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Do You Have A Challenging Teen?

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 15, 2013 | Comments Off on Do You Have A Challenging Teen?

I am a Sesame Street kid who has grown into a Sesame Street adult.  In case I haven’t told you before, I literally love Sesame Street.  There are four things that Sesame Street does amazingly well in its mission to teach preschoolers that those of us working with teens in foster care should take note […]

Who Taught You About The Real World?

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 13, 2013 | Comments Off on Who Taught You About The Real World?

FACT – There is no such thing as a perfect family.   Every relationship and every family has challenges.  Miscommunication, temporary disconnection, hurt feelings, and anger are normal.  It’s how we deal with these issues that matters most.  The goal should be to ensure that we don’t let them take over our lives and ruin […]

How Can Foster Care Lead to Adult Homelessness?

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 11, 2013 | Comments Off on How Can Foster Care Lead to Adult Homelessness?

Raising awareness about the need to help teenagers in foster care ‘secure’ a forever family through adoption or to help them develop a support system of caring adults who will assist them after their foster care services end is essential to improving their quality of life. I am honored to have been featured as a foster care […]

Tips For New Social Workers

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 8, 2013 | Comments Off on Tips For New Social Workers

Like many working adults, I attended classes in the evening while pursuing my Master’s degree in Social Work. There were very few men in my courses.  I don’t remember the gentleman’s name or the class we were taking together but there was a discussion about our career goals.  While many female come classmates expected to […]

Let Foster Teens Invite You In

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 6, 2013 | Comments Off on Let Foster Teens Invite You In

Years ago I was employed as a Family Support Worker in a community-based organization in a section of the city with the highest poverty, teen pregnancy, HIV/STI, drop out, and unemployment rates. Before each family received services I was required to do a home visit. Some of my clients were teen parents and others were […]

Ask What’s The Best Case Scenario

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 4, 2013 | Comments Off on Ask What’s The Best Case Scenario

We have become a society that sensationalizes pessimism. The local and national news grabs our attention with depressing or shocking stories.  Controversial headlines lace the front pages of our favorite internet search engines.  Political progress has been bogged down with threats of crisis and doom.  Even childhood nursery rhymes have been turned into dark movies […]

Teens In Foster Care Need A Loving, Supportive, Stable Family

By Nicki Sanders | Mar 1, 2013 | Comments Off on Teens In Foster Care Need A Loving, Supportive, Stable Family

Each year, an estimated 20,000 young people “age out” of the U.S. foster care system. Many are only 18 years old, have not experienced consistent nurturing and stability, and still need support and services. Several foster care alumni studies show that without a lifelong connection to a caring adult, these older youth face challenges to […]

SPOTLIGHT on Manuella

By Nicki Sanders | Feb 27, 2013 | Comments Off on SPOTLIGHT on Manuella

Manuella is a tenth grade student in foster care in the state of New York.  Manuella loves photography, creative writing, soccer, and music.    Manuella is determined to complete high school and attend college in California.  She has her eyes set on higher education in San Francisco.  Manuella plans to become a professional photographer. She […]

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Job Hunting I Go

By Nicki Sanders | Feb 25, 2013 | Comments Off on Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Job Hunting I Go

Many young people just want a job.  They want a paycheck.  They want to earn money and are not interested in building a career at this stage in their lives.  That is OK.  Instead of applying for every job in the mall, I encourage focused job hunting.  If a teen is allergic to animal fur […]