MONMOUTH — When Angela Cyr met three of her foster children, something clicked.

She and her husband, Joey Cyr, have raised seven special needs children in their home over the last two decades. They adopted three of them.

“People say, ‘How do you know which ones to keep?’” she said. “’I tell people, ‘You know when they walk through the door. It’s like they belonged here.’ When we met them, we knew.”

After years as a foster parent, Cyr, 45, is now embarking on a second career. She’s gone back to school to become a special education teacher.

In June she graduated with an associate degree in early childhood education from Kaplan University. Her diploma came with awards for community service and a 4.0 GPA.

Lori Levesque, Early Childhood Department chairwoman for Kaplan University in Maine, said Cyr received the community service award because of her understanding of children, her ability to be resourceful and creative, and her experience.

Cyr “instinctively understands what children need and is able to instruct them based on those strengths, build on those strengths and guide children to success,” Levesque said.

Cyr said she’s working on her bachelor’s degree with hopes of becoming a teacher in 2013. Cyr would like to teach the early grades in Lewiston or Auburn. “Research shows early intervention makes a huge difference for later in life,” she said.

Her shift from the home to the classroom was inspired by the children she’s raised, she said. “I have the personal experience. I’ll know what the parent across the table from me is saying. I’ve lived it.”

Cyr and her husband became therapeutic foster parents as a way to adopt, and help, their first son.

When a child in foster care has a history of trauma, they often have special needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and attachment disorders. Other diagnoses can stem from whatever challenges were in the birth family, including any mental illnesses, Cyr said.

First came Nick, who was not quite 3 when they adopted him. Elizabeth came into their lives at age 15. One year later they asked her if they could adopt her.

“We were cautious,” Cyr said. “With an older child she has to adopt you.” The teen reacted by crying and said, “of course,” Cyr said.

Their youngest, Heather, 13, came to them at age 5.

Working as a therapeutic foster parent led Cyr to enroll in workshops, courses and support groups to learn about children with special needs. “We had that experience. We really enjoyed it. It got exciting for us that we could help more children.”

In addition to the three they adopted, they took in four more foster children and dozens of others during brief respite visits. That experience has given her a good background to become a special education teacher, Cyr said.

A therapeutic foster parent must be “extra patient, tenacious,” she said. “You have to be a strong advocate. You can’t just sit back and let things take their course.”

Attending all meetings involving the child is a must, she said. “You have to learn the jargon of professionals,” whether it’s the Maine Department of Health and Human Services or Spring Harbor hospital.

The work is hard, but important.

“It’s extremely rewarding,” she said “You know you have made a difference.” Even if the special needs child grows up to be not as successful as others, “they’re more successful than if they had not” had that support. Studies show with the right childhood intervention “less services are needed as adults,” Cyr said. “It helps the whole climate of the state.”

bwashuk@sunjournal.com

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