Specialized Foster Child Profiles
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These stories are based on actual cases with names and details changed for confidentiality purposes.

Families Helping Families

Erik is a lively four-year-old boy whose teen mother voluntarily placed him in foster care. She did not know how to take care of Erik. She feared she might lose her patience and hurt him.

As the weeks passed, Erik's foster parents formed a positive relationship with his birth mother and served as role models and parenting tutors. A year later, Erik was reunited with his birth mother, who by then achieved the skills necessary to be a loving, caring parent.

Do Not Give Up On Me

Jamal, the youngest of four children, was headed in a bad direction. He was a 14-year-old boy who did not go to school, stole from stores, and wanted to join a gang.

His parents felt helpless. They were tired of parenting and just plain tired. They gave up enforcing rules and expecting him to obey, so Jamal did as he pleased. Jamal knew he was in charge.

His life changed, however, after he was arrested for shoplifting. He was removed from his home and placed in a foster home. Things were different there! His foster parents set limits on his inappropriate behaviors and gave him a structured, predictable, consistent, caring home environment.

They discovered Jamal had only a first-grade ability to read so found him the help he needed to catch up with his peers. They found healthy teen activities such as team sports and clubs to discourage his previous interests in gang and illegal activities.

At first, Jamal HATED his foster home: he swore, he lashed out, he broke things, he tested his foster parents time and time again. Gradually, however, he "came around." The foster parents also worked with Jamal's parents. After satisfactory parenting changes were demonstrated, Jamal was reunited with his parents when he was 15.

For more information about specialized foster care in Nebraska, please call us at (800) 267-9876.