Page 19 - Samaritas Our Hands Spring 2023

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Erin and Kyle Schneider began fostering their youngest brother in October 2021. He was 16
grew up in Christian months when he came to live with them.
love and couldn’t wait
to share that love with The Schneiders have fostered the three youngest children of this
children of their own. So family over the course of five years. Helping the children maintain
when they wanted to healthy relationships and positive perspectives of their birth parents
start a family, and it and other siblings is a top priority for the Schneiders.
didn’t go as planned,
they turned to It hasn’t always been easy, there are boundaries in place to be
Samaritas for foster followed, but the couple has tried their best to encourage the
care. relationships between the kids and their biological parents.
"The values and principles that we grew up on are very important to
us and something we wanted to pass along as a foundation to our “We have separate dad and mom visits because they’re not planning
children,” said Kyle. together. And trying to coordinate two different schedules twice a
week is very time-consuming. So, it’s tough, but it’s what we do. And
Erin added, “I had worked in the foster care field and understood the it’s how we can try to keep serving the kids and honoring the
needs. Understanding the needs helped us decide to foster instead relationship between all of them.”
of pursuing direct adoption. We had love to give. We had the time
and the space. So, we took that as a directive from God to foster.” Studies show that keeping
siblings in contact with
each other gives them a
The couple became licensed with Samaritas in 2018, and a few sense of continuity and
months later, they were on their journey of fostering very young
siblings. The birth family had several older children who had dealt composure throughout a
cumbersome process.
with the rigors of foster care since 2015. Their cases are split between
two foster care agencies and three licensed foster homes. Foster parents typically
coordinate with the
biological parents, court
During the placement phone call of their first foster child, the systems, and case workers
Schneiders were made aware that there were older siblings. At that
time, the Schneiders inquired about their status, desiring to keep to care for each child. The
siblings together. They were told, however, that their little boy was process is even more complicated when multiple siblings are being
the only one at that time that needed a home. Immediately upon his fostered, but it’s all worth it. In fact, Erin Schneider says that being
being placed in their care, the Schneiders began working with able to communicate with the kids about visits with their biological
another foster care agency to facilitate visits in order to keep their family has worked out well. “When they see their siblings or are on a
foster kids in contact with their siblings and parents to build a bond visit with their mom, it’s just their life,” said Erin. “This is what they are
among all the kids.
used to. The children we have are very close in age and are the very
best of friends. Those three have a beautiful relationship together,”
“Our oldest child is currently five and came to us at eight months old. said Erin.
At that point, he was already in the system and had been moved
around a little bit. Even though he was eight months old, we were his In between parent visits, school, and everyday life, the family takes
fourth placement,” said Erin. “It’s a heartbreaking thing for a little time to enjoy playing board and card games, building and imagining
baby.” Erin added, “We worked with another foster parent to get with Legos, and having dance parties.
acquainted with one of his older sisters. Through respite care, we
had some sleepovers so they could get to know each other. Our “We love “The Greatest Showman,” film, said Erin. “The circus is kind
second placement, “his younger biological sister, came to us eight of our family theme! It has everything we love and can relate to as a
months later. She was placed with us ten days after birth because we family of young children: dancing, performing tricks, the enjoyment
were already fostering her brother, who was the closest to her age."
of animals, and celebrating life. Enjoying who we are and were
created to be.”
Recognizing the importance of sibling bonds, the Schneiders later
To learn how to become a foster parent, visit www.samaritas.org/fostercare or call
1 ( 8 3 3 ) 6 0 5 - H O P E
1 (833) 605-HOPE
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