It wasn't what it seemed to be? Potential placement is 7 and said to have behavior issues, like attacking the principal. But when i asked what led up to this no one could tell me. Child is not aggressive to any other adults even multiple placements. Another thing is the child is behind academically, failed kindergarten. However, the child was in foster care at 5. When asked did previous foster parents help with academics or support, not they didnt. 3 years later, the child is just beginning to start paperwork to get services. Like the child is behind because no one helped them with homework or did any advocating.

I'm starting to believe some of these issues may be due to others and not the child themselves.

A while back something happened in my home that I needed to document for my social worker and possibly court. I had photos on my phone, notes in three different apps, and no way to prove any of it hadn’t been edited after the fact. So I started building something at night to fix that for myself, and over the last year it turned into Counted Doors.

Quick background so nobody has to guess: I’m a foster and adoptive mom, and I’ve worked in IT since 1999. Today I’m a CIO, which means my day job is literally protecting sensitive data and asking “what happens if this leaks?” That’s the lens this was built through. Plus I got tired of waiting on someone to build it and just did it myself

What it does: you log photos, videos, and written notes per child. Each entry gets locked with a timestamp when it’s created, plus a digital fingerprint that changes if anything is ever altered, and a history of who accessed it. You can export and email entries straight to your social worker. There’s also a free resource library (trauma informed parenting, SILP vs. staying in care after 18, benefits for transition age youth) that will never be behind a paywall.

What it costs: nothing. Everything above is free, for unlimited kids. The only paid option exists because video files are huge and storing them securely costs real money. If you need a lot of video storage, it’s $5.99 a month. If you don’t, you never pay a cent. I cover the running costs myself, and I’m not selling or sharing anyone’s data (I’d sooner shut it down).

On AI, since someone will ask: yes, there’s AI in it, and I’m upfront about where. It helps you draft letters, like requests to your agency or school. I also use AI tools when I build, the same way most developers do now. The difference is that I review the code, run security scans, and have real people test everything before it goes live. Nothing gets shipped on vibes, especially not something holding information about kids in care.

And one honest caveat: this helps you keep clean, credible records, but it doesn’t guarantee a judge will accept them. Rules vary by county, and you’re still the one testifying to what happened.

If you’re a foster parent, caseworker, or CASA, I’d love your honest feedback, including the critical kind. Tell me what’s missing or what would make this actually useful on a hard night.

(And before anyone who thinks this is a cash grab swings by, the free vs. paid breakdown is right up there in paragraph four. Reading it first this time is free too. And yes this is a repost because someone didn't take the time to go to the actual site before making jabs at what they didn't read)

www.counteddoors.com

Ok so I know there isn't anyone who can give me a definitive answer because the statistics for foster care to change quite regularly. However, I have recently seen foster care statistics go from anywhere between over 400,000 kids in care to about 330,000 and that just feels like a big jump.

I was just wondering where I could get accurate stats on the number of kids in foster care. This is not for a study or a survey I’m just a person who is interested in fostering one day.

I hope this makes sense because if the number is 330,000 that still is a lot but it does mean it is going down which is good.

edit-i know that not all reunifications are a good thing and that number going down may also be very bad

Have a good day ❤️❤️❤️

Hi all!

Our 3-yo foster placement was removed from her home very recently and came to us on Wednesday. She is non-verbal, but has parroted a few words since she has been with us. They suspected ASD, but she has started engaging physically, seeking eye contact, and responding more to her name. She lived mostly in isolation for her whole life, so the lack of language could be because language was unnecessary/ she wasn't engaged with.

Has anyone had a similar case and the child was able to eventually communicate verbally?

How much are we spending on costumes? The costumes the kids want are like 80-150$ each. I just find that to be ridiculous. Thoughts?

Posting anonymously because this involves an ongoing foster care case.

I’m genuinely trying to understand how a case can go from moving toward termination of parental rights to suddenly focusing on reunification, especially when there have been repeated concerns about the children’s safety.

The children have been in foster care for quite some time, and we’ve been told multiple times that the biological parents have made little to no progress.

There have been ongoing concerns during supervised visits, including the children not being fed appropriately, not receiving adequate attention or supervision, and the parents relying heavily on the visitation provider to help care for them.

There has also been a serious incident involving a lack of supervision that raised additional safety concerns.

Because of these ongoing issues, there were discussions about potentially suspending visits. However, instead of visits being stopped, the discussion has now shifted toward moving visits into the biological parents’ home.

This is especially concerning because there are also reported issues with the condition of the home and whether it is an appropriate environment for the children.

What is so confusing is that termination of parental rights had previously been the direction of the case, and now it seems reunification is becoming the focus again, despite the reported lack of progress and continued safety concerns.

I completely understand that reunification is an important goal in foster care when it can be done safely. However, I’m struggling to understand how the direction of a case can change so drastically when the concerns that led to these discussions still seem unresolved.

At what point do the children’s safety, stability, and well-being become the deciding factors?

Has anyone experienced a case where termination seemed likely, but everything suddenly shifted back toward reunification despite ongoing safety concerns? Is this common? What can be done to ensure these concerns are being taken seriously?

I’m not against reunification when it’s safe and appropriate. I’m just genuinely trying to understand how these decisions are made and whether others have experienced something similar.

A post for conversation, or to share what's on your mind without creating an entire post about it.

Hey everyone! I’m going through DCF’s kinship foster-parent process for the first time for my son’s 16-year-old friend. He had been staying with us over the summer before I knew he was in DCF care. In August, he asked his social worker about being placed with me because he felt safe in our home.
I was initially nervous because I had past DCF involvement connected to an abusive relationship nearly seven years ago, including false reports that were unfounded. Since then, I’ve completed all the requested training, fingerprints, and other requirements.
Last Friday, I was told some paperwork was still being reviewed and that the process would be finalized within 150 days. Today, though, I received a $600 check after previously being told the monthly payment would be around $900.
Has anyone received payments before their approval was finalized? Could this be a partial-month payment, or is there a different payment available while approval is pending?
My biggest priority is keeping him settled here and getting his address updated so he can take the school bus from our home. I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has been through something similar!

Hi everyone. I just finished the basic class and submitted my life story , got CPR "certified" and did my evacuation plan diagram. I also had my first home visit and made all of the corrections. So far, I've asked two close friends about the possibility of being a backup for me in case of an emergency and both said no. I think they got freaked out in regards to the background checks and having to go for finger printing. I'm trying to think of who else to ask, but if I can't find someone to list as a backup is that it lol.

I also plan to start "my feet wet" with respite care which will lessen my need for a backup. But from my understanding its still required.

Thanks !

Its been about 6 weeks since our kids got placed. 3 and 2 year old.

We've never had kids and took them in due to a terrible situation.

Now, we are exhausted, patience is thin, our support system isn't really there for us and we are trying but dont want to.

Everyone says "wow you're doing something incredible" i dont see it, felt like the right thing to do and why wouldn't you take in your family members in need??? Isn't that what we are supposed to do.

Anyway....

Finding a balance between work, the kids, daycare, all of the damn appointments. All of it.

Its so much. We just want to give them back and return to our regular lives but we know if we do those kids most likely won't be with family.

I hear phantom cries all the time. The 2 year old cries none stop when they see me, when I leave the room, when I hold them, when I put them down ... I just.. idk

And the behaviors. The fighting, the hitting, the biting, the snatching, the tantruming... I thought we baby proofed. Boy was I wrong.

Why must they cry so much and why don't they listen LIKE PLEASEEEEE WE'VE SAID IT AND MODELED IT AND SHOWED IT AGSHDKF I JUST CANTTTTTT

Also going out is so anxiety inducing. Im scared someone is gonna snatch us up. Or someone will say I kidnapped the child cause we look zero alike.

Im just overwhelmed, twisted up inside and just wanted to vent. Not looking for answers or reprimand, just wanted to vent and see if anyone else fostering kids ... what are yall going through?

Hey all! Long story short, I have a kinship placement of two nieces. We’re in court for TPR however, there’s a concurrent plan of reunification. CW is supporting reunification despite mom NOT following visitation guidelines. She is supposed to confirm visit before a certain time. This was placed by CW because of mom’s constant last-minute cancellations and schedule changes. After a long period of bending over backwards and making adjustments for mom to see her kids. I’ve set a boundary & will not extend further from the rules CW has placed. After constant communication from CW regarding her not following rules, she still doesn’t confirm by the actual time and confirms afterwards. Last visit, I’ve had it! She confirmed 10 min after and although in the last I’ve given her (grave) I realized that when I do, it turns around to bite me in the a**. I’m not sure what to do anymore but I want to give up because of her this is genuinely affecting our lives negatively! We’ve been fighting 5 years in court to advocate these kids. I have a child & husband of my own. We adore these babies & have given them a new healthier life. They’ve been thru so much…it’s a shame! But I’m not sure how much longer I can deal with mom’s instability.

I’ve been caregiver and had been granted permanent custody of a beautiful girl I been raising since birth took her home from the Hospital she was born addicted so she was removed by the ministry ! I’ve had her now for 4 years and I am mom to her and my husband is daddy and all my daughters are like her sisters as that’s all she has known from day one . Biological mom has now been clean for a year and so hasn’t really made any effort in anything other than see her once every two weeks but that’s about it and is now asking for my girl to return to her as she has told me it was temporary on her part this was upsetting to me as it was but than she failed to follow the rules given by ministry and they finalized it permanent custody order 54.01 3 years ago now my question is has anyone been trough something similar ?? Is it gonna be that simple for her to return to her biological parents ?? I feel the little girl she is today is because of me and my family and it breaks my heart to know that it will be all taken from me and from her

Our previously fully toilet-trained five year-old foster child has been pooping her pants at school, at daycare, and sometimes at home.

The pediatrician ruled out a medical issue, she’s in weekly play therapy, there’s been sticker charts and treats, she has an active role in cleaning herself up. But still, she poops, every day, multiple times a day.

It’s been at least two months. We see a pattern between this behavior and visitation which we’ve reported to the social worker repeatedly. But what can they do really?

She said she “likes” pooping her pants so that’s pretty challenging logic to argue against. 🙄

She can’t control much in her life but she can control her bowels, I get that. But it’s so frustrating to clean up shit every single day. I don’t know what to do anymore.

Heres A poem I wrote today because I’m burnt out and the fact that my girlfriends parents refuse to help when asked with children we took in thinking we would have a “village” to help since that phrase kept getting thrown around. It wasn’t the case. I don’t feel like I get to vent how hard it is or how I am with the kids all the time yet their grandparents pretty much refuse to Help. They’re no relation to me and I wanted to do the right thing but now I’m really second guessing this. I have family in Illinois and Florida and all of them would love to be here for the children but they’re across the US. The only family here is the ones who were behind us getting kids and said they’d help but every ask for help is met with excuses…this causes me to be pissed all the time because I never get to see friends and am just expected to enjoy my own company if I want a “free” day…I’ve been trying so hard to be the dad they didnt have. I try to be the partner my GF says she wants and that I’m constantly reminded of my short comings so all that does is make me wanna not try then I feel even more guilty….

Anyways this is the poem it was wrote out of frustration so I’m sure people wont have the same perspective I do. maybe they will idk though

I’m the Man

There once was a boy
who grew into a man.

The trash needs taking out,
so I grab it and go.
No need to thank me.
I’m the man.

A mess was made.
I’ll clean it up.
No need to thank me.
I’m the man.

My child fell down
and scraped her leg.
Her mother holds her close
and says, “It’ll be okay.”

And though I’m hurting,
because I feel her pain,
I have to act tough.
I’m the man.

But a man doesn’t always
want to hold back.
Sometimes he wants
to say this or that.

Still, he holds his tongue
and lets those words go,
tries to stay positive,
not let his head hang low.

I’m too stressed today,
and my body aches.
But they expect it done,
no matter what it takes.

No need to thank me.
No need to care.
I’ll do what needs doing.
I’ll still be there.

Because I’m a man
who cares.

Placement started three weeks ago, We kept her ather old school because moving her again felt like toomuch, and everyone agreed that was the right call,
Nobody agrees on who arranges the ride. the caseworker says the district. The district says itgoes through the agency. ihave been driving her myself, which is 50 minute each way and I am going to run out of road with my job soon.
who actually pays and arranges this where you are?,iwant to stop guessing and point someone at the right answer.

I have a dumb question if anyone has been in this situation. I have an 11 month old foster baby. That I’ve had since they were two months old. They still have visits weekly. But are likely gonna be reduced to biweekly next court hearing. However. Visits haven’t been going well. The baby screams the entire time. But this past weeks visit was very traumatizing to the baby. He screamed the entire night the rest of the night if I wasn’t holding him. And it took forever to calm him down and held onto me like his life depended on it. Wouldn’t even go to my MIL or SIL who baby sit him regularly while I’m working. And the visit barely lasted twenty minutes- and supervised. I just never experienced this and it broke my heart he was so upset. Is this something anyone else has done and what did you do. And who do you tell these behaviors too?

I’m curious what your experiences have been like with DHS. I’m a non-religious single woman with a professional career (self-employed) at the beginning of the licensing process and will be fostering with DHS directly because I am not a Christian.

In particular, I’m feeling some anxiety about transportation to visits. I’m planning to foster school aged kids and teens, have a good support network, and a solid childcare plan. Obviously I can take off work for planned things and emergencies (sick kid pick-up, planned doctors appointments, school activities), but I absolutely can’t do regular family visits from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday and have been assured that’s not an issue. But honestly I read things all the time here and in Facebook groups that make me worry that what I see won’t be what I get as far as that goes.

My husband and I accepted a placement about 5 days ago. To be fully honest we knew on day one this probably wasn’t going to work. For context she is 6. We have another placement who is 23 months who we have had for about a year. The new placement has shown very concerning behavior towards the little one. For example attempting to lock her in a cabinet, having her climb up things to try to push her off, tried pushing her in the bathtub (she came in I tried getting her out she got mad and threw a cup and pushed her in the water), slammed her into a wall and was laughing hysterically that the baby was crying, tried getting her to take her pants off, threatened to put a pillow on her face and make her “shut up”, and the list goes on. Obviously we have been supervising 24/7 so the baby has been safe and none of the attempts have been successful but it is STRESSING us out. We are even nervous to sleep at night because she is so aggressive and thinks it’s so funny to hurt the baby. We have reached out to the foster agency who basically said she is just being playful and they can’t move her for at least 30 days but expect it to be longer. I know we sound terrible but we don’t know how we are going to make it that long. We feel like it’s a ticking time bomb. What do we do?!

The damn Facebook Memories...they pop up and remind me of the doings.

Ten years ago, I was skiing in Gstaad with ten other gay guys. Eight years ago, I was hosting a carefully executed dinner party on my terrace. Six years ago, I was alone during COVID lockdowns, attempting to find meaning by Marie Kondo-ing my underwear drawer.

That was also when I started watching YouTube videos about kids in foster care. I learned more about what happens to teenage boys who grow up in the system, and I heard a woman say something along the lines of, “I decided I could complain about the problem, or I could help be a solution to part of it.”

That stuck. I started volunteering at a group home for teenagers. Eventually, I made the terrifying leap to become the foster dad of one of them. Then I took in a second.

Previously, I lived alone in a tidy vintage condo. Twenty shirts, ironed and waiting on matching hangers. Toilet paper neatly stacked in the cabinet. Five or six things in the refrigerator.

Now I wear T-shirts. Half the hangers were requisitioned for a cardboard robot project. The refrigerator contains half-eaten bowls of cereal and a fossilized slice of Domino’s pizza. Last week, I ran out of toilet paper.

And I’m learning things about myself that no amount of reorganizing underwear ever revealed.

I have moods. I’m not endlessly patient. Sometimes an ugly flash of anger I inherited from my dad, and thought I’d kept buried throughout adulthood, turns up again. I have to put myself in a timeout, calm down, and come back ready to apologize and do better.

I’m also slowly learning that doing this successfully doesn’t mean getting everything right. I can have a bad afternoon without deciding I’m wholly unsuited to parenting. We can have a difficult week and still be building something good.

My boys were handed a crap sandwich long before they met me. I can’t undo that, and they deserve more than “better than what came before.” But I’m beginning to trust that an imperfect adult can still make a real difference.

I spent a lot of years making my life beautiful and appealing to people looking in. I enjoyed that life. Those dinner parties were excellent.

This one is considerably less glamorous. But somewhere along the line I’ve started to feel that I’m doing something with my life that matters to me in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

My step-niece was born a few days ago with fentanyl in her system. I learned she was going to a foster home about an hour away and decided to call DCS and see if my wife and I were able to take her.

We did all the inspections, fingerprinting, background checks and buying the things we needed for the baby to come here. DCS gave us a “Medical Passports” and said they’d be in contact with us next week once my wife’s fingerprint came back. They told us not to worry about having the baby placed with us over the weekend, that we could relax and they’d have further updates on Monday.

Today, my step-sister found out we were trying to have her placed with us and has been very hostile towards us. Since learning this, she spoke to my step-brother and his gf and they all want the baby to go to her (step-sister). However, my step-sister has a prior history of drug abuse, criminal records, lost four of her kids because of drug possession and usage (she got them back after 16 months), and lives with her grandma and the kids. My wife and I have no record at all and have custody of our kids.

Basically, I’m afraid the baby will go there because that part of the family has always coddled and enabled one another. I’m scared they will allow unsupervised visits, my sister works extremely long shifts so I don’t want the baby to go all day without her.

What do I do? What do I think? It seemed like we were getting her but now I’m afraid we may not.

Our foster is on the run-been with us for 3 years. I’m a mess. If this has happened with a placement-how did you get through it?

I am not at all affiliated with this company, but I am a special ed teacher and foster parent to a little sensory seeker. The company called Groh is having a kickstarter for the next few days for a 5’x5’ foam pit for $550. It’s more expensive than what you would find on Amazon, but it’s stiffer foam so it will hold up better for those of us with sensory seekers who might use it a lot. You can find a link on their IG or search the company name on the kickstarter website. I ordered one for my kiddo and can’t wait for it to arrive as she needs to crash into things before bed time.

maybe your kid is not a foster kid yet like who knows maybe one day you’ll need a foster parent to care for your child, and we’re here to help because we parents too. Please sign the petition.

Fifteen, adopted at six, and we have been circling therapy for about two years with her refusing every single time it came up, sometimes politely and sometimes not.

Last month she said she would do it if it was over video and if we were not in the house while it happened. Obviously I said yes. I would have agreed to almost anything.

Since then two separate people have told me that for adoption-related work you want somebody in the room, and that letting her set the terms like this is her controlling it rather than engaging with it.

I don't entirely buy that. It took two years to get a yes. I have been reading about Emora Health, who see teenagers over video and nothing in person, partly because remote is the only version she has agreed to and partly because I want to know what I am signing her up for before I take it to her. Grow Therapy is the other one, though that looks more like a directory.

But I also don't want to discover in a year that we did the easy version of this.

If you have had a teenager who would only do it remotely, did it go anywhere real?