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Foster Family News - 2019 May

Welcome to the 2019 May issue of Foster Family News, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Fairfax County foster parents.

Table of Contents
Bethany Shively, FCFCAA president, Shares a Special Message Bookbag: Foster Care Awareness Month Reading List Foster Parent Training and Appreciation Event Slideshow Event Central: Proclamation; Life Skills Workshop; “Broken Places” Documentary and Discussion	Frequently Asked Questions: What should I do if a child damages property in my home? Story in Statistics: Percentage of Children Placed in Foster Care by Region (FY2018) Donors and Sponsors Highlights: Canterbury Woods Elementary School Upcoming Trainings and Conferences (Save the Dates!)

Words from Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption Association (FCFCAA)

Happy Foster Care Month! The month of May is a special time to acknowledge foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections.

In its official Foster Care Month proclamation, held the first week of May, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors celebrated YOU, the county’s foster parents, for providing the love, safety and stability children need in order to overcome past traumatic experiences so they can reach their full potential. It is urging the community to come together to recognize the important role foster parents play in caring for children and supporting family reunification.

I’m so thankful we live in a county that not only understands the importance of foster care, but is commited to supporting and recognizing its foster families for the work they do.

On May 7, I had the opportunity to represent you in front of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a Foster Proclamation ceremony. I highlighted the importance of permanency and normalcy for our youth in care; and discussed some of the greatest needs for foster homes right now – including ones that are willing and able to take large sibling groups; unaccompanied minors; teens; and medically fragile children -- including homes that can speak Spanish. All children need and deserve love, support, security and a place to call home.

If you’re looking for ways to get involved during this national Foster Care Month, there are some great resources available at the Child Welfare Information Gateway www.childwelfare.gov, where you can find template social media posts, email content, graphics and more to help you spread the word to your network. Follow @childwelfare on social media. You can also take the 2019 Foster Care Month survey. Encourage your contacts to learn more about the resources, tools, and real-life stories and ask them to share the information with their own networks to help make a difference in our community.

Thanks for all you do in supporting our local children and families!

All the best,

Bethany Shively
President
Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption Association (FCFCAA)

Bookbag: Foster Care Awareness Month Reading List

survey graphic

May is Foster Parent Awareness Month. Add these books to your reading list:

Adults

The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe, and Stable Home by John DeGarmo
The Foster Parenting Toolbox: A Practical, Hands-on Approach to Parenting Children in Foster Care by Kim Phagan-Hansel
Lifesaving Lessons: Notes from an Accidental Month by Linda Greenlaw
Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson
Everybody’s Son: A Novel by Thrity N. Umrigar
When We Were Sisters by Emilie Richards
Family Road Map: A Step-by-Step Guide to Navigating Health, Education and Insurance Systems for Families with Special Needs by Wendy Besmann

Teens

Three More Words by Ashley Rhodes-courter
Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
A Child Call “It”: One Child’s Courage to Survive by David J. Pelzer
The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess
Hide with Me by Sorboni Banerjee
Love Me, Love Me Not by S. M. Koz

Children

What’s Life Like in Foster Care? by Dwayne Hicks
Finding the Right Spot: When Kids Can’t Live with Their Parents by Janice Levy
The Blending of Foster and Adopted Children in the Family by Heather Lehr Wagner
Mostly the Honest Truth by Jody J. Little
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
Every Shiny Thing by Cordelia Jensen

Foster Parent Training and Appreciation Event Slideshow

Event Central

May and June

Learn what happened during the Foster Care Awareness Month at the Proclamation Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

Life Skills Workshop: Distracted Driving
Discuss safe driving, the impact of distracted driving and how to obtain a driver’s license at this workshop for youth ages 14-21 who are in care. Dinner and prizes will be provided. To register by Tuesday, May 14, contact Stella Serian at 703-324-7482.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
5-7 p.m.
Pennino Building, Rooms 1032/1034
12011 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035

“Broken Places” Documentary and Discussion
Why are some children permanently damaged by early adversity while others thrive? To help answer this question, filmmaker Roger Weisburg dug into his extensive archives to update a few of the stories of the abused and neglected children he filmed decades ago. Viewers are given a unique time-lapse perspective on how trauma these children experienced shaped their lives as adults. Presented by the Fairfax County Trauma-Informed Community Network, “Broken Places” interweaves these longitudinal narratives with commentary from nationally renowned experts in neurobiology and early childhood development to illuminate the devastating impact of childhood adversity as well as the factors that can foster resilience.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
9-11:30 a.m.
Government Center
Board Auditorium
12000 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
Monday, June 17, 2019
6:30-9 p.m.
Government Center
Board Auditorium
12000 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035

Each newsletter will include this section to help answer questions, spotlight the people who support foster families, highlight the donors and sponsors who generously give to foster care programs and activities and friendly reminders for foster families to sign-up for trainings.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: What should I do if a child damages property in my home?

Answer: Follow these steps if a child in your home damages property:

As soon as damage is discovered, contact your foster care or resource specialist.
The foster care specialist must review the damage in the home within 30 days of damage occurring.
Within 7 days of the report to the foster care or resource specialist, the foster parents should file a claim with their own insurance for damages totaling $3,000 or more. All damages of $1,000 or more require a second estimate.
For claims involving destruction, damage, or theft of property, the foster parent must produce evidence the items stolen or damaged were in their possession (pictures showing proof of damages, proof of purchase, etc.).
An original signed estimate is required for claims involving repair or replacement of damaged property. A statement regarding the feasibility of repair, versus replacement, should be included. Additional estimates may be requested at the discretion of the Local Department of Social Services or Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS).
A completed claim should contain the following: Foster Care Contingency Fund Claim Form, VDSS W-9 Form and all supporting documentation, to include a picture of the damage. These must be submitted to VDSS within 45 days of the discovery of the loss or damage.
All damage or destruction of property claims are reviewed and approved by the Virginia Department of Social Services Regional Consultant.

Check out other frequently asked questions and answers from past issues.

STORY IN STATISTICS

The statistic for the percentage of children placed in foster care by region (FY2018):
32% Reston - Region 3
31% Falls Church - Region 4
28% South County - Region 1
9% Fairfax - Region 2

DONORS AND SPONSORS HIGHLIGHTS

Our partners and donors are the true power behind communities of care for Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption. With them we can provide amazing support services, community events and after care resources.

This issue highlights and thanks Canterbury Woods Elementary School. The school’s foster bears found their way to new friends, bringing smiles and comfort to youth facing uncertainties in their lives. “We will continue to spread love and kindness and do more outreach programs for our foster friends!” said Necole Brown, a counselor at Canterbury Woods Elementary School.

Contact Information
703-764-5600
https://www.fcps.edu/school-center/canterbury-woods-elementary-school

Check out highlights of other donors and sponsors from past issues.

TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES (For Fairfax County Foster Parents Only)

The following trainings and conferences are for Fairfax County foster parents only.