What sound does a goose make? For Mikey, a little boy who had several unfortunate circumstances happen in his life, this simple question was transformative. A clinician in Spaulding’s Foster Care program who is also a voice coach recognized Mikey’s love for music and sound and incorporated it into her work with him. Previously noncommunicative, Mikey blossomed. He now participates in music classes in the community and has found his voice!
Just 11 months ago, six-year-old Mikey came to live with Becky and Joel. When he was first placed with this foster family, he avoided eye contact, was withdrawn, rarely spoke, erupted in tantrums, and didn’t recognize faces. Today, he attends public school, participates in a children’s choir, takes swimming lessons and plays soccer. He speaks in complete sentences, runs, jumps, tells jokes, and recognizes people.
Becky says that Mikey’s amazing progress shows the power of simple resets in a child’s life to help them grow, learn and experience the joy of childhood. It also shows the difference that can be made when committed foster parents team up with Spaulding case managers to change a child’s life.
Becky and Joel received their foster parent training and licensing through Spaulding’s Individual Service Option (ISO) Foster Care Program in 2019. They have worked with Spaulding ever since, often providing shorter-term respite care for foster children. After DCYF removed Mikey from his birth home when he was five years old, the plan was to have him stay with Becky and Joel for a weekend. That plan changed when Becky says she “saw something different” in Mikey and knew he was where he needed to be to experience growth and development.
Becky and Joel have worked hard helping Mikey with speech issues and managing his behavior. Spaulding case managers have been right by their side, making weekly visits to reinforce Becky’s work, providing support, managing transportation issues when Becky is working, and answering questions.
In the months ahead, Becky expects that Spaulding case managers will become even more involved as Mikey is able to communicate and learn more easily. Becky will be collaborating with Spaulding to help Mikey work on recognizing and managing emotions, as well as visual schedules.
Becky appreciates the enormous impact that Spaulding has had in Mikey’s life as well as her own as a foster parent.
