Creating Spaces for Children in Foster Care with Disabilities (feat. Kayla Williams)

What kinds of foster care placements are you open to? This is a question that gets asked to all foster parents when they first open their home. Will you take sibling groups? Infants? Children with significant medical or physical needs? Or children with disabilities?

Each family and individual must decide for themselves what they are prepared to handle based on their capabilities and current circumstances.

Children involved in the child welfare system who have special needs or disabilities often struggle to find foster families. They are also more likely to experience negative outcomes in this system, such as having to navigate multiple transitions during their time in foster care.

My guest for this conversation is Kayla Williams, an early childhood special education teacher in Bryan, Texas. Kayla was a foster parent for two years before adopting her daughter in 2022. As a single parent raising a disabled child, Kayla brings a rare and invaluable perspective that we can learn a lot from.

In this episode, Kayla shares some of the challenges that come with parenting a child who has disabilities and is recovering from trauma, the realities of “blocked” care, ways we can advocate for families who are caring for children in foster care with special needs, and much more.

You can also find this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more.

Key Takeaways

1. Your marital status is not a prerequisite to having an impact in the foster care community. Everyone can do something to help along The River. The reality is, foster families come in all different shapes and sizes. Those who choose to become a single foster parent may have to navigate unique challenges, but they can still have a profound impact on the life of a child. If you’ve felt the call to foster, but have allowed your relationship status, housing situation, or something else to prevent you from taking that next step, this episode can serve as a great encouragement that anything is possible.
2. Ask questions about the existing support a child with disabilities qualifies for. When considering fostering a child with disabilities, it’s important to understand the services and resources you’ll need to help them take advantage of. This encompasses everything from daycare, to education, to medical treatments and more. There is a lot to understand and manage when fostering a child with disabilities; it’s imperative that you know your own capabilities and limitations.
3. Everyone needs support. Kayla shared how, as a single parent, she has no other choice but to lean on others. Even something as seemingly simple as attending church presents numerous challenges, especially if the facility is not already equipped to support a child with disabilities. You don’t have to be a foster parent to advocate for creating spaces where children with disabilities are welcomed. How can you help shift the environment at an organization you’re a part of to make accessibility more of a priority?

Resources

• [BOOK] The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
• [BOOK] Foster the Family: Encouragement, Hope, and Practical Help for the Christian Foster Parent
• [BOOK] A Day With No Words
• Thanks for listening! Use code “TBRIpodcast” to get $5 off when you sign up for an Introduction to TBRI session. If you work personally or professionally with children who have experienced adversity, learn more about TBRI on our Trauma Training page.

Meet the Guest

Kayla Williams is a former foster, now adoptive mom, and an early childhood special education teacher in Bryan, Texas. Kayla was a foster parent for two years before adopting her daughter in 2022. As a single parent raising a disabled child, Kayla brings a unique perspective to the foster care community. She is very passionate about how the system can better support children who have disabilities and have also experienced trauma.