For Deborah Peay Wilson, growing up in the foster care system changed her in ways that were both painful and transformative.
Deborah, who has been a member of the Spaulding for Children Board of Directors since 2022, says her experience was multilayered. She first experienced a long-term foster placement that eventually led to adoption by the same foster parent, something she wasn’t fully aware of at the time.
“It rattled me, I no longer trusted the system,” she said. “I suffered with the reality of what was but also I was forced to accept that a door was closed on a part of myself that I never wanted to part with.”
At 15, after a failed adoption, Deborah re-entered foster care under kinship care with a relative, with Spaulding overseeing services. That decision changed the course of her life. For the first time, she experienced stability, hope, and security and regained a sense of identity that had been missing for years.
“Seeing foster care done with the child’s interest front and center was new for me. Drastically different than my first stint of time in care, which turned out to be a prime example of what a foster parent shouldn’t be and what a child we’re set to protect should never endure,” she said. “Being placed into the care of a relative and having Spaulding behind me allowed me the freedom to choose hope and the audacity to take every opportunity and run with it. It made me a fierce advocate for change, an inquiring voice in a system that needed change and an example of resilience in action.”
That experience awakened Deborah, making her realize that foster care has the power to either break a child or help rebuild them. Being placed with family and supported by people who genuinely cared gave her the freedom to choose hope. It also made her determined to become an advocate for change and an example of resilience in action.
“Deborah illustrated beautifully how the support of relatives and connections to community lead to better outcomes for children and youth in care. It is always priority for children and youth to return home, but when that is not possible placement with relatives is our next focus,” said Melissa Jenovai, president and CEO of Spaulding for Children. “There are also situations when we must turn to a licensed foster parent to care for children and youth. Foster parents who are willing to keep children and youth connected to their siblings, family and community can help with the healing journey.”
To anyone considering becoming a foster parent, Deborah says she would encourage them to think about the opportunity they have to change the world one child at a time. The need can feel overwhelming, but changing the life of one child creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond what one can see.
To children and teens currently in foster care: You are not defined by being a foster child. This is only one season of your life. You are worthy of love, kindness, and consideration, and your future can be greater than your past.
If Deborah could change one thing about foster care today, it would be reminding people that foster care was meant to be communal. It takes organizations, families, and communities working together to lift children and families up. We all have a part to play, and every part matters, she said.
Deborah is currently a Mortgage Operation Specialist at Rocket Mortgage, a mortgage loan provider in Detroit. She is also involved in various community service engagements and has been a volunteer at Spaulding for Children for many years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interpersonal Communications with a minor in Sociology from Western Michigan University.
