What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most.
New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes.
Topics Include:
✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York
✅ What to expect during your home study and training
✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together
✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act
✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience
✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system
Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence.
Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong.
About Families Thrive Inc.
Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong.
Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation
Connect with us on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
All content for Licensed to Love is the property of Families Thrive Inc and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most.
New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes.
Topics Include:
✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York
✅ What to expect during your home study and training
✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together
✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act
✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience
✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system
Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence.
Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong.
About Families Thrive Inc.
Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong.
Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation
Connect with us on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
Home for the Holidays: Fostering Belonging During the Season
Licensed to Love
39 minutes
2 months ago
Home for the Holidays: Fostering Belonging During the Season
Ep. 3 The holidays are supposed to be magical—but for foster children, they can also be complicated and emotional.
In this heartfelt episode of Licensed to Love, hosts Lauri McKnight and Veronica Black of Families Thrive unpack the emotional landscape of the holiday season for children in foster care. With some insights from current foster parents, they explore how to navigate holiday triggers, maintain healthy ties with biological families, and create new traditions that help kids feel seen and secure.
✨ What You’ll Learn:
Why holidays can bring mixed emotions for foster children
How small gestures—like shared traditions or inclusive conversations—can nurture belonging
Ways to honor biological family connections while building new memories
The importance of community support and awareness during the season
This episode reminds us that while gifts and gatherings may fade, the feeling of being loved and included lasts forever.
🔗 Resources:
Celebrate foster and adoptive families at the Families Thrive Heart & Home Gala — November 1st at 6 PM at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
Reserve your seat today at 👉 www.familiesthriveinc.org
Chapters:
0:00 Holiday Challenges for Foster Families
3:39 When Holidays Feel Different in Foster Care
12:20 Handling Emotional Triggers During the Season
16:59 Joys and Struggles of Holiday Parenting
19:56 Blending Traditions and Family Connections
21:29 Navigating Cultural Differences at the Holidays
28:18 Community Support That Makes the Season Bright
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Licensed to Love
What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most.
New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes.
Topics Include:
✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York
✅ What to expect during your home study and training
✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together
✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act
✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience
✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system
Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence.
Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong.
About Families Thrive Inc.
Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong.
Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation
Connect with us on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
