Reader's Choice

Me and my giant troublemaking mouth!

Last month I thought it might be fun to ask you, the reader, what should be in the magazine. I thought I would get a handful of suggestions and boom!, issue done. Not the case at all.

The fact that never escapes me in regards to foster care issues has always been the passion. The advocates are passionate. The alumni from care are passionate. The foster parents are passionate. The 
trainers are passionate. The social workers, the justice officials and the foster kids themselves, are all passionate. You get the point. They are all full of fire and passion. They care about what they’re doing. 
They care about the kids and they care about the system.

Asking readers what they wanted to read about seemed like a great idea….

Within minutes of posting a request for article suggestions I was inundated with brilliant topics. My initial expectations were pretty low. I anticipated a lot of folks asking to have their book or nonprofit featured, 
which is fine but I’ve done that. I’ve done that a lot. I enjoy showcasing independent writers. I enjoy telling readers about all the incredible work that nonprofits throughout the nation do, but I wanted to switch it 
up.

Fortunately, I have some of the brightest minds following the magazine’s progress. Their suggestions blew me away. I now have enough suggestions for at least three issues. And I fully intend to cover each 
suggestion to the best of my ability.

The article ideas were as diverse as the people who made them. Over the next few months Foster Focus was dive head first into a number of really exciting topics, a few of which I will list here. The diversity of 
the ideas was nearly as surprising as the number of ideas that popped up. Seems like they were just waiting for someone to ask them what they wanted to read.

The first idea that peaked my interested was a simple premise; wellbeing. He went on to explain what he was after. “What is it? How is it different than safety and permanency? Is there a national wellbeing 
agenda in the same way as there is one for safety and permanency? If not, how does a lack of a national wellbeing framework impact foster youth?” I don’t know but I’m going to find out and make it a cover 
article.

Next was an idea I’ve been circling for years now, foster care alumni who go on to become foster parents. My hunch is that the number of alumni coming back to ensure our younger foster siblings are taken 
care of properly is on the rise over the last few years. Do they face any obstacles? Are they well suited for the task? I don’t know but I’m going to find out and it should make for a fascinating article.

Mixed in there were stories that have already been in the pages of the magazine but could easily spend another three or four articles on each. Topics like overcoming the traumas of care, youth run 
advocacy groups and LGBTQ issues, have all been in the magazine at one point or another but could definitely use revisiting.

A couple of these ideas were really large in scale. I can try to pull off these ideas but my resources are limited in terms of travel though I have managed a large enough network to attempt an idea like, 50 
Foster Youth from 50 States, a look at a youth advocate from each state. Or an idea like the coolest laws for foster youth across the nation. What a fantastic idea! I try the best I can to bring as many laws 
impacting foster care as I can, but I’m just one guy so I’m sure I’m missing things.  But if I can muster enough advocates from each state to keep me up to date on all the new policies throughout the country 
then we’ll be on to something!

The fourth year of the magazine will be devoted to expanding the informational network of Foster Focus. I’ve established a great network of authors and writers. I’m all set as far as CEOs and agency folks go 
but I’ve stayed away from government issues. I might have done this on purpose. Politics just don’t appeal to me. Lots of fighting and tension are not my idea of a good time. But politics are the epicenter of 
the decisions being made for foster care and as the only monthly foster care magazine I suppose the responsibility of bringing as much foster care info (policy and legislation too) to the public falls on my 
shoulders.

I could keep going with all the suggestions for the magazine articles that the public gave me but let’s be honest, you’d rather just see the finish product. I’ll slowly disperse these articles throughout the year, if 
for no other reason than the workload to put all of them in one issue would be so daunting that I would be forced to become a recluse hermit 20 years sooner than I planned.

One last thought before we put a cap on this for the moment; Foster Focus readers are so dependable when it comes to feedback. I don’t ask often (the magazine is my responsibility, not yours) but when I 
do, whatever the subject, you folks come out in droves. I’m grateful for all the feedback. I make these issues in the hopes that it will help you do your job better. Whether you are a social worker or foster 
parent.  A judge or a former foster kid who advocates, I’m working for you. I appreciate any direction you can give me to help you even more. Stay tuned for the reader’s choice articles, I’ll attach a nifty logo 
to the articles so you’ll be able to point them out.

Thanks for reading and thanks for caring what goes on the pages of Foster Focus.