Northern Region: Jane, 25, had a traumatic childhood. She was in and out of foster homes, and even was adopted and then returned to foster care. Jane had a baby boy, Jonathan, when she was 21 and unmarried.

Due to Jane’s cognitive limitations, Jonathan’s father was taking care of him. However, when Jonathan was 2 years old, the child’s father, who is on medication for mental health issues, called Jane, said he was frustrated with the boy and threatened to physically harm him. Jane called the Department of Children and Family Services for help, and Jonathan was placed in foster care.

Jane then began a three-year journey to get Jonathan back. She partook in services, including parent coaching with supervised visitations twice a week. Jane was receptive to feedback and worked hard to learn how to best care for her son. Jane’s caseworkers noticed that Jane began putting her child first, even discussing giving up her dog due to Jonathan’s asthma.

This month, after much support and a variety of services, Jonathan moved back in with his mother. “It’s amazing, especially considering what she’s overcome in her own life, that she is now able to be parenting her own child,” Jane’s caseworker said.