Welcome to the 2020 October issue of Foster Family News, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Fairfax County foster parents.
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After spending most of her adolescence in foster care, La Tika was adopted by her best friend’s family at 21 years old. She is now a confident and outspoken advocate for foster care youth who has taken every opportunity to pursue her dreams.
Learn more about her story and the some encouragement she shares for other youth in care.
Foster parents, it’s no question that taking time for self-care is essential so that you can be the best possible caretaker for the children in your life. If you are wondering if there are any conditions that you need to consider when hiring a babysitter for a foster child, check out this article.
Have you heard of the Fairfax County Department of Family Services' (DFS) Community Corner? This is where you'll find timely information from programs and staff about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more!
On any given week, there are several new videos, articles, upcoming growth opportunities, and other online resources. These can help you discover agency resources, community initiatives, timely issues, and human-interest stories supporting county residents of all ages. Recent topics included fun family activities, aging and caregiving in the LGBTQ community, an employment and training webinar, and increased suicide risks after sexual assault.
Don't miss out on Community Corner's weekly updates delivered right to your inbox! Subscribe today; it only takes a second!
Another way to engage with us is to "Like" the DFS Facebook page @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices. This will help you to keep up with what's new in our department and get content that can enhance and support you in your journey as foster parents. It’s another avenue to learn about services that we offer the community and understand how we support county residents in all ages and stages of life.
Join us online at Community Corner and engage with us through social media on Facebook.
The work of the Placement and Resource unit is about supporting foster families and facilitating placements of children in foster homes to ensure the children are provided with a nurturing, stable and protective environment.
Supervisor Karen Roberts answers a few questions about the unit. Get to know the Placement and Resource unit.
Join us on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 9 a.m. for the free Healthy Minds Foster Futures Virtual 5K Walk! Driven by the vision of current and former youth in Fairfax County foster care, this walk is about empowering young people in foster care to overcome the impact of mental health in their lives. Making sure that children receive treatment for mental health issues is one way that foster parents and the Department of Family Services Foster Care and Adoption supports children in care. We hope you will show up for a morning of exercise, encouragement, and fun activities, while learning about how we as a community can prioritize the mental health needs of children in foster care. Learn more.
Neighborhood and Community Resources
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services is offering two programs to support parents/guardians and students in distance learning:
- Parent Connect which provides in-person support with barriers to virtual education for parents and guardians at various locations throughout the community, by appointment only, Monday-Friday from 3-8 p.m. Learn more about specific locations including NCS Community Centers online.
- NCS Connects: After School is a virtual program for youth to explore areas of interest to them Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. at bit.ly/ncsconnects.
Fairfax County Public Schools
Check out these FCPS online resources on a wide variety of topics to help families and educators support student success. There is information on how to reach the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277, which is staffed from 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week. There is also additional technology support, and topical support with links to Parent Resource Center workshops on YouTube, and/or links to additional FCPS resources
The county has expanded registration for some in-person events being offered at county facilities. In addition, our partners at Fairfax County Public Library, and the Fairfax County Park Authority continue providing exploration and fun through online resources.
Healthy Minds Foster Futures – Virtual 5K Walk
Saturday, Oct. 24
9 a.m.
Inspiring youth impacted by mental health in the foster care community. Featuring keynote speaker Miss DC 2019 Cordelia Cranshaw and followed by an independent 5K walk. Register online or for more information, contact Marilyn Morales by email or call 703-324-7570.
Annual National Adoption Awareness Month Celebration Goes Virtual
Hosted by Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption
Saturday, Nov. 7
1-2:30 p.m.
Featuring keynote speaker and author Tony Hynes, an interracial adoptee with LGBTQ identifying adoptive parents. The event will also include games for the whole family, prize drawings, and other virtual fun you won’t want to miss! You must register by Oct. 9 to receive an activities box packed with items your family will use during and after the virtual celebration. For more information or to RSVP, please RSVP to Kendra Smith by email or call 703-324-7660
Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce that after a months-long, pandemic-related hiatus, Parktakes programs and classes are scheduled to resume this fall! All classes will be conducted according to Health Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety guidelines. Outdoor, indoor and virtual class options are available in a wide range of interest areas including:
- Outdoor and indoor fitness classes.
- Learn to swim lessons.
- Children’s and Adult classes.
- Golf lessons.
- Family / private group nature tours and programs.
- Gardening.
- Field Trips for All - Family programs that focus on FCPS essential standards.
- New! Virtual Classes – Fitness, nature, music, drama, coding.
- You can get details about dates, times, and fees or register for an outdoor program at Parktakes Online.
Check out information about the schedule at other park facilities and amenities and visit the Virtual Exploration Center – a collection of resources to help you stay healthy, connected and engaged.
While COVID-19 has Fairfax County Public Library’s physical locations operating under "Express Services" conditions, library staff is busy creating and providing many programs, events and services families can participate in from home.
- Check out the calendar of upcoming Digital Programs and Events.
- Learn more about Library Services Available During Closure.
The Department of Family Services supports families and county residents of all ages and stages of life – and that definitely includes foster parents and families! Like and Follow @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices for news, events, tips, stories, training opportunities and more.
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.
Question: What is the role of the Permanency Coordinator and why was one assigned to the child in my home?
Answer: The role of the permanency coordinator is to provide intensive support and casework services, to help achieve permanency and/or find lifelong connections for a child in foster care. Legal permanency can occur through reunification, placement with relatives, or adoption. Lifelong connections refer to adults who demonstrate that they have entered an unconditional lifelong relationship with a child and the child agrees that the adults will have this role in their life. The goal of this position is to help reduce the number of children who leave foster care without permanent families or lifelong connections.
The permanency coordinator may work directly with the child or with the foster, biological, or adoptive family, to remove barriers to successfully achieving permanency and lifelong connections.
Some of the services the permanency coordinator may provide are:
- Family Finding/Family Search – A search for biological family members.
- Mobility Mapping – An activity with the child, to identify possible family members or lifelong connections.
- Permanency Assessments – Assessments that help the child and foster parents determine readiness for permanency.
- Child-Specific Recruitment – Assistance in identifying an adoptive family for a specific child.
Check out other frequently asked questions and answers from past issues.
Extended Foster Care
Extended foster care or as it is called in Virginia, the Fostering Futures program, allows older youth to stay in care past age 18 and receive needed services and supports to aid in the transition to adulthood. Fostering Futures and other extended foster care programs are associated with increased access to federally funded Chafee services and positive outcomes for older youth ages 18 to 21. Chafee services are meant to help prepare older youth for adulthood by providing needed information and skill development training that they may not otherwise receive.
Nationally, 65 percent of older youth in extended foster care through their 19th birthday receive federally funded Chafee services compared to only 35 percent of 18- to 19-year-olds who left care at age 18.
Extended foster care programs like Fostering Futures are associated with increased access to federally funded Chafee services and positive outcomes for older youth ages 18 to 21.
Virtual Training- What is an IEP?
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Foster, adoptive and kinship parents are invited to attend this training session led by FCPS staff to learn more about when to explore an IEP, what services are available, who determines the child’s program, and more. For more information, please contact Terri Williams-Henderson by email or call 703-324-7481.
Foster Parent College (FPC) is a great way to obtain training on key topics from the safety and comfort of your home. FPC provides newly approved and seasoned foster parents with a curriculum designed to build new skills and reinforce information acquired from New Generation PRIDE (formerly PRIDE). As approved foster parents with Fairfax County, all classes are free and available to you 24/7. We plan to email you weekly with in-service training suggestions; however, you may choose to take any class you believe will be helpful for your own personal growth and development.
If you have questions or need support, please reach out to one of the in-service trainers: Palinda Belcher or Terri Williams-Henderson. You may also contact FPC on 541-343-6636 or toll free on 1-800-777-6636 for technical difficulties. As always, once a class is completed, please email the certificate to either Palinda Belcher (if your last name begins with A-J) or Terri Williams-Henderson (if your last name begins with K-Z).
Orientation
Inservice (For certified Fairfax County foster parents. Registration required.)
Learn more and save the dates for upcoming trainings and conferences.
What do you want to see in Foster Family News?
Submit your suggestions to Angela Morlu.
Check out past issues of Foster Family News.