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One BIG Family: A Foster Mother's Journey With 200 Children
Real-Life Stories
Child Welfare Information Gateway
National Foster Care Month: 2019
1 p.
Public Domain
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Administration on Children, Youth, and Families
Children's Bureau, 3rd Floor
330 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Tel: 800.394.3366
703.385.7565
Fax: 703.385.3206
info@childwelfare.gov
Download: https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/rls19_bigfamily.pdf
Highlights one foster family that has taken in more than 200 children over the course of 27 years. Claudia and Lin already had three biological children when they decided to become a foster home in 1984. When they welcomed the first child into their care, it opened their eyes to the benefits fostering could provide. While fostering, Lin and Claudia served as advocates for their children and tried to help their children's biological families heal by including the birth parents in family activities and events. In 2008, Claudia and Lin were named Foster Parents of the Year by the Council of Governments in Washington, DC. Since retiring from her government job, Claudia has gone on to train other foster parents in Arlington, Virginia, and she authored the memoir, One BIG Family: A Foster Mother's Journey With 200 Children. This Real-Life Story was developed as part of National Foster Care Month 2019.
Keywords:
OUT OF HOME CARE; Family centered services; FAMILY SUPPORT SYSTEMS; FAMILY PRESERVATION; HOME BASED SERVICES