Children in Need. Children Ignored. | John DeGarmo, Ed.D. | TEDxGeorgiaTech

Dr. John DeGarmo is a leading international foster care expert and consultant. He is the director of The Foster Care Institute, and acts as a consultant to foster care agencies and legal agencies across the USA. His talk is about the foster care crisis in America, and how more children are being placed into foster care, yet there are not enough homes. Dr. John DeGarmo is a leading international foster care expert and consultant. Dr. DeGarmo has a B.A. in History, a Masters in Media Technology, a Masters in Educational Leadership, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Walden University. He is the author of several foster care books, including the new book The Foster Care Survival Guide, the best selling book Faith and Foster Care, as well as the foster care children's book A Different Home: A New Foster Child's Story. He is the director of The Foster Care Institute, and acts as a consultant to foster care agencies and legal agencies across the USA.
Dr. DeGarmo is married to Dr. Kelly DeGarmo, who hails from Australia, and the two of them have six children, both biological and adoptive. Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are also currently foster parents to three siblings, bringing their household to nine children. Dr. DeGarmo has been a foster parent for dozens of children for over a decade now. He has a passion for foster children, and is driven to bring education and insight into general society about all things foster care. Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are the recipients of the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award, and the Up With People Every Day Hero Award. The two also were honored with their city's Citizens of the Year Award. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@BeTheVillageCommunity]

This is why we do what we do. Continue to advocate for these kids. These families. They need us. Reform needs to happen.

[@keaganyosef3848]

InstaBlaster...

[@JulindaLeDee]

As a former foster youth, I then later took in 2 of my sisters as foster youth. Your work is to be admired!!

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Thank you!

[@Everythoughtispossible]

Thank you for this talk. I am eager to help children and feel the same way. No child should be left alone to the mercy of the world

[@levishaw4840]

He is literally my high school teacher I didn’t think I would like him but he is actually really cool and funny

[@louissehaberle9108]

He is so passionate :

[@janellemargot4376]

Sydney deserved better. We need to do better.

[@sneakerupper]

Wow. Powerful. Thank you for the encouragement to keep going and keep fighting for these precious kids.

[@helentonkin6728]

I agree having been a foster parent so many kids in need.

[@monicahodgekins6785]

Thank you for sharing❤ Thank you for inspiring🙌

[@thephantomeagle2]

Thank you John. Thank you very much.

[@Pentapanda420]

I wish I had anybody that cared about me like you did with her... maybe it would of taught me something else then how to say "I'm fine." My journey to find love is never ending because I never felt it as a child. This helped me understand why. Thank you

[@meadowrae1491]

My spouse and I were just licensed last month. My heart aches for children like Sydney.

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Thank you, Meadow.

[@TheFarkhondeh]

Congratulations, how do you get license ?

[@KwanzaOliver]

God bless you !!!! This is the most moving speech that I have heard that rocked me to my core. This is the life I live as well.

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

thank you! Please feel free to share this with others!

[@SAMFU1108]

Thank You for sharing! Very touching. 💔

[@heartofplaydoh7647]

We are currently fostering a newborn baby. Our first rodeo, We love her already.

[@jenmatt1923]

How is it going? Do you still have her? We have had a few babies. Newborns are hard. ❤

[@heartofplaydoh7647]

@@jenmatt1923 she was amazing, a golden baby. Hardly cried and we fell in love with her, her uncle eventually got her at 6 months. We miss her everyday. We got another newborn a month later and this one was the hardest ever. Poor little guy, we are showing him love but it’s hard, withdrawls in newborns are the worst.

[@jenmatt1923]

@@heartofplaydoh7647 Hang in there! He needs you more than you know. We currently have a little guy whom we've had for almost two years and came as a baby. He has cried, or more accurately wailed, every single night, and every single nap, and every single time we leave him, for two years. But he loves as hard as he cries, and those hugs make it all worth it!

[@heartofplaydoh7647]

@@jenmatt1923 Yes, he’s come a long way. He was a premie and we are hoping for a good recovery and working on eye contact. He’s a sweet pea

[@PharaohShusFilms]

Very Moving. Thank you for sharing and doing the work that you do!

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Thank you for the kind words and for watching!

[@thatjlyn]

Thank you for all of your work.

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Thank YOU!

[@brahmabkitty03]

@@dr.johndegarmo7123 God bless you

[@dixiechampagne2892]

So glad Monticello/Jasper County finally got something right, and awarded Citizens of the Year to you and Kelly. Y'all are a ray of hope in an otherwise completely dismal community. Glad y'all are taking care of someone other than the landed nobility there

[@dixiechampagne2892]

Wouldn't be surprised to guess who the judge was. Hate to name names, but I bet her initials are...oh, that narrows it down to about two. So sad how the courts are about family, especially bad ones

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Thank you, so much, Dixie. You are most kind! To be sure, we could not do what we do without the great support of people in Monticello, people who have helped us so very much.

[@brahmabkitty03]

This should have way more likes

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Please share it with others, and perhaps we can get those likes!

[@ewcannibalism]

Wow amazing story. And amazing speech.

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

thank you!

[@lynndailey665]

Thank you for sharing your heart and what you know about foster children and foster care. This is a great informational talk!

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Thank you, Lynn!

[@SelenaY.1331]

What can also be impactful is hearing it from the foster kids themselves such as the youth advocates from Florida Youth SHINE in FL :)

[@janineaalicea57]

This is so sad but it happens everyday in every state. Chicago and Nevada are the worst states. Lawsuits filed because children were returned to people they shouldn't have and were maimed or murdered!. There are not enough social workers who are over worked and underpaid!

[@adriannespring8598]

Why are those states the worst for children's safety?

[@matthewliming5908]

Watching your shows for foster car recert. How do I get the certificate from you to prove Ive done the time... lol. I need 3 hours' worth.

[@rebeccalarson7995]

That's very disturbing about Sidney.

[@jasminerup6076]

My heart goes out listening to this but God is in control Thank God for you

[@SelenaY.1331]

What will you do to make a physical difference?

[@ambam90]

I wouldn't have gone to australia.

[@adriannespring8598]

Same but hindsight is 20/20.

[@cybernaab]

around 14:37 theres a text popping up in the screen that says Trial Expired

[@adriannespring8598]

Ironically a huge part of the problem is lack of access to affordable & legal abortion & contraception. He's so dedicated it's awesome!!

[@stanleydoctor7947]

Ummm, because its so much better to kill them instead of adopting them into good homes? How about affordable adoptions and more help in getting pregnant mothers connected to couples who want to raise their children?

[@kristinatidwell6563]

@ the city of Austin, TX: Austin ISD has a teenage parent program where kids like Sidney can attend to get their HS graduation certificate. Idk if there are any other school districts who offer this?

[@kristinatidwell6563]

There are currently 129,000 kids waiting for their forever homes in the state of Texas.

[@adriannespring8598]

That's an interesting situation. Hopefully the state has increased abortion access for those who need it? That's a fundamental right that needs to be more widely available.

[@beinghuman3225]

Sydney's happen because morals and values have replaced humanity and laws are for those who have forgotten the language of the heart and only know the language of the mind 💜. Any Questions?

[@isabelladacosta9551]

What would you say is the best age to become a foster parent?

[@kristinatidwell6563]

I have fostered 6 of my nieces and nephews along with raising my 3 boys. My oldest son was the familial link. I told myself that I only wanted family there with my boys. I have heard that the parents are best if their own kids have grown up and moved out of the home. They say that bc they want the parents to have experience raising kids. (*Dr. DeGarmo is in Georgia and I'm located in Texas; so his experience maybe a little different than mine.) Now that all of my nieces and nephews are thru college and my little ones moved out, I've been debating becoming a Casa Volunteer. I say that bc I have support setup to start my own nonprofit in Texas.....

[@coledavis6142]

There is no specific age really. You just need to be able to provide for these children. Environment is huge. Creating a loving and caring environment where they can flourish will do so much, for the many that have never known such a thing...sadly.

[@jenmatt1923]

No age. Just make sure you are mentally prepared for a very difficult journey.

[@kitty_pun7967]

12:35 the statistics are this

[@bryanfrye8770]

Here after wife swap

[@dr.johndegarmo7123]

Ha! Thanks, Bryan!