Jaimee joined Wellroot Family Services as a foster care caseworker in April 2022, bringing a unique and deeply empathetic perspective to her role, having been a former child in foster care. “It makes me feel good that I’m a small part of a child’s journey. I can be the caseworker that I didn’t get as a child,” shared Jaimee.
After completing training, Jaimee started working with Raven, a devoted Wellroot foster parent, and 8-year-old Layah.
“Layah was very sweet and a very bubbly kid. She loved to laugh a lot, draw, and play,” remembered Jaimee. But behind her bright personality was a history of pain and suffering.
When her father lost custody due to substance use, Layah’s mother had already relinquished her parental rights. These traumatic events at such a young age led to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and made it difficult for Layah to feel safe and secure.
Layah displayed signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and struggled with behavioral challenges at home and in school. She experienced multiple placements before Wellroot received her case and placed her with Raven.
What others viewed as defiance, Jaimee and Raven recognized as a child working hard to manage overwhelming emotions. With love, patience, and empathy, they created an emotionally safe environment for Layah. They nurtured the strengths and potential in Layah that others overlooked.
Over time, Layah began to show signs of healing. With consistent support from Raven and Jaimee, she started to trust again, managed her emotions, and demonstrated growth both at home and in school. At the same time, her father was making meaningful progress on his own journey. He completed parenting classes and demonstrated his commitment to both sobriety and reunification. As Layah’s father successfully followed his case plan, Raven helped Layah ease into regular supervised visits.
As Layah’s father continued to make progress with his parenting plan, completing parenting classes and attending therapy sessions, DFCS approved unsupervised visits and weekend-long stays. In 2023, Layah reunited with her father. That day was bittersweet for Raven, but thanks to the bond she formed with Layah and her father, she didn’t have to say goodbye forever. Raven recently attended Layah’s 10th birthday party, bringing along former classmates, neighbors, and Wellroot friends.
With Jaimee and Raven’s support and Wellroot’s dedication to family, Layah’s story reminds us that reunification is more than a return home — it’s the beginning of healing, where love, trust, and a child’s chance to truly thrive are restored.
