Adoption specialist finds reward in educating Coloradans: "I love my job"

CBS Colorado has been partners with Raise the Future for more than 40 years. Every week, during the Wednesday's Child segments, viewers are directed to call Raise the Future to get more information about adoption from foster care. Kelly Farrier is the person on the other end of the line. 

"So, anytime any family is interested in what the foster to adoption process looks like, I connect with them to kind of go through the steps," Farrier explained. 

She explains how adoption really works and answers as many questions as the families have.

"I love my job," Farrier said with a giggle. 

"Your face, it just lights up when you talk about this. Why are you so passionate about it?" asked CBS News Colorado anchor Mekialaya White. 

"Even just having those initial conversations and broadening someone's spectrum of understanding is really rewarding," Farrier responds.

She used to work with foster care youth at a residential facility. She's also familiar with the adoption process through her niece and nephew ... her sister adopted them out of foster care. 

"He's older, so he kind of struggled the most with permanency and just changing from his foster placements into this home. He told my sister, for months, I'm not going to call you, 'Mom.' I'm not going to call you, 'Mom. It's not going to happen. You're not my mom," Farrier remembered from her niece and nephew's adoption. "When they came out, it was just like 'Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom.'"

"So, What's the most common myth that you face?" White asked.

"People say, 'What's wrong with the kids? Why aren't they adopted? You know, what's the holdup?' And it's just kind of goes back to the understanding that all youth who've experienced foster care are going to have some level of special need because they've had an impact in their development that another child wouldn't have experienced," Farrier replied. 

Whether it's debunking myths or listing off all the services that Raise the Future offers, Farrier is happy to answer the phone. 

LINK: Wednesday's Child on CBS Colorado 

You can talk to Kelly Farrier about adoption from foster care, call Raise the Future at (303) 755-4756 or 1(800) 451-5246 or go to the Raise the Future website.