“KCSL saw in me what I couldn’t see in myself and supported me as I moved into thriving in my role as a parent.” – Chelle, parent leader
When Chelle first walked into a Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) support group, she didn’t know how much she needed it. As a single parent raising two adopted sons and caring for several grandchildren, she was searching for guidance, community and strength. What she found changed her life and the lives of her entire family.
Chelle’s journey with KCSL began at a local resource fair. She stopped at a table and struck up a conversation with a KCSL parent engagement coordinator who invited her to attend a support group. It took several weeks, but eventually Chelle joined her first meeting. The group included other moms navigating kinship care, trauma and parenting children with special needs. For the first time in a long time, Chelle felt seen as a birth mother of four adult children, a kinship caregiver and grandmother.
“I found support I had never had before,” Chelle said.
She started to feel comfortable being around other parents facing similar challenges. At KCSL, Chelle found a safe place to be honest and open. She could say out loud that she needed a break sometimes, or that she wasn’t always sure if she was doing things right.
Like many caregivers, Chelle was trying to meet the needs of children with complex life experiences while managing her own history of trauma. With support from KCSL, she began parenting through a trauma-informed lens—one that prioritized healing, flexibility and compassion. She discovered that it’s OK to parent each child in the way they need and meet them where they are.
“I have learned that parenting differently doesn’t mean that I lack in parenting,” Chelle said. “Rather, I am parenting the way that my special needs child needs me to parent him to be successful in school and at home.”
Through KCSL’s support groups, Chelle learned how to recognize trauma responses, de-escalate conflict and take care of herself. She now understands how her own experiences have shaped her parenting and how healing herself could help her children heal.
As she gained new skills and confidence, Chelle’s natural leadership began to shine. She became a regular participant in several KCSL groups and eventually took on more active roles: supporting new members, sharing her story and offering encouragement. Her openness has helped other parents feel welcomed and less alone. She has also become a strong advocate, securing accommodations for her son’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), helping the courts better understand how trauma affects youth behavior and supporting a foster child’s right to stay connected to extended birth family. Chelle co-chairs the Kansas Parent Leadership Advisory Council and continues to support KCSL’s Parent Leadership Conference and many other activities.
“KCSL has really helped me find that advocacy voice that I used for my career, but now I use for my own family,” she said. “I have become a leader through the support and grace that the leaders at KCSL have shown me.”
Earlier this year, Chelle received national recognition as the 2025 Circle of Parents® Kansas Parent of the Year. The award honors outstanding parent leaders who uplift others in their communities, a testament to the strength and impact Chelle continues to model for others.
“This has been an amazing journey,” Chelle said. “The transition into becoming a leader in the groups has given me more self-confidence in how I am parenting and just my overall functioning in life.”
Chelle’s story shows what’s possible when families receive support before they’re in crisis. With your help, we can continue to provide safe spaces, practical tools and empowering relationships to caregivers across Kansas. Your gift today helps more families like Chelle’s find hope, healing and a path forward.
