
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

Jan 8, 2024
Jan 8, 2024
1hr 6 min
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13-14
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 episode host Sandra Flach presents an introduction about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
If you are a foster or adoptive parent or kinship caregiver—it’s imperative that you understand the symptoms of FASD and how to best support the children in your care.
Listen in as Sandra shares the symptoms of FASD and how to implement accommodations for success.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Jan 1, 2024
Jan 1, 2024
49 min
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” 1 Corinthians 14:33
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.
Happy New Year! Have you set your intentions & goals for 2024? Having a plan and getting things in order will contribute to peace in your home and life.
Listen in as Sandra shares how she’s learned to be intentional about goal setting for 2024. Grab a pen and paper as she walks you through the process.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:

Dec 26, 2023
Dec 26, 2023
20 min
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
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.
Host Sandra Flach continues her annual Advent Series for December.
December can be a challenging month for our children as well as for us parents. In all the hustle, bustle and big feelings & behaviors I’ve often struggled in the past to actually enjoy Christmas - to experience the Christ of Christmas.
Listen in as Sandra shares about the peace that passes understanding which comes from Jesus—our Prince of Peace.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Dawn of Redeeming Grace—Daily Devotions for Advent, by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Dec 18, 2023
Dec 18, 2023
13 min
“And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Matthew 2:9-10
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.
Host Sandra Flach continues her annual Advent Series for December.
December can be a challenging month for our children as well as for us parents. In all the hustle, bustle and big feelings & behaviors I’ve often struggled in the past to actually enjoy Christmas - to experience the Christ of Christmas.
Listen in as Sandra shares about the Light of Christ which guides us each day. Even when things around us seem dark and hopeless - we have the Light of the World to shine the way for us! Let’s rejoice in the Light!
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Dawn of Redeeming Grace—Daily Devotions for Advent, by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Dec 11, 2023
Dec 11, 2023
26 min
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
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.
Host Sandra Flach continues her annual Advent Series for December.
December can be a challenging month for our children as well as for us parents. In all the hustle, bustle and big feelings & behaviors I’ve often struggled in the past to actually enjoy Christmas - to experience the Christ of Christmas.
Listen in as Sandra shares about God’s greatest gift of love to us—Jesus our Redeemer!
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Dawn of Redeeming Grace—Daily Devotions for Advent, by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Dec 4, 2023
Dec 4, 2023
21 min
"So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon 14 generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ—14 generations." Matthew 1:17
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.
Host Sandra Flach kicks off our annual Advent Series for December.
Kids with trauma histories and prenatal exposure tend to struggle even more this time of year. The reminders of loss & grief mingled with changes in routine and over stimulating environments can trigger big emotions & big behaviors. All of which can leave parents feeling spent and experiencing anything but the spirit of the season.
Listen in as Sandra shares the good news— Mary delivered a baby and God delivered Hope.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Dawn of Redeeming Grace—Daily Devotions for Advent, by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Nov 27, 2023
Nov 27, 2023
43 min
"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:

Nov 20, 2023
Nov 20, 2023
45 min
"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:

Nov 13, 2023
Nov 13, 2023
59 min
“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

Nov 6, 2023
Nov 6, 2023
1hr 2 min
“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:
