Talyia’s aunt, Nikole, wanted to give her a forever home.

Talyia was abandoned in the hospital by her mother who struggled with substance abuse. She lived in foster care for the first year of her life.

Referred to the Parent Aide program by DCF when Talyia was 7 months old, Nikole started working with her mentor to deal with the challenges and anxiety she had during the placement process. She would be a first-time mom and felt unprepared to parent an infant. Parenting skills, safety, infant care, bonding, and attachment were all new to her.

She met weekly with her Parent Aide through the months of visitations with Talyia, the first overnight visits, and eventually Talyia’s permanent placement in her home. Once together full time, the visits from her Parent Aide mentor focused on adjusting to being a parent, maintaining a safe and nurturing environment, and strengthening their mother/daughter relationship.