Shows
Mosaic Foster Parents CafeBeyond Tokenism: How To Redesign Systems Using Authentic #LivedExperience PartnershipIn this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with two of the authors of a new article published in the Child Welfare League Journal that has got many of us in the child welfare system emphatically nodding our heads, YES.The game-changing article is titled, “Beyond Human-centered Design: The Promise of Antiracist Community-centered Approaches in Child Welfare Program and Policy Design,” and it was written by two women whose amazing work I came across two years ago and who I have been admiring ever since.Sonya Soni and Jermeen Sherman are doing the revo...2022-05-1751 min
Mosaic Foster Parents CafeThe Power of Mentorship with Mr. Chip FinneyMr. Finney is special to me. He is my long-time mentor and adviser. When foster care disrupted my life, it was Mr. Finney who stepped in to support me and help guide me through the child welfare system. Without a doubt, he is the reason why I'm the man I am today.A former English and history teacher, Mr. Finney's cheerful demeanor and ability to redirect my often misplaced energy helped our relationship flourish. Because of Mr. Finney's positivity, nurturing nature, and talent for keeping on an even keel, I believe he has the perspective needed to...2021-12-1348 min
Mosaic Foster Parents CafeServing #OlderYouth In #FosterCare with Shannon SchumacherShannon Schumacher is the president and CEO of The Villages, Indiana’s largest nonprofit child and family services agency. The Villages serves more than 3,100 children and their families every day through an array of services, making it a model for everything from foster family support to older youth services.The organization has a special role in the Indiana care community because it fills critical gaps for foster families that the government can’t or is unable to handle, such as kinship care and family preservation.Shannon has been an influential figure who has spearheaded these dive...2021-11-3040 min
Mosaic Foster Parents CafeWhat are #CareCommunities ? with Ashley FerrisAshley Ferris is the lead coordinator for an Indiana-based care community. Her story is interesting because she felt called to serve as a foster parent, but she couldn’t get over the hump of getting licensed. It just looked too hard for her. But she still felt burdened to serve. Over time, a friend let her know about Hands of Hope, an organization that partners with child protective services in her state by providing care communities to foster families. That piqued her interest. Then, members of Ashley’s church started a foster care ministry, Hope & Olive Ministries, where she has...2021-10-1840 min
Mosaic Foster Parents Cafe#Fostertheteens with Brittany BurchamBrittany Burcham is a senior manager of communications by day and a foster parent advocate by night. Brittany is passionate about fostering teens and older youth, and uses every opportunity she can to get the word out. She even launched a TikTok channel upon the request of a foster teen. After her channel @FosterTheTeens reached 800,000 followers, Burcham was featured on Good Morning America. Who says good stories can’t go viral? Burcham has fostered 50 youth between the ages of 10 and 17 since late 2019. That’s why Brittany Burcham is one of our five #HeroesOfFosterCare, now being celebrated on the Mosaic Fost...2021-10-0450 min
Mosaic Foster Parents Cafe#FosterParentTraining 1.0 with Chatney GriceChatney Grice is a veteran frontline worker on behalf of children and families. She has worked 13 years in various capacities serving children and families in Indiana, including community health centers, and home-based and community-based services.Chatney is currently an assistant deputy director at Indiana Department of Child Services and is working to not only identify challenges in foster parent training but to develop high quality solutions. She’s serious, focused, and motivated. That’s why Chatney Grice is one of our #HeroesOfFosterCare, now being celebrated on the Mosaic Foster Parents Café podcast. Tune in!We start...2021-09-2043 min
Mosaic Foster Parents CafeWhy I started #MosaicFosterParentsCafeIn this brief clip I share details about how my experience serving children and families and supporting foster parents as a Foster America fellow inspired me to launch #MosaicFosterParentsCafe2021-08-1803 min
Mosaic Foster Parents CafeWelcome To Mosaic Foster Parents CafeIt often seems as though foster parents have been made to feel like extras in a movie when in reality they are the co-stars.Mosaic Foster Parents Café is where all those special guides for vulnerable children meet to become better informed, better prepared and more encouraged to continue to serve on the frontlines of the child welfare system.I am your host Takkeem Morgan. I spent 8 years of my life navigating the foster care system and that experience inspired me to become a change maker for vulnerable children and an advocate for foster parents.2021-08-1802 min