(7 Ways to Show Up for Kids and Families in the Trenches of Foster Care)
Let’s just be real: foster care and adoption are messy, sacred, and full of both heartbreak and holy ground. And while not everyone is called to open their home, everyone is called to do something.
We don’t all have to foster. But we do all have to care.
So if you’ve ever felt that nudge in your gut- that Holy Spirit whisper saying, “You can’t unsee this”- but you don’t know where to start, here are 7 practical, real-life ways you can support foster and adoptive families without ever becoming a licensed caregiver.
Respite providers are like gold in the foster care world. These are the people who step in when foster families need a break: a weekend to rest, a night to grieve, or just a few hours to take a breath.
Not ready to foster full-time? Cool.
But are you willing to give a tired foster parent one weekend off?
That’s ministry.
No, seriously. Don’t wait for an invitation or a perfect moment. Just cook (or pick up!) a meal and drop it off.
Text something like: “I’m leaving dinner on your porch at 5. No need to answer the door.”
That’s the kind of support that keeps people going.
Feeding and fleeing is a legit love language.
Foster families are juggling court dates, therapy, caseworker visits, and parenting trauma-impacted kids… while also trying to, you know, keep their house from catching fire.
What if you showed up and folded some laundry? Drove kids to practice? Babysat for a few hours?
It’s not glamorous.
But neither is cleaning explosive diapers out of a borrowed car seat.
Show up. Be Jesus in yoga pants.
Let’s say this gently but clearly: foster kids deserve more than leftovers and hand-me-downs that should’ve gone to Goodwill five years ago.
Give with dignity.
New clothes. Gift cards. Cash for groceries.
If you wouldn’t give it to your best friend’s baby shower, don’t give it to a child in foster care.
This is not the moment for vague, churchy platitudes.
This is a spiritual battle. It’s healing generational trauma. It’s loving kids in crisis. It’s navigating a broken system.
Pray big, bold prayers.
For safety. For attachment. For biological families to be restored. For strength to not give up.
Prayer isn’t the least you can do. It might just be the most.
Ever heard of TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention)? It’s life-changing for trauma-informed care.
Even if you’re just supporting a foster or adoptive family- learn it.
The more you understand about trauma, attachment, and regulation, the more helpful you’ll be.
Because let’s be honest: families don’t need “Well, my kids would never…” energy.
They need people who get it.
In this world, tiny things are big things.
Did a child finally sleep through the night?
Did mom survive a hard court hearing?
Did the sibling group make it through one dinner without melting down?
Throw a dang party. Bring the cupcakes. Cheer loud.
There are a million invisible victories happening. Don’t miss them.
Foster care isn’t a spectator sport.
It takes a village, and your role in that village matters.
Whether you’re making meals, giving rides, or interceding in prayer-
don’t underestimate the impact of your yes.
So, no… you don’t have to foster.
But staying on the sidelines?
That’s not the move either.
Share this with someone wondering where they fit. Let’s do this together.
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