In this episode of the Foster Friendly Podcast, co-hosts Brian Mavis and Courtney Williams engage with Paula Yost, an attorney and licensed clinical medical health clinician, who shares her journey of advocacy for children in foster care and those with special needs. The conversation explores the impact of personal experiences, such as preeclampsia, on advocacy work, the complexities of navigating the foster care system, and the importance of education and support for both children and their advocates.

Paula emphasizes the need for unconditional love and the power of hope in transforming the lives of kids in foster care, while also addressing the hidden traumas they face and the systemic failures that often hinder their progress. The episode concludes with a call to action for foster parents to see themselves as advocates and to provide the love and support that these children desperately need.

Pickup a copy of her book: "Tumbleweeds: How to Be an Advocate for Your Children and Yourself in a Failing System"
https://a.co/d/07naKZEL

Takeaways

• Paula Yost blends legal advocacy with therapeutic support.
• Preeclampsia changed Paula's perspective on health and advocacy.
• Foster parents need to be informed about children's backgrounds.
• The foster care system often fails to support children's needs.
• Advocacy is essential for navigating educational systems.
• Unconditional love is crucial for foster children.
• Trauma impacts foster children's development and relationships.
• Education and support can change the trajectory of foster kids' lives.
• Building trust with foster children is vital for their healing.
• Hope is a powerful tool in advocating for foster children.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Foster Friendly Podcast.

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