What Is Foster Care Like 

Watching all the ads to help my girl out 🙏🏼💙

Katie saying that foster parents and birth parents that are basically a blended family, I couldn’t agree more with that. My son is in foster care I am getting him back next month and I couldn’t be more grateful for my sons foster parents they will forever be apart of our family

Did you see the new law in Canada for laurention university where if a child is raised in foster care they’ll receive free education?! Making Small steps to big changes❤️

Thank god you said the goal isn't adoption. And thank you for letting the birth parents play an important part.

Your friend is an angel 😇

Also, that story about Micah reacting to bringing the new baby home reminded me of a story of my own: I'm 2 and a half years younger than my sister, my cousin Mae is 3 months older than me. Apparently my sister thought that I was her baby cousin, because 2 weeks into my stay she goes "when is baby Mae Mae going back to Charlston?" Imagine her dismay when she realized that she was no longer an only child!

There should be more foster parents like Katie. I knew someone who was abused in foster care so it's kind of a touchy subject but knowing there's people like her out there makes me feel a little better.

Almost 3 years clean. DCPP held my hand the whole process. I thank them bc they saw my potential and didn’t give up on me. My kids are my life and they reminded me of that.💚💚💚💚

I'm on my work computer, not phone so ****1000 blue hearts**** Katie did amazing. She didn't come across nervous at all. Maybe there's a future foster mom life channel in her future? ;-). You look like sisters -- both gawgggeous!!

It's so, so reasurring to hear that you have to take classes regarding sexual abuse. This was a really awesome video. Very interesting 💜

I think it’s so smart that they’re going to contribute to increase the age they accept as they get older. She sounds like she did a lot of research which is so wonderful and refreshing! Great video thank you Jess 💞 Forever impressed and proud of your story and how far you’ve come.

I’m not even 10 minutes into this video and I’m already trying not to cry. I have such a special place in my heart for foster kids as a gymnastics coach and I think foster care is such an amazing and wonderful thing ❤️

I'm 35 but will you be my foster parent? You're so nice. Lol

"Let her walk around!" 😅 Oh sweet little Micah. 😍

This reminds me of how much I want to adopt one day. I want to adopt and Indigenous kid bc I’m Indigenous and so many indigenous children get placed in homes that don’t understand our culture. I’m not sure full time fostering would be for me but the idea of respisecare is very interesting. Once I have an established life i think I will look into it more.

She felt uncomfortable talking about the compensation. It is O.K. - if it would be charity, how many people would be able to afford it, while also having the willinness and ability to do it ?? - She was or is stay at home (when she got her first foster child), and even if she works she has to be flexible for the sake of the child that is lost. This not a well oiled machine with a well adjusted kid, that _can_ be handed over to a neighbour for sitting, if she would have a change of plans. The foster kids are already traumatized enough, so the environment has to be very steady and the circle of persons they have to deal with (while their world is upended) has to remain small. In other words: children before job, and that excludes demanding jobs or those who require some flexibility from employee. so if she _can_ work at all, she has to stick to predictable jobs, you show up, you go home and you can leve it all there at the workplace. That's not the kind of jobs, that offer a lot of career chances or good pay. So she foregoes to bring in money in another job, instead she cares for children. She would be paid as a nurse, childcare worker, teacher. I doubt the compensation is that much to compensate for the lost income of a job - but it is certainly O.K. to get more out of it than the extra expenditures.

No way that's your friend! she looks like your sister Y'all are literally twins! 👌🏻🖤

Love the way y’all interact with each other , you can see how close you are. She’s an amazing human, and TimTom for what they do ❤️

Fostering is my future! I’ve known since I was 12 that I didn’t want biological kids & am 25 now. I’m working on getting my home ready and my finances in order. Thank you both so much for this video!

fellow foster mom here. you did a great job representing and explaining the misconceptions! 💙💙💙

"you're essentially a blended family" what a beautiful way of putting it. The families in Katie's care are so blessed

*You should have her make an amazon wish list for us to help her! ! She deserves it so much!!*

The fact that my brain can focus on all your longer videos without me being distracted is hugeeeeee for me probably due to all the fascinating lessons and stories I learn about from your personal experiences as you use this platform for good!!

Jess you have helped so many people out with addiction that you don't even know about,keep doing what your doing girl,love your videos.

I have 4 kids 1 girl who is 5 then 3 boys who are 4, 2 and 1. I would love to foster little beans eventually. I love kids and if my husband and I can make even a little difference for a child and their parents that would mean everything to me.

There is a other great foster family on you tube. The channel is called... BE THE VILLAGE. they are a wonderful family, and the mom is such a sweetheart

What an amazing and mature young lady!! 💕 It kind of feels like they should require more to keep up your certification. I don’t say that to insult her but just to protect the kids in the bad foster homes. 🏚

This is so fascinating from my perspective. I spent most of my childhood in foster care because my mother was an addict. I am here in your comments to complete the foster care perspective trifecta 😂 Edit: oof. So hard to always hear about not taking teens. It makes sense but it’s so so hard to place teens. I would’ve loved having an adult closer to my age that remembered what being a teenager is like, and someone who could have guided me into adulthood.

Katie is definitely a Angel sent from above. She was put here for what she does and it shows. Most definitely need more Katie's to help kids out. It was something I always wanted to do once my youngest got older but as my daughter got older my health took a huge turn and I wasn't able to dont see anything changes but so glad she talked about something that is so needed 😘

Anyone willing to help a kid in need; is a god send!

In my area, foster care agencies are starting to expect foster families not to give a race preference and to be willing to serve children of any race. It is really upsetting that a foster family would give a race preference. There is no good reason for it. Thank you for stating that foster care is about reunification! Reunification is always the first goal. :)

Once my nest is empty....we've been thinking about fostering a child. We've only 2 bedroom house. So only one bedroom available for a child. Which is my daughters room now. It's a tiny house...i wonder if that's ok. As well as we've got 3 dogs! 3 cats.

💙💙💙 People like Katie renew my faith in the world

My MIL owns a private daycare & the majority of the kids she watches is in Foster care. It's amazing to see the transformation made from their 1st day when they come in, malnourished half the time, sometimes bruises all over them, hanging their heads when you try to talk to them & then see them a few months later very healthy & happy❤. I get SO attached to them.

I have been in foster care for 3 months when I was 4 or 5 years old. It's very interesting to see the parents side. I really hope that one day I will be able to either adopt or get foster children. I just want to give something back

Dang Katie girl, hitting home with the concept, “If you’re doing it right...” Amen, Sister! I personally feel like there’s been societal hierarchies placed on people who adopt vs foster vs foster to adopt etc. and adoption can be often seen as “sainthood” and fostering can be often seen as a greedy and even neglecting field. Yet, there are people with negative motives, and bad intentions within EVERY area of life! Way to shine a BEAUTIFUL and honest light on the need to come together FOR OUR CHILDREN! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 THANK YOU for your vulnerability 💜 #KeepOnKeepinOnBabe 💪🏽👊🏽💥 👶🏼👧🏻🧒🏽👦🏾👱🏻‍♀️🧑🏻👩🏿‍🦱👩🏻‍🦰👱🏻‍♀️ 🙋🏿‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏾‍♂️🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏼‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

Props for doing a video on this topic! 👏 My sister is a foster mom ❤️

💙💙💙💙 I love this relationship dynamic! Seeing 2 friends grow in separate ways & then make it back together. I can’t wait to be a foster mom! Greg & I are planning on doing that once we are in a position to be able to do it. I want to make sure that we can provide for Emerson first, and then I will spend the rest of my life supporting other littles & teenagers! Edit: PA allows felons to be foster parents as long as you pass the classes & home visits. As long as your record has been clean for X amount of years, you can do it!

That was really interesting. You're providing a great service!

Awwwww like I think she’s amazing❤️ We need more people like her!

💙💙💙 We’re also thinking about becoming foster parents and this is awesome to get another perspective. Question - Do you plan on having birth children? How do you think the dynamic would be with foster children and birth children? I have two birth children but always knew I wanted to foster as well - just not sure how the kids would be emotionally with fosters coming in and then leaving.

Foster, Adopted, Blood if you're caring for a child under your roof you're a parent, I'm adopted and my mom will always be my mom no matter what. She watched me come out of the womb so there's literally no difference.💟💟💟 Love you so much jess💟💟💟 XOXO

I was adopted by my older sister along with my 2 other siblings in 2009. (My mom relied on men and drugs and didn’t put her children first) But first before my sister adopted us we had to go through foster care systems to see if my mom could change her ways but she didnt so the courts let my sister adopted us.. She was only 23 years old when she started fostering us, she was pregnant with her first child but lost it in a car accident from a drunk driver (plus a fracture pelvis) but that didn’t stop her from taking care of us. My little sister was entering kindergarten and now she’s a senior in hs.. I’m so happy there’s fosters care/adoption. We also went to respite care once a month which is cool because I met someone pretty amazing people there. Everything your friend is saying in NY is basically the same way in AZ! Thank you for sharing her story with us💙

I used to foster dogs and it was an AMAZING experience. I worked with a rescue that took dogs from death row & abuse situations. It was beautiful to see the transformation of their trust of humans, their behavior, & to genuinely see them happy for once! But god it’s so heartbreaking to let them go.

I SWEAR YOU 2 COULD PASS FOR SISTERS.💯❤❤

I am glad to see Katie again. In-person interviews are so great. Great topic. Amazing that you two are still friends. It's great when we can change, go through things, and return to our friends. She (and her parents) are inspiring! ALSO HER HAIR IS GORGEOUS!

At what age does a child have a say at whether they want to go back to their biological parent(s)? Or do they at all before 18?

Wow your friend is amazing. It nice of her open her home for help a foster kid. I was foster kid since I was 6. My first home was abusive. They did it for the wrong reasons. Luckily my second foster home was good. I got adopted in their cared. 😀

Jess I love your phases of the moon shirt. It is awesome! I am fascinated with the moon and its phases

Excellent topic. Foster Care children need good, trusting, qualified and loving homes. I salute those who step up when our fellow Americans/s are in need. Our social eco system is in trouble. The fact we need people to raise other people's children is a sign that our sociatal structure is coming apart at the glue. The positive aspect is that, the saying "it takes a village to raise a child", holds true. Great video! Much Respect to Katie and TimTom 😆 💙

This is such an amazing thing you’re doing! If I could just ask, would she ever adopt a placement before she had her own biological children?

I don't have a phone, but it's occurred to me I can copy and paste so... 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 yay!

I have always wanted to be a Social Worker or Foster Parent... Can you still Foster if you don't own your home? & do you have to have good credit?? 😇💜😘

Up early watching my girl Jess while at work! Love ya 💙🙏💙

This is awesome!!! Jess I love all your videos but the last 2 weeks have been amazing💙💙💙 great job! I still talk to the foster mom that my daughter went to 12 years ago. Thankfully she was the best. She was so good to my daughter. Katie your job is very hard but so rewarding. Keep up the good work.

Thank you. I got my son back weeks ago. Worked very hard and guys this was all over a one night lapse, I e actually been clean 5 years April, 1,2014 so never think for one second that because ur clean, that a slip, just one night it will be ok and your life won't change from that single mistake! Mine did, 💯 I never thought in a million years that the next day my life would change. I damaged my family relationships, friendships excetera. I love the foster family the took me and my son as new members to their family. We were very blessed.

Would be great if they'd allow certain felons who could test out to do foster parenting. People who are changing their lives would be perfect to help in this way.

I had a little boy for a year and he suddenly got placed with family. In the matter of a few hours he was gone and I fell apart. I have a piece of my heart with all of the foster littles that came and went.

What a true angel your friend is!!!!! We are in need of about 100000 more couples like this. 😀this makes my heart so very happy.

well now iam kinda pissed, i was a foster child / ward of the state. i was put in the worst foster n group homes. that abuse in everyway. to see a good one makes me feel cheated. but i love that there are good ones like you. so thank you!

I love this...my foster situation was like a puppy mill i was there for their check it was short lived they really didnt wanna be bothered too much

Katie did incredible. She is an amazing woman.💙💙💙💙💙 Thank you for doing what you do Katie. You are loved.

I want to foster when I'm older/financially stable/etc. I'm currently in college going for an early childhood education degree.

Your friend is such an amazing person.

Katie, you and Tim-Tom are beautiful souls! To give the gift of love and security at the risk of your own heartbreak is such a beautiful story in this ugly world. You are giving these kids a chance at life, success and knowing true love, yet still fully supporting their parent(s). Jessica, introducing us to Katie, someone who is so beautiful and kind-hearted screams what a true gem you are yourself! You attract like minded people and it’s a shame that with the personal lows and more importantly, the successes both you and Reece have had that you aren’t eligible to become Foster parents. With your life history, you’d have so much knowledge and hope to the Foster care system! Thanks again for another amazing story🥰🥰

I didnt have an ideal childhood but no foster care but i had friends who were but their experiences were really awful. Thank God for people like Katie! I wanted to do foster care but my husband is a permanent resident not a citizen and they wont let us apply until he gets his citizenship which is !$1000ish. But Katie...u ROCK!!

This was a fantastic video Jess !! Thank you so much for sharing your friend’s experience with us. Hopefully this was a little push that was needed for some ppl thinking about fostering children. Thanks again ❤️

First time Iv heard respite be called res bit. Respite care is also used for parents with children who are very ill or have sever learning difficulties at special medical respite centres.

I love how you’re bringing awareness to the great need for good foster parents! It’s especially refreshing that as someone who has had a child go into care, you don’t view them as the enemy as so many parents do! I plan to be a foster parent & I will try to be as loving and supportive to birth parents as possible! It makes me feel so much better to know that there are some bio parents out there who will see it as a co-parenting relationship rather than a battle!

For all the people who want to foster in the future, there are lots of ways to serve other than being a foster parent. 1) Help existing foster parents with babysitting, breaks, taking meals with new placements/going to store etc. 2) Become a CASA (court appointed special advocate) Bio parents have their own lawyer, foster agency has a lawyer, kids have a lawyer (or should) but the CASA is supposed to watch out for the child's best interest. 3) Check if your area has a Citizen Review Board. The board reviews X number of cases/case files a year to make sure policy is being followed and that the child is getting everything they should. 4) Many areas have 'clothing closets' which offer clothes and supplies. Help gather stuff and organize clothes etc.

My sister has 8 foster kids in her home right now she has adopted 6 of them and also has 3 kids of her own!! Shes so amazing and helps these kids through alot of their problems!!! Her kids range from 3 yrs old to 17 yrs old!!

Katie is an amazing person with amazing hair.

Thank you so much for what you and your husband do! My daughter was put into foster care at birth and I got her back when she was 6 months old by working my butt off and staying clean. My foster mom was amazing! Her whole family was! After I got my baby back she said she was only doing respite for a long time because it hurt her so much when the babies went home. She loved my daughter like her own so I get it. It has to be hard! I moved out of the town where she was born almost a year ago and my baby will be 2 in 20 days but I still send her pics every once in a while.

Hi Jessica? I appreciate your videos. I was wondering if I could email you with some questions about foster care? It's interesting because most of the videos on youtube are from the perspective of the foster parents.

I do have a question, are you allowed to get updates on the kiddos that you once had, or is that a big no no? Like follow them on social media, or just keep in touch if that makes sense. Her outlook on fostering is just heartwarming. Everything she said, I’d be like awe, yes, that’s exactly how I believe it should be. I have no experience in that, but I watch stories of kids going through the system and they do just need love and deserve to feel wanted♥️

Binge watching your videos and I have never wanted kids but I am so open to adoption. I am not married though. How hard is it to be a single foster parent if you have the income and home but not married? 💙💙💙💙

Y'all look similar to each other. Similar facial features. At first I thought she was your sister.

I always thought that i would love to foster,but i know that I am so sensitive that I would never be able to return them. I know adopting is an option but im single. Thankyou for the info.

I would love to be a foster parent when I'm finished with school and more financially stable. Because of my journey with addiction, I would love to foster or adopt children who have been affected by that in some way. There are so many kids out there who need a home, love, and support. I thought it was beautiful when she said that the goal is not adoption but reunification. You can tell that she has such a good heart 💙💙💙💙💙

Great video. Awesome conversation. I wish I could have foster kids. As soon as my divirce is finalized I very much want to do this. Just getting my soon to be 15yo only child son on board my be the trick.

I love co parenting with our current bio family ♡ there are times we or any foster parents have to pull back depending on how they are working their plan etc .

💙💙 I was a foster kid before being adopted by my foster parents. We need more foster parents like you!

She did great! 💙 ive always wanted to foster. My neice and nephews went into foster care a couple years ago. We occasionally run into the foster family and theyre so so great. I was so scared for them while they were away because i just didnt know what type of family they were with. But im so grateful that they took in 3 kids under 3! Now the kids are with my mother in law full time and she just took in their 3month old sister that's not even her grandchild! She didnt want her to be adopted out and be lost from her sister and brothers. Shes a warrior! If my mother in law didnt step up for them they'd be adopted out by now and we would never see them again. Their parents never tried to get them back and are still on the wrong path. I could never give up on my child.

What addiction did you have at 13?

Loved this!! Jess, what is on your left hand by your thumb?? A tattoo? Birthmark? I can’t tell and I’ve been meaning to ask! 😂

"If you doing it right you heart should break " wow, what an amazing woman.

I love this! I've always wanted to be a foster parent but I'm a single mom with a full time job so it's unfortunately not possible right now. It breaks my heart bc I'd do it in a minute if it was a possibility. Foster parents are amazing!!

Great video. Thanks so much. Such important topics. Wonderful job being a foster parent. Thanks so much for helping families and their children.

I absolutely love this video. I had a friend growing up who's parents were foster parents. I would see kids come and go and it broke my heart. Some kids had it so hard and it was tough to see. The world needs more people like Katie.

Inspired to be a foster parent once I own a home 🙋🏼‍♀️😍. I love kids & it never crossed my mind before this video!

I’m crying for some reason and I’m only 8 minutes in... my heart 💜💜💜 it hurts so good 🥰

Good morning Jess!

Foster parents are some amazing humans!! You can genuinely see how much y’all care about each other 🥰

This was really interesting. Katie, you are doing truly amazing things! Thank you for sharing! 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

What an incredible thing she's doing for these children! I so admire anyone that fosters. It can't be an easy thing to do, emotionally. 💖💖💖

Katie is such a beautiful person. It takes a special person to be a foster parent. Great video! Thank you Katie and Tim for opening your home to the kids who need one.💞

First off wow, bless her and her husband (Tim Tom) for all they do. Amazing. Whats crazy is I actually had to do all of that to take care of my sister at home. Thats good they do all that though.

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 Your friend is amazing! She didn’t look nervous at all

Thank you for your videos! So awesome seeing people making a positive difference from their struggles and experiences. Addiction is something we MUST keep talking about. It’s affecting more of us than we likely realize. When I was deep in my addiction I was so afraid to get help. I was a Mormon mom who was living a life that wasn’t authentic to myself. I had been taking care of my stepmom and dad prior to their passing away. I was isolated, terrified and knew that if I didn’t get help soon...my children would end up finding me dead. I made the decision to go to rehab and it was the best decision I’ve ever made!!! Yet it would have been a better situation if we were having conversations about how it’s affecting EVERYONE!!! Even the stay at home mom who lived in a religious household. Since then my life has changed DRASTICALLY! I married my first middle school love, blended our family of 9 and are now running our own dog grooming shop in our hometown. Recovery is possible! We need to continue sharing our stories and getting the information out that there is hope! Thank you for being awesomely you!

Love you so much 💕 og here (That’s never up early)