“It takes a village to raise a child” is an old African proverb that suggests that raising, teaching, and supporting a child is the whole community’s responsibility. At Bellewood & Brooklawn, we find that this proverb is especially true when raising a child in therapeutic foster care.

What are the benefits of having a village?

There are so many benefits to having a village, especially when you are a foster parent or soon to become a foster parent. Thanks to having a village, foster parents can learn new and creative ways to care for their children! Whether it’s a relative sharing a new discipline strategy, a parent teaching new activities with your child, or a family friend who offers to watch your child while you run errands, a village can provide much-needed support.

Having a village can help a foster parent by providing time for self-care, gaining more knowledge on ways to care for your child, and providing emotional support because parenting can be challenging.

You may be wondering, what does a village look like for a foster parent?

At Bellewood and Brooklawn, we strongly encourage foster parents to not only have outside support (relatives, friends, support group, therapy), but we also want foster parents to utilize supports within our agency, which include:

• Connecting with other foster parents by email or phone
• Joining foster parent support groups
• Attending training to expand parenting skills
• Using foster parents who can provide respite
• Creating a relationship with Bellewood and Brooklawn staff

We encourage you to ask us how you can become a foster parent and add additional people to your village! Check out our frequently asked questions, or please call us toll-free at (855) 460-0990. Or, you can fill out our simple foster parent request for information form, and we’ll get in touch with you.

Today we may be building a village, but tomorrow we’re building the future!