When Vicki Erickson joined Devereux Florida\u2019s foster parent program seven years ago, it was simply to provide respite care for her sister\u2019s foster children. At the time, she never imagined becoming a full-time foster parent herself. But when she and her husband Terry spent time with the children and young adults under their care, they found themselves unexpectedly hooked on the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realized how much we enjoyed helping kids and providing them with a safe, nurturing home,\u201d Vicki says. \u201cThough they all had unique situations and challenges, we were able to help each of them grow in ability and independence. It felt so good to see the positive difference we were making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vicki and Terry began fostering on their own, accepting the rewards and challenges of caring for young adults as part of the Devereux Family Care Program, a program that provides children and young adults who are intellectually\/developmentally disabled an opportunity to reside in a family environment, as opposed to residential treatment and group homes.<\/p>\n
With the joys of progress came the frustrations of obstacles, such as learning to balance their young adult clients\u2019 capabilities with their right to privacy and individual needs. But when things got hard, Vicki and Terry took time out to relish the lighter side of foster parent life.<\/p>\n
One of her fondest memories was made when the couple attempted to teach two young adults under their care how to cook. In their quest to make dinner for the first time, the novice chefs chose a casserole recipe and flatly refused any help from their caregivers. As the pair began to follow the recipe\u2019s directions, Vicki and Terry found a hiding place where they could observe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were so determined to cook dinner by themselves, they didn\u2019t think through the details,\u201d Vicki recalls, laughing. \u201cWhen the recipe instructed them to \u2018put the noodles into the pan,\u2019 they did it \u2026 without cooking them!\u201d<\/p>\n
After mixing the uncooked pasta with other ingredients and baking the whole dish in the oven, the guys sat down to a particularly crunchy casserole dinner. As they munched on their crispy cuisine, Vicki and Terry appeared and asked how it tasted. The pair assured them it was \u201cwonderful,\u201d until Vicki asked if they\u2019d mind having it again as leftovers the next night. At that idea, the guys gulped and conceded, \u201cWell, maybe it isn\u2019t that good \u2026 guess we should have asked for help!\u201d<\/p>\n
For Vicki, moments like these offset the tough times and stress of foster parenting. Having made it through the licensing procedures, which she feels is the most challenging aspect of the program, Vicki encourages future foster parents to be optimistic as they navigate the sometimes arduous process. For her, it\u2019s all worth it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt isn\u2019t easy to get started, but you just have to hang in there,\u201d Vicki explains. \u201cThe licensing process seemed intrusive to me, until I realized the Devereux folks were just doing their job to ensure the safety and well-being of our clients.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe result is well worth the struggle. And at the end of the day, I know Devereux offers a fantastic support system for foster parents,\u201d she adds. \u201cIf I need help anytime \u2013 day or night \u2013 it\u2019s there for me. I know I\u2019m not going this road alone \u2026 and that makes all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Joys Outweigh Challenges for Brevard Foster Parents Devereux Florida Success […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":5097,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-articles","wpautop"],"yoast_head":"\n