Lutheran Family Services

Success Stories
Autism Services | Treatment Foster Care | Adoption Services

Autism Services

Sometimes the smallest acts of giving are the most profound. Jessica* had the best first day back to a new school year ever, thanks to a school backpack donated by a member of the Virginia Synod Women’s Organization.

Fifteen-year old Jessica has autism, a disorder that severely impaired the development of her ability to communicate, interact with other people, and maintain normal contact with the outside world. She has failed to develop normal relationships with her parents, siblings, and other children. Jessica engages in repetitious activities and body movements and has very limited speech development. Like other children with autism, she becomes upset at minor changes in her surroundings and daily routine.

In past summers, Jessica had a hard time handling summer vacations. She kept looking for the school bus, forgot much of what she had learned during the school year, and spent months getting back on task once school began again. This summer, Jessica was able to participate in LFSV’s Summer Enrichment Program, where she could continue to work on goals set by her school in a consistent environment that is so important to her. If Lutheran Family Services couldn’t help her, Jessica faced being placed in a residential facility.

In order to prepare her for the transition back to school in the fall, LFSV staff gave Jessica a school backpack, which she started carrying to the Enrichment Program, adding personal items to the school supplies inside. The staff arranged for her to meet her school bus driver for a “dry run” to school, all the while clutching her backpack. That backpack was like a security blanket for Jessica when school began, anchoring two worlds for her. Thanks to LFSV staff and a VSWO donated backpack, Jessica’s smooth transition back to school is a real success story – she continues to live at home.

*name changed

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Treatment Foster Care

Being a parent in today’s world is not easy. Being a Treatment Foster Parent has the added challenge of dealing with a child that has a troubled background.

“I’ve learned as much from my children as they have learned from me,” shares Roy Townes, father to two biological daughters and six foster sons. Roy and his wife, Laverne, have been LFSV Treatment Foster Parents for 13 years. “Physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, drug problems, and sexual abuse are just some of the reasons that result in a child being removed from his or her home. The children that come to us are angry, confused and fear further rejection. Through them, I’ve learned to see the blessings in my life and appreciate the small things.”

Laverne has learned from the children as well. “Through the children, I’ve learned that God’s love can change anything. We can reach the unreachable, teach the unteachable and love the unlovable. Our treatment foster sons came to us with behavioral and emotional problems. When they leave, our hope is that they should be confident, have dreams and aspirations. If that child is reunited with his biological family, he should be a blessing to that family. If he leaves my home for ‘the world,’ he should be an asset and a blessing to the community.”

Laverne and Roy have not only provided a loving home to eight children, they have challenged them to be all they can be. A daughter teaches at an inner city Head Start Program. A son is in the U.S. Army. A son is in college training to be a chef. A son and daughter are getting ready to complete their college degrees.

The Townes’ are changing the world in a profound way. One child at a time, they are helping to end familial cycles of abuse and neglect. Says Laverne, “I am grateful to have the opportunity to be the extension of the hands of God.”

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Adoption Services

First there were two and now there are four: An adoption story

The time had finally arrived. David and Betsy Miles had finished foster and adoptive training at Lutheran Family Services of Virginia, completed the home study process, and were now proudly certified as foster/adoptive parents. They were ready to open their home to a female child in need -- or so they thought.

But one sunny spring day two years ago, the Miles were asked to shelter a 14 year old young man who needed a home and needed it fast. Because they were certified foster/adoptive parents, the couple could provide an emergency placement for the teenager. And even though they had considered taking only females, they said yes, and were glad they did. Once at the Miles' home, David * began to fit immediately.

Foster families can help children achieve the stability, growth, and permanency they need to become successful adults, says Katie Sitterson, an adoption worker at the LFS office in Richmond. "Lutheran Family Services has been training foster parents to take part in this important work for more than 20 years," she says.

Soon after David arrived, the couple began their planned "preplacement" visits with a 9 year old girl whose goal was adoption. These supervised visits allow the potential parents and child to get to know one another. Although her situation was very different from David's and presented the Mileses with new parenting challenges, they watched as the newest member of the household became a part of the family.

To make the transition to their new family go as smoothly as possible, both parents took part in ongoing parenting workshops offered by LFS and took advantage of the LFS staff support. Now, says Sitterson, no one would ever know without asking that the Mileses are not biological parents to their children.

"They could easily take the steps necessary to make each of their children official members of their family through adoption because both were already certified as foster/adoptive parents to their children.

In March 2007 the couple finalized their adoption of Katy and have begun the process of finalizing their adoption of David. The experience has been a good one for both children, says Betsy Miles. "They told me that when they grow up, they want to be foster and adoptive parents, too."

The couple says that the comprehensive training by LFS staff prepared them for bringing older children into their home -- so much so, that they are looking to adopt a third child as soon as David's adoption is final.

"Everyone has a past, and adopted children will always have biological families," says Sitterson, "but when a new family can be created to orchestrate such a perfect picture of love, we witness what adoption is meant to be."

Sitterson adds that while most people would say that Katy and David gained great parents, the Mileses gained great children. "Both children have flourished in the home, " says Sitterson. "They couldn't have fit better if it had been planned. Both had their challenges, but having a loving family to see them through made all the difference."

The more than 7,500 children in the Virginia foster care system need caring adults who are willing to make a commitment to them and their well being. You might be one! For information on how you can become foster or adoptive parents, call Lutheran Family Services at 804-288-0122 or visit www.lfsva.org.

Katie Sitterson
Adoption Services Manager
ksitterson@lfsva.org

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child.

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