When a child or teen leaves foster care, whether through adoption, safe family reunification or another path, it marks a major moment. Even the happiest endings can come with questions, fears and the need to adjust to a new normal. That’s why KVC Kansas is there, every step of the way. Our Aftercare team surrounds youth and families with compassion, guidance and practical support during these transitions to help them be successful and never feel alone.

In this blog, we’re honored to share powerful real-life foster care stories of healing and hope. These families show what’s possible when connection doesn’t end when youth and families transition from foster care but continues through their next chapter.

Read their stories and see how we walk alongside families through the joys and challenges of life after foster care.

What is Aftercare?

Aftercare is the support we provide to children, teens and families after they achieve permanency, whether through safe reunification, adoption, permanent custodianship, SOUL Family or Another Planned Permanency Living Arrangement (APPLA). Our Aftercare team walks alongside youth and their families, offering encouragement, sharing helpful resources and reassuring them that they can count on us.

Individualized Aftercare Support for Every Child, Teen and Family

Every family’s needs are different, and our job is to meet them where they are. For example, one mother needed housing immediately, so an Aftercare worker split a list of resources with the mother and they made calls sitting side-by-side until they found a safe place for her and her family. Without reliable transportation, she also needed help getting around, so an Aftercare team member showed her how to navigate the bus system using Google Maps.

Kelly Beale, Director of Aftercare & Intensive In-Home Services

“The number one goal of Aftercare is to keep youth safely at home,” said KVC Kansas’ Director of Aftercare, Kelly Beale. “It’s a matter of assessing what’s needed for each individual or family for that to happen.”

Another mother was searching for a job, so we helped her build a resume and set up her LinkedIn profile, giving her the tools to take the next step toward stability.

Sometimes, it’s big things like housing. Other times, it’s small but life-changing skills. No matter what, being present and offering support in life’s critical moments is what truly makes the difference.

Specific Aftercare Supports

While Aftercare is required for families who safely reunify after foster care, it’s available to all youth and caregivers, no matter how they achieve permanency. Support can include:

• Connecting families with community resources
• Setting up support services like mental health therapy, parenting guidance and/or mentorship support, and substance use disorder recovery support are in place after foster care
• Helping families and youth enroll in the appropriate medical insurance and other similar benefits
• Linking them with individual or family therapy
• Communicating with the school system
• And ultimately, being a go-between and advocate for the youth and their family.

Reunification Is Just the Beginning

At KVC Kansas, our goal isn’t just to bring families back together — though that’s an incredibly important step. It’s about what happens next. Because reuniting is just the beginning. Healing takes time. Growth takes support. And every family deserves the chance to flourish.

That’s why we walk alongside families, offering steady guidance, encouragement and care. We’re here to help them build a future that feels strong and lasting.

Aftercare for Safe Family Reunification

When families reunite after foster care, it’s a moment filled with joy, hope and fresh starts. But even in the best circumstances, reunification takes time and patience. That’s why we provide at least six months of Aftercare services to reunifying families as a foster care case management provider in partnership with the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). But sometimes, families need more support past the six month mark, so we continue supporting them as long as they need us.

“If a family has an outstanding need that we feel we can address, we’ll often request to stay involved longer,” said Kelly.

More than just a requirement, Aftercare is a lifeline for healing and restoration. It helps families navigate the ups and downs of life after foster care, making sure parents and caregivers have the tools they need while youth feel safe and supported.

“When kids go home, it’s a happy time,” said Kelly. “Families are excited and they’re happy to do it! But it’s also a huge adjustment.”

Reuniting after time apart is a beautiful and long-awaited moment, but it’s natural for families to experience some challenges along the way. Reintegration (or reunification) happens when youth reunite with their biological family or family of origin after foster care. Coming back together means rediscovering those daily rhythms, rebuilding trust and working through the emotions that come with such a big change.

At its heart, Aftercare is about connection. It’s about making sure no family has to face this next chapter alone.

Real-Life Success Story: The Power of Listening

Kelly recalls a family who, after safe reunification, felt completely isolated and judged for their past decisions. This lead to them feeling uncertain about meeting their aftercare worker. “They felt like the system as a whole wasn’t listening to them,” said Kelly.

But their aftercare worker saw beyond the fear and frustration. She recognized their trauma and understood that before offering solutions, they needed something even more important — someone to truly listen. So, she focused first on connection. She listened to their struggles, validated their feelings and showed them they weren’t alone. She made sure they knew she was on their side.

With time, that trust became the foundation for change. She helped them identify their strengths and empowered them to use those strengths as a path forward. Rather than just offering help, she became their advocate, ensuring they had the support they needed to stay together.

In the end, the family didn’t just graduated from Aftercare, they graduated from Aftercare feeling confident that KVC would always have their backs.

Partnering with Youth and Families for Aftercare

Aftercare works best when families and KVC team members come together as partners, united by a shared goal: helping their family thrive after foster care. We understand that being separated from your child is heartbreaking. We also understand that being involved with the court system is often scary and overwhelming. It’s completely normal that some families feel unsure about Aftercare.

But for many families, Aftercare becomes a lifeline. It helps make the transition home a little easier and makes sure families have what they need to feel safe, supported and hopeful.

Real-Life Success Story: Sam’s Village

For Sam (name changed to protect her privacy), life in foster care felt unstable and overwhelming. She was facing tough mental health challenges, and it was hard for her to stay in one place for long. Her mom wanted her home more than anything, but she was also struggling and couldn’t give Sam the structure and safety she needed.

“Sam’s biological mom wanted her to be at home, but was also struggling to safely maintain her,” recalled Kelly.

But over time, things began to change. Sam found her own motivation to go home. She slowly started to trust her permanency team. That trust opened the door for healing and hope. Together, they made a plan, not just to get Sam back home, but to make sure she and her mom had the support they needed to succeed.

Her Aftercare worker, Andrew, focused on building real, caring connections with both Sam and her mother. They made sure both felt heard, understood and supported every step of the way.

Today, Sam is 16 and doing well! She’s living at home with her mom and surrounded by a village of people who believe in about her and want her to succeed.

“I really think it was the partnership between her permanency team, her aftercare team and the family that wrapped around her and helped her be successful,” said Kelly.

Real-Life Success Story: A Father’s Support and Co-Parenting

Our Aftercare team also supported a family as they came back together after a long and difficult journey. Emma, a teenager who had recently completed residential mental health treatment, was able to safely reunite with her dad, Steve. He stood by her every step of the way and cheered her on as she worked to find a job, stay on track and keep growing stronger each day.

Their bond was unshakable. And Steve’s commitment didn’t stop there. He also worked closely with Emma’s mom to co-parent with love and consistency, making sure Emma felt supported by both of her parents.

The teamwork between Emma, her family and our Aftercare team made a big difference. It helped Emma safely return home and feel hopeful about her future.

Aftercare for Adoptive Families

Adopting a child or teen from foster care is a beautiful and life-changing journey, but it doesn’t mean families don’t experience challenges. That’s why we offer Aftercare services. For up to six months after families finalize their adoption(s), we continue supporting them in many of the same ways we support biological families. And we work hard to remind families they’re not alone in this next chapter.

Not every adoptive family chooses to participate in Aftercare services, and for some, in-person visits can feel overwhelming, especially if past experiences make social worker visits overwhelming or traumatic.

But support doesn’t have to stop at the doorstep. We check in with families through phone calls and emails, offering a listening ear and helpful resources. We still connect regularly with them to send encouragement, guidance and tips to help families navigate their new normal. Because no matter what, we want them to feel seen, supported and surrounded by a community that truly cares.

Aftercare for Young People Living Independently After Foster Care

Sometimes, even with everyone’s best hopes and efforts, some children and teens aren’t able to safely reunite with their families. When reunification isn’t possible, our team walks alongside each young person to help them find the right path forward — whether that’s adoption, permanent custodianship, SOUL Family or independent living.

For youth who choose to live independently after foster care, entering the world as an new adult can feel overwhelming, but they’re never alone. These young people still deserve love, stability and a strong support system. They need encouragement and adults who believe in them and remind them that their future is still full of hope and possibility.

We’re here to make sure they have the tools to step into adulthood with confidence, including:

• Help gathering important documents
• Reliable transportation to and from school
• A trusted person to turn to in tough moments

Every young person is different. Some want face-to-face check-ins, while others feel more comfortable connecting through email, phone calls or virtual chats. No matter what, we’re there for the youth we serve. We listen, support and remind them that they’re never alone.

Real-Life Success Story: The Trials of Adulthood

Connor (name changed to protect his privacy), a young man who had recently transitioned to living independently after foster care, was doing well — building a life on his own and finding his rhythm. But in an instant, everything changed. His apartment was broken into multiple times, leaving him shaken, vulnerable and unsure of what to do next.

Overwhelmed and scared, Connor reached out to his aftercare worker, someone he knew he could count on. Right away, Morgan stepped in. They went to Walmart together to replace the essentials that had been stolen. But the support didn’t stop there. Connor’s aftercare team stood by him every step of the way. They advocated with his landlord, helped him file a police report, offered emotional support, and most importantly, reminded him that he didn’t have to go through this alone.

After this scary and uncertain situation, Connor found his footing again. With Morgan’s steady support and his own determination, Connor’s now working a steady job and staying on top of his education.

“Connor has a lot of hopes and dreams for his future and he’s really making them come true,” said Kelly, beaming with pride.

Celebrating Aftercare Successes

Every step forward is worth celebrating, and our Aftercare team is honored to help families do just that. After all, it’s not just about meeting needs, it’s about recognizing the courage, effort and love families pour into reconnecting.

In June, during Family Reunification Month, we had the joy of celebrating Carl (name changed to protect his privacy) and his children after six months of Aftercare support. We brought family games, a party bag, and a gift card to their favorite restaurant, small ways to say, “We see you, and we’re proud of you.”

At the end of the visit, Carl shared just how much the support meant to him and his family. He expressed deep gratitude and warmly welcomed future visits, reminding us how powerful connection and care can be.

Stories like Carl’s show what’s possible when families are surrounded with the support they need. KVC Kansas’ Aftercare services helps make the hard moments more manageable, and the good moments even sweeter.

Launch Your Career in Social Work and Help Families Heal

Behind every success story is someone who cared. Someone who showed up, listened and believed in the children, teens and families we serve.

If you have a heart for helping families rebuild and reunite after foster care, or for walking alongside youth as they take their first steps into adulthood, there’s a place for you at KVC Kansas. As a case manager, you can be the steady support that changes a life.

Sometimes, all it takes is one person to believe in a family and their power to change their future. Is that person you?