conversations and honest stories that bring the world of foster care to life in a way statistics alone never could. One of the questions we hear most often is: What can I actually do to make a difference? Tuning in is an important place to start. By listening, learning, and sharing these stories, you can become a more informed advocate for children and youth in foster care. Every episode is an act of advocacy. Every listener who shares it helps carry the message further than we can alone. We cannot wait for you to hear what we have been working on for Season 8! Learn more: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/Make a difference: https://give.comfortcases.org/campaign/697953/donate

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