Kirsten Wilcox is a dog owner, teacher, single and – a foster parent.
Surprised? A lot of people in Utah are surprised that you don’t have to be married to foster or adopt a child.
Twelve children have found safety and comfort in Kirsten’s home. Most have been reunified with their families. Two have become permanent members of her family. Eleven-year-old D.J. and eight-year-old Cece were adopted in August. Kirsten has legal guardianship of thirteen-year-old Harmony until her mother finds a place to live.
Kirsten started thinking about foster parenting when she met a little girl who was in foster care at the school where she taught.
The funny thing is, I thought teaching would prepare me to be a great foster mom,” she says. “But the truth is that foster care and being trauma-informed has helped me to be a better teacher.”
“Kirsten is amazing,” says her caseworker. “She is very trauma-informed in her parenting and always sees the best in every child who comes to her home.”
“Kirsten has made sure the children stay connected to their culture. She also was instrumental in making the transition smooth for the children by building a relationship with their family and advocating for what they needed.”
To hear more from Kirsten about her experience, join us for an online Ask a Single Foster Parent event March 24th at 7:00pm. RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xAYhinH_QIapyWB3sCI9cw.
