Family, Growth, and the Realities of Foster Care Today with Dr. Susan McConnell

Let It Be Us: A Foster Care & Adoption Podcast

Let It Be Us: A Foster Care & Adoption Podcast
Family, Growth, and the Realities of Foster Care Today with Dr. Susan McConnell
May 03, 2026 Season 3 Episode 4
Let It Be Us

In this episode, Dr. Susan McConnell, Founder & Executive Director of Let It Be Us, offers an honest look at the realities of foster care – both the challenges and the deep rewards. Through her personal experiences, she reflects on what it means to open your home, support children through uncertainty, and grow as a family along the way. A thoughtful conversation for anyone considering foster care or wanting a deeper understanding of it.

Learn more at letitbeus.org.

Episode Artwork Family, Growth, and the Realities of Foster Care Today with Dr. Susan McConnell 36:18 Episode Artwork Inside the System: How Shelter Youth & Family Services Supports Youth in Care 35:45 Episode Artwork From Volunteer to Advocate: A Foster Care Journey That Changed Everything 30:09 Episode Artwork Guiding the Path: Supporting Families Through Foster Care and Adoption with Cathy Newbury and Erica Sherer 29:59 Episode Artwork Leading with Purpose: Serving 700 Youth and Strengthening Foster Care Systems with Carina Santa Maria 32:30 Episode Artwork An Unexpected Journey: One Man’s Path into Foster Care 44:48 Episode Artwork Conversation About Foster Care & Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) with Susan McConnell, DSW(c), MBA and Carina H. Santa Maria, MSW, LCSW 37:46 Episode Artwork What Do I Do When a Child Arrives? 25:41 Episode Artwork What Do I Need if I Adopt?: Practical Tips to Be Ready 10:40 Episode Artwork How Does a Child in Foster Care End Up Adopted? 27:17 Episode Artwork How Can I Connect with the Biological Family? Practical Tips for Developing Relationships 11:14 Episode Artwork But What About the Child’s Biological Family? 30:18 Episode Artwork How Can I Help? Practical Tips for Supporting the Child in Your Care 18:33 Episode Artwork Why Kids Behave That Way: Diagnosable Difficulties 24:44 Episode Artwork Who Is Let It Be Us? A Conversation with Susan McConnell 27:22 Episode Artwork What Is Permanency? Helping a Child Find Stability 26:59 Episode Artwork Season Two Trailer 3:00 Episode Artwork The Big Picture: A Conversation with Let It Be Us Founder, Susan McConnell 30:43 Episode Artwork The Nuts and Bolts of Becoming a Licensed Foster Parent: A How-To with Vanessa Baie 14:23 Episode Artwork Fostering Teens! (OMG!): A Conversation with Elizabeth and Chris Rodriguez 33:10 Episode Artwork It’s Easier Than You Think: A Conversation with Breanna and Maxwell Fritz 33:46 Episode Artwork How Did Let It Be Us Come to Be?: A Conversation with Founder Susan McConnell 38:11 Episode Artwork Fostering Kids Who Go Home and Kids Who Stay: A Conversation with Carolyne Osterhues 27:20 Episode Artwork What about the birth family?: A Conversation with Alex Montgomery 35:29 Episode Artwork Why Become a Foster Parent?: A Conversation with Lindsay and Scottie Long 33:05