Self Taught: Former Foster Youth on Sex, Health, and Life. This podcast is from foster youth, for foster youth, with unfiltered conversations about sex, health and life. These are conversations about puberty, relationships, sexual health, identity and much more that we wish were part of our upbringing. We hope these conversations spark questions and provide resources for you, to find answers, feel empowered, and have community.
Fostering Parenthood: Reimagining “The Talk” With Caregivers And Foster Youth.
Talking to our teens about their sexual health journey can be intimidating but with Fostering Parenthood, you’re not alone. Together, we will talk about these important conversations through lived experience and provide helpful ideas, best practices, and resources. Our goal is helping our children and youth in foster care become informed, strong, and confident individuals.
We’re kicking off Season 3 with a convo our all-former-foster-youth podcasters are so eager to explore— How can we prioritize our mental health while navigating romantic relationships? Derenice and Myh’Keith explain ways to talk openly—even about the hard stuff. Remember: your relationship with yourself is just as important as your relationship with someone else.
It’s Complicated: Mental Health and Foster Care. In this episode, Kat, Elyzabeth, Alexis, and Esme talk about the unique challenges (former) foster youth face when accessing the mental healthcare services they need.
Abortion Care According to Former Foster Youth. In this unflinchingly honest episode, Tamar, Phillisha, and Cody discuss abortion care in this open.
What foster youth need to know about prenatal care. In this episode, Kat, Cody, Phillisha and Sarah talk about getting the care you need leading up to birth, which is known as prenatal care.
Former Foster Youth On Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) In this episode, we discuss methods for safe sex, relatable accounts of what it’s like to navigate the healthcare system with an STI, shaking off stigma, being open and feeling safe with partners, and more.
How Can Foster Youth Use Birth Control on Their Terms? In this episode, Kat and Brandy talk about their personal experiences with birth control and provide an overview of the variety of birth control methods available.
What Are Foster Youth’s Rights To Healthcare? In this Episode, Tamar and Alexis sit down with Rebecca Gudeman to highlight many of these rights for youth in California and to talk about what often gets in the way of youth in care being able to fully benefit from them.
Reparenting. In this Episode, Phillisha and Tamar talk about how they each actively sought to reparent themselves – filling in gaps from their own development – in order to be the best parent for their child.
“Mixed Diaspora” and finding a sense of belonging. In this episode, Kat and Alexis talk about how they have found a sense of belonging throughout various parts of their lives.
Consent. In this episode, Tamar and Kat dig into consent as an important component of any healthy relationship – not just the sexual ones.
Finding Myself. In this episode, Daniel discusse what motivates him to be an advocate for the gay community now, and bringing “me and all of my selves.”
Intersections of Identity in Foster Care. In this episode, we discuss intersectional identity, including being non-binary and neuro-divergent.
Nobody Taught Me About Sexual And Reproductive Health. In this episode, we discuss “the talk,” puberty, birth control, and finding the right doctor while growing up in foster care.
Q&A Special: Social media & online safety: This episode will center caregiver and youth empowerment by providing tips on, having transparent conversations about social media, setting boundaries, and differentiating between healthy and potentially dangerous online engagements.
Talking about sex should be liberating. Here’s why.: Caregivers will be equipped with the necessary tools to engage in conversations with the youth in their care about sexuality and sex education that goes beyond prevention and instead focuses on liberation, all within a secure and receptive environment that encourages openness.
Unveiling child sex trafficking in indigenous communities: This episode will give caregivers of indigenous youth a new understanding of how to help indigenous youth in care who’ve experienced abuse and/or commercial sexual exploitation and how to support them.
Nurturing foster youth’s mental health in new placements: This episode will explore how caregivers can support the mental health of youth in foster care through the eyes of a former foster youth, Elyzabeth.
Unlearning biases: How to best advocate for your youth’s mental health: This episode will explore how caregivers can support the mental health of youth in foster care, access Medi-Cal mental health services, and how to advocate for their youth in care to get the services they require.
“Remember, you were a teenager once” How to support pregnant and parenting youth: In this episode we will explore the experiences of youth in care who faced the challenges of homelessness and teen pregnancy, and discover new ways of support.
Fostering open communication with neurodivergent, non-binary youth: This episode will bring the perspective of a caregiver currently fostering a neurodivergent, transgender male youth in care.
Breaking the cycle: Voices of trafficking survivors in foster care: This episode will give caregivers a new understanding of what youth in care who’ve experienced abuse and/or commercial sexual exploitation go through and how to support them.
Know your roots, know your health: In this episode, we’ll hear from a former foster youth on how learning about her Indigenous roots could have helped her during her pregnancy.
Baby powder snow flurry: A holiday special edition. In this episode, our guest explains how foster youth want to incorporate their past traditions and cultures into this year’s holiday celebration.
“The Talk” To wrap up season 1 of Fostering Parenthood, Dorothy has ‘the sex talk’ with her son Brandyn. The first time they talk about sexual reproductive health together is on the show!
Wait, Foster Youth have a Bill of Rights? In this episode, our guest explains the Bill of Rights and provide tips on how to make sure caregivers respect the rights of foster youth.
Help me to help you: Resources for caregivers. In this episode, we discuss some of the most helpful resources and how to utilize them.
So, there’s someone you like?: How to discuss healthy relationships with your youth. In this episode, we discuss relationship experiences and how caregivers could help youth navigate relationships.
Trauma, Triggers And Trying: Trauma-Informed Parenting. In this episode, Dr. Dorit provides helpful insight and tips on how to help your foster youth cope with trauma.
What do those acronyms mean? How to support LGBTQ+ foster youth? In this episode, we discuss how to navigate conversations around sexual orientation and gender identity.
Consent And Bodily Autonomy: Can I Get Some FRIES With That? In this episode, we discuss how to discuss the principles of consent and bodily autonomy with foster youth.
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