Stephanie ‘Said Yes’ to Brothers & Sisters
by Ebony Dooley, Samaritas Communications  

It was a student in her sixth-grade class who jump-started Stephanie's foster parent journey. She had already conquered the complications of being a single mother of two and, now in her late twenties, was on the precipice of taking on the care of a twelve-year-old boy. 
 
“My student asked me to be his foster parent since he didn’t have any options for a placement and would have to return to a group residential center,” said Stephanie. “I didn’t go into it with much research or thought. I knew my student needed a home, and I was going to make sure he had one. So, I contacted Samaritas to get licensed since his case was being handled by them.”
 
Fruitful Outcome
That joyful experience led the Southeast Michigan resident to foster other kids who needed respite from their biological parents. And she delivered. Together, she and her partner Greg, have a blended family of eight children. That includes three biological children, one from Greg, three adopted, and two children currently in foster care. 
 
Through this collaboration, Stephanie proclaims that in her ten years of fostering children, she has cared for kids of all ages, including a medically fragile infant, multiple groups of brothers and sisters, and teens.
 
“Being a foster parent has completely changed my life and the way I parent,” Stephanie explained. “You learn to have the most patience, perseverance, what fights are really worth picking, empathy, and understanding. Fostering has also taught me to pick battles that are worth fighting.” 
 
Watching her children defy the statistics, succeed, and learn from failure is the best part of fostering. She enjoys supporting the kids through each step of their growth, but the effort is not without some obstacles.
 
Have a Plan C and D
Advocating for her foster children is a paramount concern for Stephanie. She finds that it’s one of the most important things that she can do to help them be successful, especially in a complex bureaucratic system. 
 
“I learned that the court system is very challenging and even when you have the best plans, things will and often do change,” Stephanie lamented. “The court system can be very frustrating, but you can manage if you know how to advocate for yourself and the kids in your home. And are aware of the services that are available and how to access them.” 

For Stephanie, saying yes to foster kids of all kinds is her pleasure. Her philosophy is simple: if a child is in need, she will not turn them away.

“If a child knocked on my door and needed help, I wouldn’t turn them away,” she said. “Foster care provides that open door.”