What happens to children in the hours after they enter foster care?

Most people never think about it.

They picture courtrooms, foster homes, case workers, and placements. But before any of that happens, many children spend hours and sometimes even nights sitting in government offices, conference rooms, and cubicles waiting to learn where they will sleep, whether they will stay with siblings, and what comes next.

In this episode, we sit down with Jenni Tice, co founder and Executive Director of Lily Pad, a faith based nonprofit creating trauma informed spaces for children experiencing foster care and victims of trauma. What began as one foster family's desire to do something better has grown into dozens of transformed spaces across South Carolina with expansion now reaching other states. Lily Pad creates living room style environments inside DSS offices and law enforcement agencies so children and vulnerable individuals have “a soft place to land” during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Jenni and her husband Ben have fostered more than 40 children over fourteen years. Their own foster journey included adoption, reunification, heartbreak, and eventually meeting Ashlyn, a former foster youth whose story helped inspire the creation of Lily Pad.

During our conversation we discuss:

• Jenni and Ben’s foster care journey and how saying “yes” changed their family
• The heartbreaking moment that sparked Lily Pad’s mission
• What children actually experience while waiting in DSS offices
• Why trauma informed environments matter
• The role churches and volunteers play in maintaining Lily Pad spaces
• How Lily Pad expanded from one room to more than 40 locations
• Expansion into law enforcement spaces supporting children and victims of trauma
• The power of dignity, compassion, and creating safe spaces

This conversation is emotional, hopeful, and deeply practical. It is also a reminder that not everyone is called to foster, but everyone can help create a softer landing place for children and families in crisis.

Learn more about Lily Pad, see room transformations, donate, or volunteer here:

Website: Lily Pad Official Website

Room Gallery: Lily Pad Before & After Rooms

Instagram: @lily.pad.inc

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Music Credit

"Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons.