Stacey’s Story

The Tennessean: How Church of the City is fighting the foster care crisis | Opinion

Article appeared in The Tennessean | By: Stacey Glass

My sister and I found ourselves in foster care during our early childhood years, when we were displaced from our birth parents due to no fault of our own. Even though we were ultimately reunited with our mom, our time in the foster care system was extremely difficult.

I wasn’t comfortable speaking about it until the pandemic, when my sister began fostering young children. This was the first time I experienced the system from an adult perspective — how much time, money, energy and resources go into caring for a child that is not legally or biologically yours.

Often, these children have been abused and traumatized; they typically have trust issues as result. Some have no idea how to brush their teeth or sit at a table and eat properly. Their foster parents must then provide a safe space, earn their trust, create relationships and teach basic tasks. Even if they only have a child for a short period, that time can be crucial for young children. It is a time to heal, learn and be loved — something many children may have never received.