Celebrating Foster Care Month: A Q&A with a Cook Children's Foster Parent
The Cook Children’s Fostering Health Program provides comprehensive health care services for children, foster families and biological parents.
Jamie Miller and her husband are foster parents who have worked closely with the clinic for three years. Since then, they have fostered 14 children. Most of their placements have been two or more children at a time.
“Jamie has the patience, flexibility and resilience that are crucial in her role as a foster parent,” said Elizabeth Popeck, a nurse practitioner in the Cook Children's Fostering Health program. “Her unwavering commitment for each child and their family is always astounding. Jamie has the capability to find joy and happiness in the care she provides these children every day even if it’s a small achievement for the child which makes her an exceptional foster parent.”
In celebration of National Foster Care Month, we spoke with Jamie about her experiences as a foster parent. Read her interview below!
What inspired you to become a foster parent?
We felt called to do this as a family ministry. God kept putting families in our path that had or were currently fostering. We felt the need to help these children who had experienced trauma. We believe that we could offer a loving and safe place to call home.
My husband and I truly believe that were called to stand in the “gap” and love children during the healing process. Through that belief system, that means that we are fully “rooting and reassuring” the biological parents as they work through their services. We send encouraging notes, pictures, text messages and sometimes even phone calls to show our support. We also believe that clothing and food should never be a hardship when families are reunited. It is hard enough finding a new rhythm and getting to know each other all over again. So, we send an abundance of clothing, diapers, and food home with each child that leaves our home. If the parent doesn’t have our contact information, we share it with them to offer help, advice or whatever they might need. We want reunification to be as successful as possible!
What are some of the most rewarding moments you’ve had as a foster parent?
There are too many to count! Seeing children reunite with their family. Being invited into the family of one of the children, as an actual family. Being able to help guide them to care for their child and the child being so supported by all involved. Seeing a child’s physical and mental well-being change in a nurturing environment. The way that it has impacted our family for the better and taught our biological son lessons in empathy and compassion that he wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Can you tell us about your experience working with the Cook Children’s Fostering Health Program?
It has been wonderful! The Cook Children’s team is extremely knowledgeable and incredibly supportive of our family and so many others that we know. If any child needs a specialist, they make the appropriate referrals in a timely manner and continue to offer other services to benefit the foster families.
What message would you like to share with the community about the importance of fostering?
It’s hard. All of it is hard. However, we can all be a part of the solution in helping these families and especially these children. You can provide a meal to a foster family when they receive a new child into their home. You can donate gently used clothing to a foster closet. You can become a babysitter or respite care provider. There are lots of ways to love from afar, and even more ways to love from your home. It truly is the most rewarding and humbling job you will ever do!
Children entering the foster care system often have specialized health care needs. Through Cook Children's Fostering Health program, these children receive timely and thorough medical care. Learn more about the program here.
