Entrusted Conference

SUPPORT STARTS WITH CONNECTION

At its core, a support group is simply people gathering together who understand each other’s lives, choosing connection over isolation. It’s a place where stories don’t need long explanations, where hard moments are met with knowing nods, and where encouragement comes from people who truly get it.

That’s the heart behind our Caregiver Collective Training on March 21st. Yes, there's structured learning, practical tools, and training certificates. But underneath all of that, this is an opportunity for connection and relationship-building to sustain us.

We can’t do this work alone. Foster care, adoption, and kinship care are beautiful, meaningful, and often exhausting journeys. There’s something powerful about gathering regularly with people who understand the highs and the hard parts without explanation.

And it’s not just for the adults.

Children benefit too. Siblings meet other siblings who live this life. Children in foster care see other foster families and realize their story isn’t isolated, it’s shared. That sense of belonging matters more than we often realize.

If you’ve been longing for community, encouragement, and practical support, this space was created with you in mind.

Register here: https://www.wearetheecho.org/event-details/caregiver-training

And, if you're interested in volunteering on March 21, you can sign up here: https://wearetheecho.typeform.com/to/x3MkHZpQ

✨ A new year. A new rhythm. A deeper focus on community.

This year, our goal is to host small, intentional gatherings throughout the year. Spaces designed to build relationships, encourage growth, and help kinship, foster, and adoptive families walk alongside one another in meaningful ways. Our vision is a collective community of people doing life together.

These gatherings will include:
• Inspiring speakers, practical breakout sessions, and a shared meal
• A children’s program where kids don’t just get childcare, they learn and practice the same themes as adults, building emotional regulation and resilience in age-appropriate ways

Over time, these shared experiences will help us better understand the unique needs of kinship, foster, and adoptive families and offer more thoughtful, effective support.

First Collective Gathering: Saturday, March 21, 3:30–7:00 PM, in Yorktown
💵 $30 per family (includes training, meal, and childcare) or $10 per person and scholarships are available if cost is a barrier.
⚠️ Children's program spots are limited, so register early!
👉 Register here: https://www.wearetheecho.org/event-details/caregiver-training

We believe growth happens best in consistent connection, shared practice, and community that lasts beyond a single gathering.

And, if you're interested in volunteering on March 21, you can sign up here: https://wearetheecho.typeform.com/to/x3MkHZpQ

We hope you’ll join us in this new season.

One of my go-to trauma parenting tips is to prepare for dysregulated moments and create a plan to manage them.

Halloween can be a day full of triggers for kids impacted by trauma, which sends them into survival mode (and includes big and challenging behaviors). Having a plan ahead of time helps!

1. Keep your day as routine as possible: remember, routines are predictable, and predictability feels safe!
2. Prepare your child: "After dinner, we will walk around the neighborhood in our costumes. We will trick-or-treat at our neighbor's homes but not go inside. You will get some candy! And then we'll go home, eat 5 pieces of candy, and then get ready for bed. We'll pack extra candy in your lunch tomorrow!"
3. Have an exit plan! For our family, we converted an old garden wagon into a sensory-safe retreat. We pack our sensory headphones and our child can choose to spend the evening in the wagon. Even then, an adult usually heads home early with a few overwhelmed (and over-sugared) kids.

What works for your family? How do you avoid trauma triggers on Halloween?

Celebrating the Power of Community 🎃

We’re so excited to join CHKD, Chesapeake Parks & Recreation, and RE/MAX Connect for their Annual Adaptive Fall Festival tomorrow! It's a special event designed for (bio, foster, kinship, and adoptive) families raising children with special needs.

Families parenting children with special needs face higher risks of burnout, isolation, and involvement with the child welfare system. And at least one-third of children in foster care have a disability.

That’s why events like this matter so much. They remind us that support isn’t optional—it’s essential. Every family deserves to know they are not alone.

ECHO is honored to be part of this incredible event because we believe in a community united in purpose and illuminated by compassion—where no vulnerable child, or weary caregiver, goes unseen.