Ashley is a 16-year-old female who came into care with Inner Circle Foster Agency after a difficult past. Ashley had been in and out of foster care and temporary relative placements for years. When she came to Inner Circle Foster Agency, she had been AWOL for almost three weeks prior. Ashley arrived at the home of Ms. Johnson with a history of substance abuse, truancy and a criminal background. Ashley had already completed a program for her substance abuse problems but was unable to return home due to parental substance issues and their inability to make Ashley attend school. When Ashley arrived to our agency she was very behind in credits, which was going making to make it difficult for her to graduate from high school.

Both parents agree that, “fostering children will not stop here.” They state that shouldthey be blessed to officially adopt John officially, they will continue to foster more children for as long as they have the space in their home. To be able to give 100% of themselves to children has been their life’s mission. They recently have been assigned an adoptions worker. They are thrilled, excited, and nervous in anticipation of this process and yet very hopeful. They are getting closer to fulfilling their long-held dream of adoption.

John's foster father has been so grateful for the opportunity to care for this baby boy. He recalls there being a delay initially in the certification process, leading him to later realize that the reason for delay was what brought John into their loving home. He states that the delay was a blessing in disguise. It was “meant to be… a dream come true… we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect baby.” He reports that he, at the time, had no idea that John would later be the child he would soon be able to adopt.

The Molina family began fostering over a year ago. John was placed with his foster family when he was just 3 three days old. His foster mother remembers how nervous and excited she felt while driving to the hospital to pick John up John. At first, she foster mother was a little nervous to be caring for a new born baby, but it later she was a surprised to discover her how in tuned to John she became.

During her time in Ms. Johnson’s home, Ashley and her biological mother worked diligently through some of the issues they had.  Ashley learned how to follow instructions and deal with her emotions. She worked hard on her independent living skills and was able to complete all assigned tasks without issues. Ashley also learned time management and was consistently getting herself up and ready for school on time. Ashley was rarely tardy and worked extremely hard on her homework. Ashley even reached a level of maturity and responsibility where she was allowed to also begin seeking employment, while she still attended school.

Ashley was able to return to her mother’s care in March of 2014. Upon her termination of foster care, Ashley had no problems with going AWOL, truancy, or drug use while in the of home of Ms. Johnson. She is still behind in school but is now working hard to catch up and taking ownership of the issues she had in her past. Ashley’s mother is also taking on a more parental role in caring for Ashley since she is now clean and sober. Due to the hard work of Ms. Johnson, Ashley and her biological mother, the family Ashley has been reunited with her family and working towards great things a greater future.