Unsure about your rights, your voice, or what comes next in the family court process?

Ep. 11 Licensed to Love Nicole Bayly, Esq. a foster and adoptive parent with over 20 years of experience in Monroe County breaks down what really happens inside family court.

From understanding why children are removed from their homes to what permanency hearings actually mean for your role as a foster parent, Nicole brings both legal clarity and lived experience to the conversation.

Ep. 10 pulls back the curtain on the real work of foster care—reunification, healing, and breaking generational cycles. Foster parents Tiffany and Louis Rivera share what it really feels like to love children as your own… and still help them return home.

From building relationships with birth parents to managing the emotional toll of goodbye, the Riveras offer a perspective most people don’t talk about—but every foster parent needs to hear.

Unconditional love as a foster parent means showing up again and again… even after the child leaves your home. It looks like answering late-night calls, sending groceries across state lines, and reminding a child—no matter where life takes them—that they still have a family.

In this episode of Licensed to Love, you’ll hear the story of a foster-adoptive mom whose commitment didn’t end when the kids turned 18. For her, forever truly means forever.

Veronica Black sits down with Trelawney McCoy, a foster and adoptive parent whose life is a living example of what it means to stand in the gap for children who need stability most. Trelawney has fostered more than 30 children and adopted 11, all while working full-time, mentoring young women, and leading a youth football program with the Rochester Rams. Her story isn’t about doing it all—it’s about doing what matters most. This conversation goes beyond inspiration and into the real work of foster care

“Usually when I made a mistake, I would just get moved to another house. But here, you actually showed that you cared about me.” – Joubert Black, 19

On this episode of License to Love, I sit down with my mom, Veronica Black, to share what it was really like growing up in the New York State foster care system—and what changed when I finally landed in a home where mistakes didn’t mean abandonment.

Opening your heart to foster a child is an act of love—but staying open when it hurts takes courage.

This week on Licensed to Love, host Veronica welcomes Michelle Hinds back to the podcast for a deeply honest conversation about what it really means to become a foster family—and how that journey ultimately led her and her husband to adoption in New York State.

What does foster care really look like behind closed doors—especially when teens are involved?

In this powerful episode of Licensed to Love, Families Thrive’s Director of Program Services, Veronica Black-Turner sits down with seasoned foster parent Jeronda James for an honest, compassionate conversation about the realities of fostering in New York State.

Director of Program Services Veronica Black sits down with Michelle Hinds, a seasoned home finder and trainer, to walk you through the 10-week trauma-informed course that equips families to understand the emotional and developmental needs of children in care. From navigating trauma to building confidence as a caregiver, this training is designed to prepare you for the real-life moments you’ll face — not just the paperwork.

In this heartfelt episode of Licensed to Love, hosts Lauri McKnight and Veronica Black of Families Thrive unpack the emotional landscape of the holiday season for children in foster care. With some insights from current foster parents, they explore how to navigate holiday triggers, maintain healthy ties with biological families, and create new traditions that help kids feel seen and secure.

For Monique Burney, the desire to become a foster mom came from personal experience—she grew up in foster care herself and understood the power of keeping siblings together. What she didn’t know was whether she qualified to do it on her own as a single parent.

In this debut episode of License to Love, hosts Lauri McKnight (Executive Director) and Veronica Black (Director of Program Services) of Families Thrive share the inspiring journey of how their organization evolved from Children Awaiting Parents into a comprehensive foster care and adoption agency.

Meet Lauri & Veronica, two moms with decades of lived and professional experience in foster care and adoption. As executives at Families Thrive Inc, they’re guiding future parents through the real journey of fostering and adoption in New York State. Because every child deserves a safe, loving home.