Bonus Babies
The Anthem Award winning BONUS BABIES podcast is the only one of its kind that features the compelling true-life hard-hitting stories of those with a lived foster care experience and the people who care for them––all via the unique 360* lens of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. Through raw first-hand accounts, BONUS BABIES reveals the daunting complexity of the foster care world while documenting the challenges, failures and successes of the system as well as the people and the agencies involved. The creator and host, Jayne Amelia Larson, is a CASA - a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer for youth in foster care. In the same way a CASA works, she explores all things in the foster care maze by talking to kids, parents, caregivers, attorneys, social workers, therapists, adoptees, adoptive parents, members of community and social programs...anybody and everybody who will speak to her to keep the conversation open and the information flowing about all things CASA––to give a forum to help people understand what it's like to have a lived foster care experience. Original music by Christina Apostolopoulos. Emma Karpman is our Social Media Manager. Audio engineering and mixing by Adam "Yukon" Harr of Blue Oak Mastering. Executive Producer is Jake Eberle. Cover art by John Crowther.
Bonus Babies
Latest Episodes
Traci Gurley-Tomashosky: You Just Have To Be Consistent
Jayne Amelia speaks with child advocate and executive director of CASA of the Ninth in Colorado, Traci Gurley-Tomashosky. Traci is a distinguished educational leader and advocate with over 22 years of experience dedicated to the developm...
Dana Hargus: And Nobody Is Bothered By This But Me?
Jayne Amelia speaks with therapist and founder of Restore Of Ada, Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC. Dana is a foster mom and adoptive mom, and now a grandmother of many children. Dana was raised in the Ada area and has a bachelor's in education a...
Jenny Serrano - My Family Needed Intervention
Jayne Amelia speaks with Jenny Serrano, a former foster youth and now administrator at DCFS. Exiting foster care in the 1990s after spending six years in the child welfare system left an indelible mark on Jenny Serrano. Ill-prepare...
Lucretia Taylor: You Don't Have To Change The World In One Day
Jayne Amelia speaks with Dr. Lucretia “Cre” Taylor, a seasoned strategist and consultant with over two decades of experience leading and supporting organizations across the nonprofit and public sectors. Her expertise spans strategi...