4 Essential Resources to Support Your Foster Family Journey
Parenting is simultaneously one of the most rewarding opportunities and one of the most challenging journeys we can undertake. Every parent makes mistakes and needs support along the way—and foster and adoptive parents face unique situations that require specialized guidance.
At our San Antonio foster care agency, we've compiled a comprehensive Recommended Resources page filled with suggestions specifically designed for foster and adoptive families, but applicable to all families. Here are four outstanding resources that have been making a significant impact in our community.
1. The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family, by Karyn Purvis
Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross founded the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at TCU to teach parents Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)—widely recognized as the gold standard for parenting children from difficult backgrounds. You know we love TBRI, to the point that we require the training for all of our foster families. That is because TBRI provides a framework that helps parents connect with children who have experienced trauma, particularly those in the foster care system, to build trust and facilitate healing.
The Connected Child offers practical wisdom specifically for families who have adopted children from hard places. This transformative resource will equip you to:
Build deep bonds of affection and trust with your adopted child
Effectively address learning or behavioral challenges
Discipline with love without triggering feelings of threat or rejection
Understand the neuroscience behind your child's behaviors
Many parents in the San Antonio and New Braunfels foster community have reported that the principles in this book have completely transformed their approach to parenting. One mom shared, "The Connected Child has helped me to slow down and consider what’s going on, and it’s giving me a chance not just to address something that’s annoying me or overstimulating me, but to actually see the character underneath and how to instill better character."
2. Empowered to Connect
Empowered to Connect integrates TBRI principles with biblical teachings, creating a holistic approach to caring for children from hard places. What makes this resource particularly valuable is its application across all age groups—demonstrating how these connection-based principles work effectively with teenagers, not just young children.
The website offers a wealth of practical resources, including:
In-depth blog articles addressing common challenges
Training opportunities for parents and professionals
Instructional videos demonstrating techniques in action
Faith-based perspectives on healing and attachment
Community forums where foster and adoptive parents can connect
3. @thatcalmmom on Instagram
Sometimes the most helpful resources come through unexpected channels. @thatcalmmom on Instagram offers bite-sized wisdom for the daily challenges of parenting children with trauma backgrounds. Although not a faith-based account, @thatcalmmom has experienced some traumatic things in her life that give her authority on the subject. Her content focuses on managing anger as a parent, and it helps parents understand the thinking patterns behind challenging behaviors, allowing for more thoughtful, connected responses rather than reactive discipline.
Click to view the post in Instagram
One technique she shares involves the simple but powerful practice of connection before correction—saying your child's name, making eye contact, and establishing a brief moment of connection before giving instructions. A dad in our San Antonio community recently shared how this approach transformed bedtime battles with his son who had been hiding instead of staying in bed. "Instead of escalating with frustration, I took a breath, got down to his level, made that connection first, and everything changed."
Her account offers:
Practical scripts for responding calmly to challenging behaviors
Simple explanations of brain development and how it affects children's responses
"Thoughts From Your Child's Perspective" that help parents understand underlying needs
Evidence-based techniques for building emotional regulation skills
Gentle parenting approaches that work especially well with children from trauma backgrounds
4. TBRI Podcast
Full TBRI training is intensive and not always practical to repeat, even though regular refreshers are incredibly beneficial. The TBRI Podcast from the Karyn Purvis Institute delivers ongoing education in a format that fits into your busy life as a foster parent. This podcast features conversations about Trust-Based Relational Intervention with experts in the field, discussing:
Practical applications of trauma-informed care
Implementation strategies across different caregiving environments
Success stories from families using TBRI principles
New research and developments in understanding childhood trauma
Specialized topics like sensory processing, attachment, and behavioral challenges
Many foster parents in the San Antonio area listen during commutes or household tasks, creating an ongoing learning environment that strengthens their parenting toolkit.
Take the Next Step in Your Foster Parenting Journey
Fostering children is both a calling and a journey that requires continuous growth and support. We encourage you to explore these resources and consider which might best address your family's current needs.
If you're considering becoming a foster parent in the San Antonio or New Braunfels area, or need additional support on your current fostering journey, we're here to help. Our agency offers regular training sessions, support groups, and personalized guidance to families at every stage of the process.
Ready to learn more? Start here to learn more about foster care in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and beyond. Next, when you’re ready, fill out an inquiry form, and we will get you scheduled for an orientation to answer all your questions. Together, we can provide the loving, stable homes that children in our community desperately need.
1HOPE for Kids is committed to supporting foster and adoptive families throughout Region 8 of Texas with Christ-centered resources, community, and care.