Important program update
The Family Resource and Training Center wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to every one of you who has had such a caring heart for the youth we have served through this program for the past 10 years.
Please read the information below outlining how the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare plans to continue its diligent efforts to find permanency for all children in foster care in Idaho.
Please complete inquiries for any youth you are interested in as soon as possible so that we may process your inquiry before our website closes.
July 28, 2026
To Our Community Partners,
The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare has been proud to partner with Eastern Washington University (EWU) and other community partners to recruit adoptive families for Idaho’s children in foster care. Since Idaho’s Wednesday’s Child began over 25 years ago, the landscape of adoption from foster care has changed yet there continues to be a need for child-specific recruitment for youth most in-need of a permanent home. Over the years the department has reorganized how permanency cases are managed to address this need and to achieve timely permanency for children who cannot return home. These changes include permanency workers “teaming” earlier with family services workers and the addition of a Family Find team to help identify previously unknown relatives and connections for our youth in care. Meanwhile, advances in technology and social media have resulted in increased risks related to public profiles causing Idaho and other states to consider the long-term impact to the youth featured.
The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is in a position to innovate practices for child-specific recruitment while demonstrating fiscal responsibility. With this in mind, the contract for Wednesday’s Child, Waiting Families and intensive recruitment services is ending effective 09/30/2026. These services will be provided through Youth Safety & Permanency team members beginning October 1, 2026. During this transition, the current website for Idaho Wednesday’s Child will be unavailable while an updated website is created for both our waiting children and waiting families. Idaho will continue to use the AdoptUSKids website during the transition to ensure ongoing efforts to achieve permanency for waiting children.
Thank you for your continued support and advocacy on behalf of Idaho’s children.
Thank you,
Jean M. Fisher
Making sure she’s always well dressed and stylish, this young teen takes pride in her great fashion sense! Meet Ashelynn! She would say ‘YES’ to a girl’s day any day. Starting with a stop at Dutch Bros for a sweet drink, then off to the mall for some shopping, next up the nail salon, and finally the hair salon to get her hair styled, but not trimmed because she’s growing it out. Ashelynn deeply values her time with friends and family. She has fond memories of laughing with her siblings over funny jokes, watching movies, and eating all their favorite snacks together. Ashelynn is excited to be adopted into a family that prioritizes the lifelong connections she has with her siblings and other biological family.
When thinking about the future, Ashelynn dreams of being a part of a Medical Care team. Whether helping those that struggle with mental health or even becoming a Paramedic, Ashelynn’s care for others and wanting them to live their best lives is evident! She would like to start with getting a job as a teenager first and learn how to drive. Among other things she would like to learn, Ashelynn has always thought that Cheerleading would be fun to try out, especially the tumbling part! Ashelynn sometimes needs a cheerleader of her own when it comes to school and reaching educational goals. A family that is ready to support Ashelynn in her long-term goals and short-term goals is what this sweet girl needs.
Ashelynn needs a Forever Family that understands the effects of childhood trauma and that sometimes we have high days and some days we have low days. Ashelynn’s permanency team is only open to hearing from Idaho families at this time. The perfect Forever Family for Ashelynn will preferably have a Mom and a Dad and lots of love and intentional time to give. Her permanency team is not interested in hearing from families that have younger children in the home. Horse therapy has been a big benefit to Ashelynn, so a home with horses would be a bonus. This fun-loving girl wants to be adopted! We would love to hear from you. Follow the steps below!
The Idaho Wednesday's Child Program prioritizes the safety and security of children, above all else. In an effort to protect the safety of the youth we serve, our process requires families to possess a current, approved adoption home study. Only families with a current home study can view youth's full profiles with videos and photos and submit inquiries, on the Secure Gallery Page.