Family Taking Care of Family

Brandon and Leslie were in a season of change as they moved their family across Texas for an exciting job promotion when they received a call that would send their family in a direction they never imagined. Their nieces, Aaliyah and Maia, had entered the foster care system and the family was asked to provide kinship care for the girls.

Kinship care means instead of living with a foster family in the community, children who have been removed from their parents’ custody live with a relative or close family friend. The goal is for the birth family to be reunified.

Saying “yes” may seem like a no-brainer, and for many reasons it was. Brandon experienced some hard things early in life and lived in a children’s home, with his brother, from age 7 until he graduated from high school.

He is grateful for the positive experience he had at the children’s home and thinks of it as “close to a family experience.” It was there he was introduced to God and grew in his faith, and he was able to participate in 4H, FFA, sports, ride horses, play and explore most any interest. Later as an adult, he and Leslie even worked in a children’s home, parenting as many as eight girls at a time. They know, better than most, what it means for kids to need a family.

Yet, saying “yes” isn’t always easy. Brandon and Leslie were settling their four biological children, Sephora, Lillia, Asher and Noah as they worked to sell their home and purchase a new one. They homeschool and the kids were young, so the family was busy and there wasn’t much extra space. But, they didn’t let all the details get in the way of ensuring their nieces had the family they deserve. Brandon and Leslie said “yes” and welcomed the girls with open arms.

Kinship caregivers receive nominal supports from the state, but if they complete the steps to be verified as foster parents, they receive more robust professional and financial supports. Brandon and Leslie chose to complete the process and worked closely with the team at PCHAS. When it became clear the girls would not be able to return home, the plan changed to adoption. Brandon and Leslie gladly stepped forward to ensure the girls would always be a part of their family.

The couple shared the process required even more paperwork than they would have imagined, but they are grateful for all of the professionals who helped them along the way. “You hear a lot of bad things, but we were blessed,” Leslie said. They were also glad to learn some of the support they experienced during placement could extend after the adoptions were final. It wouldn’t have changed their mind, but access to post-adoption services, health insurance and college tuition waivers for the girls is very helpful.

Just when you think the family of eight might be complete, God blessed them with one more biological child, Gideon. There’s no way to know what the next chapter holds for the family, but it’s safe to assume the legacy of caring for family will be passed to the generations to come.

Are you a Kinship Caregiver or are you thinking about Adoption or Foster Care? Connect with a Foster Care & Adoption Guide to learn how it works in Texas. You can call us at 281-324-0544 or email us at fosteradopt@pchas.org.