
Host Sandra Flach is a mom of 8 children, 5 through adoption—one kinship and 4 international. Her youngest 2 are teens diagnosed with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). With over 30 years of parenting experience and 20 plus years as an adoptive and kinship parent, she’s made mountains of mistakes and learned loads of lessons. She understands the difficult road of parenting children with trauma histories—and she is still in the trenches! The Adoption & Foster Care Journey is a podcast to encourage, educate, and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care, and kinship care. We aim to support adoptive and foster families by sharing encouraging real-life stories and equipping them with modern-day research and parenting techniques.
Episodes

4 days ago
4 days ago
"Defend the lowly and fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy." Psalm 82:3
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
For our last National Adoption Month episode host Sandra Flach speaks with adoptive mom Heather Dyer. Heather is also the Executive Director of A Family For Every Orphan—a Christian organization that helps orphans find safe and loving families in their home countries.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Monday Nov 20, 2023
Episode 404 - Friendsgiving with host Sandra Flach
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Monday Nov 20, 2023
"Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ." Ephesians 1:3-5
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
We continue National Adoption Month with host, Sandra Flach, sharing about the importance of friendships for adoptive and foster parents.
Listen in as Sandra shares about the importance of connection with God and connection with other foster & adoptive parents on this Friendsgiving Episode.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Monday Nov 13, 2023
Episode 403 - When Systems Fail with Adoptive Mom, Melissa Jacobus
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Monday Nov 13, 2023
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your kind spirit guide me on ground that is level.” Psalm 143:10
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
We continue National Adoption Month with a conversation with adoptive mom, author and FASD advocate, Melissa Jacobus. Melissa has been advocating for her adopted children and the rights of all individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders since 1998.
Listen in as Sandra and Melissa discuss the challenges of raising children prenatally exposed to alcohol—especially when systems fail our kids.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Accomplice, by Melissa Jacobus

Monday Nov 06, 2023
Episode 402 - Kicking Off National Adoption Month with Dr. Rick Morton
Monday Nov 06, 2023
Monday Nov 06, 2023
“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
We kick off National Adoption Month with a conversation with Dr. Rick Morton of Lifeline Children Services. Rick is an adoptive dad of 3 special needs children from Ukraine and author of the book Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-centered Adoption and Orphan Care. He also hosts the Defender Podcast with Lifeline’s President, Herbie Newell.
Listen in as Sandra and Dr. Rick Morton share about their adoption journeys.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Monday Oct 30, 2023
Episode 401 - Catching Up & Slowing Down with Sandra Flach
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
“The LORD is my Shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.”
Psalm 23:1-3
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this week’s episode, get caught up with host Sandra Flach as she shares about slowing down. Are you feeling hurried, frazzled or worried? Then this episode is for you.
Listen in as Sandra shares about the importance of being still through Scripture, nature, Sabbath, and solitude.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton

Monday Oct 23, 2023
Monday Oct 23, 2023
“He will rescue the poor when they cry to Him, He will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the way and the needy, and He will save them from oppression and from violence.” Psalm 72:12-14
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this week’s episode, host Sandra Flach welcomes back Dr. Jerrod Brown PhD.
Listen in as Dr. Brown unpacks the impact of Childhood Poverty on the health and well-being of children.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Monday Oct 16, 2023
Episode 399 - Adopted Teens with Susan TeBos
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
“Come close to God and He will come close to you.” James 4:9a
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this week’s episode, host Sandra Flach speaks with Susan TeBos. Susan is a mom of 3 through adoption and the author of We’ve Been There: True Stories, Surprising Insights and Aha Moments for Adopted Teens.
Listen in as Susan shares about her interviews with 34 adoptees and the insight both adoptees and adoptive parents can gain from their stories.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Monday Oct 09, 2023
Episode 398 - Essential FASD Supports with Nate Sheets
Monday Oct 09, 2023
Monday Oct 09, 2023
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…” Psalm 23:1-3
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this week’s episode, host Sandra Flach speaks with Nate Sheets. Nate is an FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) behavior consultant and parent coach with 15 years experience working with neurodivergent people of all ages and their families.
Listen in as Sandra and Nate discuss his new book, Essential FASD Supports—Understanding & Supporting People with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Monday Oct 02, 2023
Episode 397 - Special Needs Adoption with Mindi Schrock
Monday Oct 02, 2023
Monday Oct 02, 2023
“Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this week’s episode, host Sandra Flach speaks with adoptive mom, Mindi Schrock. Mindi is a mom of four kids, two through adoption—both with disabilities. Her mission is to encourage and empower moms with empathy, humor, and permission to rest.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
@mindi.schrock

Monday Sep 25, 2023
Episode 396 - FASD Resilience with Eileen Devine
Monday Sep 25, 2023
Monday Sep 25, 2023
"Finally, brothers & sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Corinthians 13:11
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this final FASD Awareness Month episode host Sandra Flach speaks with Eileen Devine, LCSW, founder of Brain First Parenting and the Resilience Room Community. She is also an adoptive mom of a daughter who lives with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode: