My earliest memories with my cousin, Mandy, were of her babysitting my sister and I as kids. I would stubbornly tell her, more than once, that I was going to run away while she was watching us. Luckily for her, my sister would reassure her that this was normal behavior and that by the time I would make it halfway across the field I would turn around and safely return.
As I grew up, although quite a few years younger, I could tell Mandy's passion was for kids. I can remember her working at Giant Eagle's 'Eagle's Nest' and visiting her at Mount Union for Family Weekend with my two younger cousins where she studied to become a teacher. She is now one of the best teachers I know. For instance, there was a student she had in class that was in need, so she had gone above and beyond her teaching responsibilities to provide the child with clothes and books.
Due to her passion for kids, she decided in her early 30's that she wanted to be a parent. However, since she was not in a relationship, she started looking into alternative routes. After seeing on the news that there was a great need for foster parents in our area due to the heroin crisis, she began her journey as a foster parent.
After talking with Mandy, it became clear that becoming a foster parent is not necessarily difficult; however, it does take quite a bit of time and dedication. It is a state requirement to take 36 hours of classes as well as a home study where an assessor comes to the home about 4 or 5 times to go through a book of questions regarding family history, personal background, and parenting. Also a part of these visits is a safety audit. The agency will then fingerprint the foster parent(s) and have them get a physical exam. This license is good for 2 years; however, during the 2 years, additional classes adding up to 40 hours are required to renew the license. Just imagine if every parent (biological or not) had to fulfill this requirement!
Since getting her license, Mandy has fostered a total of 2 children who were both infant girls. As a teacher, she found it to be difficult in the beginning, because they were too young for daycare at the time she took them in. When asking her about giving the first infant back to her family who was with her for about 3 months, she said that it was incredibly difficult. She did not realize how quickly she and her family would get attached. Not only did her parents help out, but our Aunt and Uncle were also quite involved. Luckily, she has been able to keep contact with the little girl's parents and even got to see her around Christmas. Although difficult and a roller coaster of emotions, Mandy says that it helps knowing and even seeing that she is in a good place and being well cared for.
When children services obtained permanent custody of Ella, the second infant girl, it was about 6 months until her adoption. She was with another foster family before she came to Mandy at 6 months old and was in foster care since being released from the hospital. Due to her time with the other family, they did a slow transition to help Ella ease herself into a new home (the other family had 5 kids and 2 dogs... quite different than Mandy's home!). On Mandy's last visit before Ella was placed with her, Mandy went in after a nap to find Ella on her stomach which was the first time she had rolled over back to belly. Mandy specifically remembers this moment, because it was the first time she got to experience a "first" with Ella.
When a child is placed in a foster family, generally the goal is to reunite them with their birth family (or family members). When this can't happen, the child becomes available for adoption. A child has to reside with their adopting parent(s) for 6 months before an adoption can be finalized. Ella was with Mandy almost 13 months at her finalization. Once children's services obtained permanent custody, a meeting was held at the agency to determine what Ella's needs were in order to match her to a family. During the next meeting, they looked at available families and "matched" her to Mandy who could meet Ella's needs. From there, Mandy and Ella were assigned an adoption worker. They saw this worker monthly (in addition to Ella's caseworker who they have seen monthly and Mandy's resource worker bi-monthly). Paperwork was then signed saying that she agreed to adopt the child and a court date was set. Mandy was told that their goal was to complete an adoption within a year of obtaining permanent custody.
To be a foster parent, one must possess all the skills and emotional support a typical parent needs. The one thing that Mandy believes you must have is patience; not only for the kids, but for the system. Another thing noted was that time management is important when caring for a foster child, since they tend to have more appointments than a biological child due to the circumstances that led them to foster care.
Similar to parents of biological children, a foster parent, whether single or in a relationship, needs others who are willing to help out. The difference is that in foster care, a child can only be left alone with approved alternate caregivers. Mandy had a total of 8 between family and friends! These alternative caregivers are required to get fingerprinted at the county children's services office then meet with the person's resource worker to go over policies and procedures before they can care for a foster child. If that caregiver wants to care for the child in their own home, they must also have a home inspection done.
While fostering, the county pays a daily board rate for a foster child. In Trumbull County, it is based on age. Part of that board rate is required to be spent on clothing for the child. Additionally, foster children qualify for WIC (until age 5) and a medical card. They also get reimbursed for mileage when taking a foster child to appointments. Foster parents of young children get diaper reimbursement.
Today, on Ella Corrine Hennon's adoption day, she is 18 months. Ella loves to be outside and play with other kids (especially my niece and nephew!). Mandy has taken her to a couple different county fairs, a petting zoo, Deer Park and Akron and Cincinnati Zoos. Ella has also loved experiencing the beach when they visited Florida and North Carolina.
It was a perfect summer day for family and friends to gather and celebrate Ella joining our family. Ella demonstrated her happiness and comfortableness in the courtroom by running (barefoot) through every square foot of the court room! The judge, alongside his own adopted daughter, smiled ear to ear at Ella's excitement and giggles. She even got to sit in his chair and hold the gavel! Everyone gathered for lunch afterwards where the kids colored 'Adoption' coloring pages, a slideshow played of the last year full of memories with Ella, and my Aunt Pam (Mandy's mom) read a beautifully prepared speech that brought people to tears. It was such a joy to be a part of this day and to be able to capture this very special moment in both of their lives.
Since Mandy has just renewed her license, it is likely that she will consider fostering again in the future; however, she is not certain she will take on the next adventure for a few months, especially a small infant. She is also open to respite which means that she would help out another foster family who is going out of town or has something else going on where they need care for their foster child for a short period of time.
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| Trumbull County Courthouse Warren, OH |
Due to her passion for kids, she decided in her early 30's that she wanted to be a parent. However, since she was not in a relationship, she started looking into alternative routes. After seeing on the news that there was a great need for foster parents in our area due to the heroin crisis, she began her journey as a foster parent.
After talking with Mandy, it became clear that becoming a foster parent is not necessarily difficult; however, it does take quite a bit of time and dedication. It is a state requirement to take 36 hours of classes as well as a home study where an assessor comes to the home about 4 or 5 times to go through a book of questions regarding family history, personal background, and parenting. Also a part of these visits is a safety audit. The agency will then fingerprint the foster parent(s) and have them get a physical exam. This license is good for 2 years; however, during the 2 years, additional classes adding up to 40 hours are required to renew the license. Just imagine if every parent (biological or not) had to fulfill this requirement!
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| Ella's Second Cousin, Broc |
When children services obtained permanent custody of Ella, the second infant girl, it was about 6 months until her adoption. She was with another foster family before she came to Mandy at 6 months old and was in foster care since being released from the hospital. Due to her time with the other family, they did a slow transition to help Ella ease herself into a new home (the other family had 5 kids and 2 dogs... quite different than Mandy's home!). On Mandy's last visit before Ella was placed with her, Mandy went in after a nap to find Ella on her stomach which was the first time she had rolled over back to belly. Mandy specifically remembers this moment, because it was the first time she got to experience a "first" with Ella.
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| Judge, Ella and Mandy |
To be a foster parent, one must possess all the skills and emotional support a typical parent needs. The one thing that Mandy believes you must have is patience; not only for the kids, but for the system. Another thing noted was that time management is important when caring for a foster child, since they tend to have more appointments than a biological child due to the circumstances that led them to foster care.
Similar to parents of biological children, a foster parent, whether single or in a relationship, needs others who are willing to help out. The difference is that in foster care, a child can only be left alone with approved alternate caregivers. Mandy had a total of 8 between family and friends! These alternative caregivers are required to get fingerprinted at the county children's services office then meet with the person's resource worker to go over policies and procedures before they can care for a foster child. If that caregiver wants to care for the child in their own home, they must also have a home inspection done.
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| Extended Family |
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| Katie (Mandy's Cousin) with her daughter (Ella Kate) and Ella Corrine |
Today, on Ella Corrine Hennon's adoption day, she is 18 months. Ella loves to be outside and play with other kids (especially my niece and nephew!). Mandy has taken her to a couple different county fairs, a petting zoo, Deer Park and Akron and Cincinnati Zoos. Ella has also loved experiencing the beach when they visited Florida and North Carolina.
It was a perfect summer day for family and friends to gather and celebrate Ella joining our family. Ella demonstrated her happiness and comfortableness in the courtroom by running (barefoot) through every square foot of the court room! The judge, alongside his own adopted daughter, smiled ear to ear at Ella's excitement and giggles. She even got to sit in his chair and hold the gavel! Everyone gathered for lunch afterwards where the kids colored 'Adoption' coloring pages, a slideshow played of the last year full of memories with Ella, and my Aunt Pam (Mandy's mom) read a beautifully prepared speech that brought people to tears. It was such a joy to be a part of this day and to be able to capture this very special moment in both of their lives.
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| Mandy's Immediate Family |
Since Mandy has just renewed her license, it is likely that she will consider fostering again in the future; however, she is not certain she will take on the next adventure for a few months, especially a small infant. She is also open to respite which means that she would help out another foster family who is going out of town or has something else going on where they need care for their foster child for a short period of time.
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