Liam Taylor, a social worker at UPMC Passavant, always knew he wanted to be a parent. Being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, Liam and his girlfriend, Dayna, knew that the journey to parenthood was not going to be straightforward one. Liam first joined UPMC in December 2022 but has worked in community social work and case management within hospitals throughout his career. His passion for his career in social work and working with children drove Liam and Dayna to become foster parents.
“I’ve wanted to be a foster parent for a very long time. I’ve always loved kids, and I wanted to foster, because there are so many kids out there that don’t have the things that every kid should have. No matter what, they deserve all the love,” Liam said.
Liam and Dayna opened their hearts and their home to children in need, with no restrictions on race, gender, or age, ranging from infancy to 21 years old. They filled out the foster agency’s application and had an initial call with a certification specialist. Afterward, they readied their home for a preliminary safety check and started to complete the required trainings with the foster agency, which was three hours twice per week for four weeks.
Once they finished all the trainings and submitted the required documents, they had a final safety check and home visit. After all of this, they were officially certified and eagerly waited for the call that would change their lives.
Before they knew it, the call came, and within six hours, Liam and his girlfriend went from being dog parents to being the foster parents of a six-week-old baby girl.
“We both love babies, but honestly had no expectations of being matched with one,” Liam said. “We got the call at 9:30 in the morning while at a doctor’s appointment and by 2:30 p.m., we had a baby in our house.”
Liam’s foster child was born with a multitude of medical conditions, many of which will require long-term care, and weighed only 5.4 pounds when she arrived at their home. The transition to parenthood was a whirlwind, but Liam and Dayna were determined to offer their baby girl the best possible start in life.
They began sleeping in shifts and spending weeks in the hospital with their new child after the doctor admitted her during one of her routine developmental check-ups. That’s when Liam took advantage of UPMC’s two-week paid parental leave.
Liam’s team at UPMC rallied behind him, helping him navigate the process of applying for paid parental leave and time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). His colleagues showered him in congratulations, hand-me-downs, diapers, and their support. His co-workers continue to help him out so he can have the time to take his new child to follow-up appointments and doctor visits.
“Bonding with foster kids is so important — you need to build that relationship and bond. It’s difficult to juggle work, bonding with your child, maintaining a relationship, taking care of yourself, and balancing all of life’s duties,” he shared.
Liam’s favorite thing is to work on his baby girl’s “tummy time” to build up her muscles and go on hikes with her and their dog. “I love just hanging out with her. She’s so just funny — the faces she makes — she’s the cutest thing in the world.”
Liam’s new baby is now six months old, weighs 14 pounds, and is growing into a healthy, happy baby. Despite the challenges, Liam says, “It’s all been worth it, and I’d do it all again. She’s a champ and she feels like my own kid. Bonding with her has been the easiest thing in the world — it’s hard not to love her.”
Liam and his girlfriend hope to adopt her, but even if that doesn’t happen, he knows that they have given her the best start in life.
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