Foster families have the power to transform the lives of traumatized children and help them find happiness. One foster youth whose life has been greatly impacted by Bloom’s Foster Care Program is Nicolas, who entered foster care for the first time in 2021. His story is a great example of how Bloom is helping to end the cycle of abuse and positively impacting a child’s life.
Nicolas, along with his two brothers, had been victims of severe physical abuse allegedly by various men in their mother’s life while she struggled with untreated mental health issues. Nicolas and his siblings were placed with a loving Bloom foster family who showered them with support and encouragement.
Despite the foster family’s efforts, Nicolas suffered from severe depression, would often shut down, and refused to speak due to significant trauma. He struggled in school, was a victim of bullying, and could not form meaningful relationships with others. He simply didn’t trust anyone. That began to change, though, thanks to the continuous support, patience, and understanding he received from his foster family. Slowly but surely, Nicolas began trusting others and was making significant progress.
Unfortunately, his biological mother was unable to overcome the issues that led to Nicolas’s placement in foster care. This led to her parental rights being terminated. Although Nicolas was sad that this happened, he was thankful to be with a loving Bloom foster family.
Shortly after his mother’s parental rights were terminated, Nicolas suddenly fell ill, resulting in frequent hospitalizations. Although these were very unfortunate circumstances, for the first time in his life, Nicolas experienced unconditional love. His foster mother never once left his side. She prayed with him, encouraged him, and did everything possible to lift his spirits. The nurturing support his Bloom foster mother provided helped him heal and gave him hope for the future.
Since being placed with Bloom, Nicolas has beat seemingly insurmountable odds. Many of Nicolas’s previous traumas have begun to heal, and he is doing well. He is currently in the process of being adopted by his Bloom foster family and will soon have a Forever Family free from abuse and neglect.
If you or someone you know is looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in a child’s life, consider fostering a child. For more information, visit https://bloomouryouth.org/foster-parenting/.