News from Franklin County Children Services

As parent, writer, and co-founder of a website on parenting teens and tweens Whitney Fleming writes, “the only thing I know for certain about raising teenagers is I have no idea what I’m doing.” Even knowing how to talk to your teen can be a challenge. That’s why we asked Don Heard to share his thoughts. A parent to four, Don has devoted his forty-year career to working with youth, including the last two decades at the YMCA of Central Ohio.  He offers straight talk tempered by hard experience. It starts with a willingness to confront tough conversations, but to do so lovingly and respectfully. He suggests finding neutral locations for these conversations.  Most important, set and model ground rules for positive ways to engage. Avoid yelling, threats, or other behavior that create more distance. Build bridges. Remember that kids may not listen to what we say but they always mimic what we do. Don also tells us that we shouldn’t wait until a crisis or issue arises to learn how to...

“I hope they won’t forget about us,” said Leslie Wass, tearfully speaking of her children who are approaching adulthood and leaving the nest.  While Ms. Wass shares the fears of most mothers as their children go out into the world, what makes her story a little different is that she and her husband David have fostered and adopted 11 children through Franklin County Children Services.  And three are nearing their independence.  During National Foster Care Month this May, Franklin County Children Services is celebrating the caring adults in our community who continue to open their homes and hearts to children who need safe, stable, and loving places to stay. The Wass home is filled with nine girls and two boys, each of whom has varying needs and challenges.  Reflecting on the lives of her eldest children - two 17-year-olds and a 20-year-old - Ms. Wass said, “I’m proud of the people that they’ve become.”  Each of them is eager to give back, volunteering and working...

Changing lives. Sharing enriching experiences. Building lasting connections. Enjoying time together.  Being a mentor offers immense rewards for everyone involved. That’s why Franklin County Children Services wants to recruit 60 new mentors starting this May as part of the innovative “60 for Six” campaign.  As part of the initiative, 60 mentors will jointly experience a peer-learning based program where they will complete orientation, training, and background checks, and eventually be matched for at least six months to approximately 60 young people awaiting mentees.  To help foster meaningful connections, these mentors will ideally share similar cultural and social identities as well as lived experiences as the mentees they are matched with, according to FCCS Director of Volunteers and Child Enrichment Eboni Partlow.  “While we warmly welcome all individuals to apply, there is a heightened need for mentors from Black and Brown communities, as well as those who identif...

Betty Lewis spends a lot of time in her car. She is busy transporting children to medical appointments, activities, family visits, and more.  And she’s been doing it for more than 28 years as a foster parent.  During National Foster Care Month this May, Franklin County Children Services is celebrating the caring adults in our community who continue to open their homes and hearts to children who need safe, stable, and loving places to stay. As a single mom, Ms. Lewis initially started to foster because she wanted to have companionship for her daughter and more opportunities to use her mothering skills. Ultimately, she has changed the lives of more than 130 children and their families, including four children whom she adopted.  The Lewis household is full of activity. It’s not easy to manage a home with a 19-year-old college student, a 17-year-old about to graduate from high school, medically fragile 9- and 7-year-old siblings, a 5-and-a-half-year-old, and a 10-month-old ba...

Maggie Baxter is very excited about getting her 17-year-old foster daughter Rylie ready for prom this weekend. “We’re getting her nails done today and her hair done tomorrow.”  “I can’t believe I get to be a ‘prom mom’!” This is just part of the joy Ms. Baxter and her husband Austin experience as foster parents. During National Foster Care Month this May, Franklin County Children Services is celebrating the caring adults who open their homes and hearts to the hundreds of children in Central Ohio who need safe, stable, and loving places to stay. While being a foster parent can be very challenging at times, the Baxters relish having a full house to offer normalcy and stability to youth while helping families heal. In addition to Rylie, they currently foster two sisters, ages 10 and 17, while caring for their own daughters, ages 10 and 14.  Having lots of people around the house is nothing new for the couple. “My husband comes from a big family. I’m one of four,” Ms. Baxter said....

The popular FCCS Community Resource Guide, a helpful reference book of community partners ready to help strengthen all families in Central Ohio, has been redesigned for 2024 to be more user-friendly… and it’s now available online and in print.  The Resource Guide features 17 different sections of supports, ranging from hospitals and health centers to clothing and childcare assistance. And nearly all of the services are available to any family in Franklin County, no matter their size, income, neighborhood, background, or diversity. FCCS also added two new sections, including the agency’s first-ever LGBTQ+ support section to provide resources for our SOGIE diverse youth and families. SOGIE stands for “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression.” Another new section highlights useful services from the City of Columbus and Franklin County government agencies.  “We took this incredible book and made it even better this year,” said Bruce Cadwallader, a member of the FCCS Com...

Gary and Caitlin Kleinpaste have an open table in their home for current, former, and new foster children who need a sense of stability, familiarity, and love. Each child is welcome to share a meal and feel their love and support. May is National Foster Care Month, when Franklin County Children Services joins a nationwide effort to spread awareness and show support for children and youth in foster care who urgently need safe homes and loving caregivers as they wait to be reunited with their families. The Kleinpastes, who received the 2024 FCCS Family Appreciation Award, are among those who fill this vital role.  Foster parents for more than seven years, the couple currently have five children (two sibling groups) placed with them. As “treatment foster parents” with extensive training and experience, the Kleinpastes are often asked to care for children who have specific needs.  An eagerness to become foster parents was something that the Kleinpastes shared even prior to their m...