The word “home” typically means a place where one lives permanently. However, with the opioid crisis and many other variables, just because it is “home” doesn’t mean it is safe. Or permanent. On any given day in the United States, over 443,000 children are in foster care, according to childrensrights.org. They may stay with one foster family or move from home to home. Young children being placed into the foster care system are afraid, unsure and confused, according to social workers at Cincinnati Children’s.
We created Best For Me as a tool to help these children understand more about foster care and answer questions they may have along the way. Thanks to a generous donation, we were able to print copies of this book to distribute to Cincinnati Children’s and to members of CASA. Elizabeth Larrison put the book to use immediately. She explains:
“I am a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children, CASA. This lovely illustrated book, Best For Me, is a perfect tool to educate and create a better understanding about a child’s need for safety and the diversity of safe placements like foster care, guardianship care and kinship care. I love the softer handling of words like ‘my parents lost their turn’ and ‘helper family.’ It makes it palatable for young children. I gave this book to a DCS case worker, a therapist, a kindergarten teacher and our CASA program director. My hope is that each one of these people will pass it on. Thank you, Bob and Sarah!” – Elizabeth Larrison
If you would like to help purchase and donate these books, please contact us at: sarah.curryrathel@smilebooksproject.org. Thank you!