Dear FPAWS,

I am so thankful to attend and participate in seminars offered by the Foster Parent Association of Washington State.  It takes a lot of courage and patience to be a relative care provider.    There are a lot of complications and pressures when you take relative children.

DCYF demands and pressures to raise the child by “their rules” instead of practicing time honored traditional Native methods of parenting and nurturing the children. 

Pressure from family members all giving advice on how to raise the children and to please give the parents “just one more chance”, or them telling you “it is in the best interest of the child to keep the parents involved in the lives of their children.

It was so good to meet foster parents and other families who understood and could give support! Especially seminars that taught how to advocate for yourself and the child entrusted to your care. I learned how to access better resources needed by my niece and nephew, how to speak effectively and gently let DCYF know “they were my kids and I did know what was best for them!”

Thank you again for being an advocate, guide and mentor for relative caretakers who love and care for the children entrusted to their care!

Sincerely,

Chryss James

Now, the Loving Parent to my adopted Niece and Nephew