Episode Details

What happens to a child's sense of stability when their foster placement changes? And can the relationships they build with trusted adults help provide security, even when their circumstances are uncertain?

When we talk about stability in foster care, the conversation often focuses on keeping children in one home and avoiding placement changes. And while placement stability is incredibly important, there's another form of consistency that deserves just as much attention: the people who remain in a child's life throughout their journey.

In this episode of The Kingswell Conversations, Richard Kingswell, CEO of Extra Special Parents and FosterVA in Virginia, explores why consistent relationships with trusted adults can make such a meaningful difference to children in foster care.

Richard explains that while the goal is always to minimise disruption, the realities of foster care mean that circumstances can change. Children may return to their birth families, placements may end, caregivers may experience changes in their own lives and sometimes a different home becomes necessary.

But a change in placement doesn't have to mean losing every familiar face.

Behind each child is often a network of social workers, clinical specialists, advocates, teachers, community representatives and legal professionals who can provide continuity even when other aspects of life are changing.

Richard shares how these relationships can help children feel heard, understood and supported, and why the consistency of the wider team matters enormously.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why consistent relationships can be just as important as placement stability.
• How children can experience changes in foster placements while maintaining trusted connections.
• The importance of continuity among agency clinical specialists and social workers.
• Why having a familiar, reliable adult can help children feel safer.
• The role of Virginia's Department of Social Services in providing ongoing support.
• How community teams contribute to decisions about children's needs and resources.
• The valuable contribution of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs).
• Why continuity within the court system can matter to children and young people.
• The importance of maintaining school placements and friendships wherever possible.
• How familiar adults can help children feel that their voices are being heard.
• Why repeatedly retelling difficult personal experiences can be distressing for children.

One particularly interesting part of the conversation is Richard's discussion of Court Appointed Special Advocates, commonly known as CASAs.

These trained volunteers advocate for children involved in the court system, offering another trusted relationship and helping ensure children's experiences and needs are heard. While not every child has access to a CASA volunteer, Richard explains the value these advocates can bring to a child's journey.

The conversation also explores the importance of educational stability.

For a child experiencing uncertainty at home, remaining in the same school, seeing familiar teachers and maintaining friendships can provide a welcome sense of normality.

Richard discusses how agencies and communities may work together to preserve those connections when practical, while also recognising the need to balance travel, family circumstances and a child's wellbeing.

Perhaps the most powerful message comes towards the end of the conversation, when Richard reflects on the importance of having someone who already knows a child's story.

For children who have spent years in foster care, repeatedly explaining their experiences to new professionals can be exhausting and upsetting. A familiar social worker or advocate who understands their history can offer something incredibly valuable: the comfort of being