Family Advocates
Coyote Hill Family Advocates are essential to mission of Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries. A Family Advocate’s role is to “walk through life” with the family, while also providing in-home coaching and mentoring for families on a regular basis. They maintain a relationship with the family to make sure they have everything needed to be successful and create stability for their child.
Coyote Hill Family Advocates are excited to serve and walk through all the fun times as well as the challenges. Family Advocates provide necessary support to combat foster parent burnout. This creates longevity for foster parents, which allows children to stay in the same homes for longer periods of time and allows Coyote Hill homes to care for more children.
Through in-home coaching and mentoring on a regular basis, we are giving foster families everything they need in order to meet the needs of the children in their home.
From our Community…
“Our advocate constantly shows up, and loves us exceedingly well. Anything we need, any time of day – they’ll be there.”
-Erica
What Can Your Coyote Hill Family Advocate Do for Your Family?
Our Family Advocates are committed to walking alongside you as you provide safety and security for children in foster care. Whether you are a new or experienced foster family, we want to offer a refresher on what your Family Advocate can provide for your family.
Facilitate Communication with Family Support Team
- You can invite your Family Advocates to sit in on Family Support Team Meetings and debrief what is happening with your child(ren)’s case.
- Family Advocates can walk alongside you as you communicate questions or concerns with your case management team.
Connect You with Resources
- Coyote Hill has a variety programs to help foster families, including Memory Makers, Maintenance Services, and Direct Assistance when appropriate. Your Family Advocate can connect you to these services and help navigate the application and approval processes.
- You can reach out to your Family Advocate if you need parenting advice, respite requests, or emergency transportation needs!
- Coyote Hill also has abundant connections to community resources. Our Family Advocates have collective knowledge that they would love to share with you! If you have questions about programs in your community, please reach out to your Family Advocate to brainstorm potential resources that can benefit your children.
Support Your Family During Transitions
- Your Family Advocate is here to help you as you navigate transitions over the course of your foster care journey.
- Even before you welcome a child into your home, we would love to discuss the decision with you! Your advocate can help weigh different factors of a child’s case and the fit for your family.
- Family Advocates can also jump in by bringing clothes or a meal when you first welcome a child into your home.
- It can also look like helping you understand the terms of your child’s case, familiarizing you with contact permissions, assisting with bio parent visits, and checking in with you about your wellbeing.
Family Advocates want to meet you where you are, support you as you face challenges, and celebrate with you! Please feel free to reach out to your advocate when you need us!
Biological Family Advocacy
Coyote Hill is taking our proven model of Family Advocacy and providing it to biological parents to support them in their efforts to reunify with their children who are in foster care.
We are providing parent coaching and mentoring. We are also helping to provide logistical support to make the system less intimidating as they are navigating the steps to reunify with their children.
Biological parents are referred to us by Children’s Division. We are currently providing Biological Family Advocacy in Boone County.
We are grateful to Boone County taxpayers and the Boone County Children’s Services Fund for funding a portion of our Family Advocacy program. This work would not be possible without these funds!
