Posts by Marianna Litovich
What Matters Now
My therapist recently shared a new word with me: pronoia. A state of mind where someone believes the world is conspiring to help. The opposite of paranoia, where someone believes the world is conspiring to hurt. It rang true for the way I’ve been approaching the world in the last couple of years,…
Read MoreAOK Appreciation Breakfast
Inaugural AOK Appreciation Breakfast In honor of National Adoption Month, this fundraising event recognizes the foster/adoptive families and social workers on the front lines of the Massachusetts child welfare system. Brunch buffet, great raffle prizes, inspiring talks, and celebration of this amazing community. This event has been postponed. A new date in early 2024…
Read MoreSundae Funday 2023 A Huge Success!
AOK Board and Staff Members (L-R): Kyle, Melissa, Marianna, and Elaine. The children were smiling. The weather was gorgeous. People came to run with their families and walk with their kids. We laughed, danced, ate, enjoyed, made friends. THANK YOU to all who made the 2023 Sundae Funday event a huge success! Scroll below…
Read MoreJob Opportunity: Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator
Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator All Our Kids, Inc. All Our Kids, Inc is a Western MA-based, grassroots, nonprofit organization committed to empowering foster and adoptive families to thrive by enriching community connectedness, providing education and resources, and helping the public understand and support our families’ experiences. After significant growth over the last few years, AOK…
Read More2023 Family Resource Changes
In late 2022, DCF unveiled changes to its Family Resource policies. The Family Resource Department is the group of people who license and support foster and preadoptive families (including kinship families). Policies relating to Family Resource are being “unbundled” in two ways. Family Resource Policy First, the “Family Resource Policy” document – the guidelines that…
Read MorePost-Adoption Subsidy
When a child is adopted through DCF, there are ongoing financial supports that remain after the adoption is legalized. If you have questions about post-adoption issues, don’t be shy about reaching out to AOK or contacting our Resource and Support Hub Partner, Adoption Journeys. MassHealth All children adopted through foster care in Massachusetts are…
Read MoreChildcare & Respite Options Through DCF
As a foster parent, there are times when we need someone else to watch our children. Whether to run child-free errands, for a night out, or when you just need a break. Accessing childcare for a child in foster care isn’t as straightforward as it is for children in traditional families. Here are four types…
Read MoreAppeals, Hearings, and Other Terms
The Appeals Process An appeal is the biological parent’s effort to overturn the Court’s decision, typically on termination of parental rights. The appeal is usually heard by a single justice or panel at the Appeals Court, which is the middle tier of the court system in Massachusetts. You can reasonably expect an appeal to add…
Read MoreThe Role of Foster Parents in Court
The foster parent is not a party to the case, meaning the foster parent has no right to participate directly in it through an attorney. The foster parent may, however, be a witness in the case, called by DCF’s or the child’s attorney. By statute, foster parents have some limited rights: to notice of any…
Read MoreThe Court Process
Adapted from AOK’s Guidebook, “It Takes a Village“ Many people are surprised to learn about the intricate link between the child welfare and Juvenile Court systems in Massachusetts. While DCF often removes children from their custodial parents on an emergency basis without court involvement, before a parent can be deprived of custody of their child…
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