“In growing up, a child should know some joy in each day.” ~ Nicholas Hobbs, The Troubled and Troubling Child
Although it may seem simple, experiencing joy can be quite challenging for children of trauma. Necco considers it a privilege to work with children who need healing, love and joy. In our work with hundreds of loving and supportive foster homes we have seen healing first hand and in many forms. One family in particular, David and Robin Steele of Cincinnati, OH provide not only healing but also joy for the children in their home.
Since 1974 David and Robin Steele have provided care for children who need a loving home. They became licensed foster parents in 1982 and have worked with several local agencies over the years. However, we believe the Steeles have found a permanent home with Necco. To be sure, Necco has many wonderful foster families on board. They come from all walks of life, each one of them bringing something special to the table. Caring for children with challenging issues is inherent in foster parenting. Even so, finding foster parents who are willing to accept children with extreme needs or significant to severe medical issues is much more difficult.
The Steele family is exceptional in this regard, as they continue to find room in their home and in their hearts for children who often experience a wealth of medical issues. Over the years the Steeles have helped children facing issues such as traumatic brain injuries, Downs Syndrome and cerebral palsy. They have provided a reliability to countless numbers of foster children, and have legally adopted 10 of them.
To date, David and Robin have positively affected the lives of 66 children through their care. Anne Wnek of Necco of Cincinnati says, “The Steeles are considered master advocates for children. Whether the youth need special equipment or additional services, David and Robin ensure that the connections are made to meet the child’s needs.”
While the Steeles may have a busy home, David and Robin make sure that there is always enough time for the kids to experience joy each and every day. They provide individual time to each child and are also quick to share jokes and laughs throughout the home.
Life with the Steeles is engineered for fun. The family has a large play set, garden and basketball hoop in the back yard. In fact, it is not uncommon to arrive at the home to see a small game of basketball taking place in the driveway. After all, there are enough children in the home to form a full team and cheerleading squad! In addition to the amenities at home, Robin and David also make sure that the kids are involved in extracurricular activities that help them build both skill and confidence. The family loves outings to the park, Cincinnati Reds baseball games, the butterfly show at Krohn Conservatory and the Cincinnati Zoo. Anne says, “Children in the Steele home are unconditionally loved and shown how to experience joy. The Steele family is truly an asset to our organization and the Necco staff in the Cincinnati office considers it an honor to work with such a great family.”