Welcome to the 2021 January issue of Foster Family News, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Fairfax County foster parents.
| Table of Contents | |
|---|---|
|
|
Check out these candid profiles of some families who were formed through adoption from foster care. Parents share in their own words what it was like to meet and then build a bond with the children they have welcomed into their hearts and homes forever. The stories might have had their twists and turns, but the families are grateful for the journey to becoming permanent families. We hope you'll enjoy learning about their stories, as we continue to add new profiles in the series. Learn more about Adoption Snapshots.
Healthy Minds Fairfax coordinates a full range of mental health and substance abuse services for children and youth across multiple county agencies, the school system and private treatment providers. The goals are to help youth and families in the Fairfax-Falls Church community access mental health and substance abuse services and improve the quality of those services. It can be hard to know whether you need to reach out to a professional when you are worried about a child’s behavior or if you see that child is struggling. And if you do reach out, what type of specialist and treatment are right for the child? Learn more about Healthy Minds Fairfax and check out a recent podcast.
Every year there are children who are in foster care with the Department of Family Services who cannot return home safely. When family reunification is not possible, we seek to find relatives who are willing and able to care for the child. If a relative is not identified, or is unable to care for the child, we seek a permanent home through adoption. To help with frequently asked questions about Adoption and Kinship Support, we recently revamped the Adoption Related Information online. Check out the adoption resources and share with others who might be interested.
We are delighted that Fairfax County Youth Advocate La Tika Jeffery was recognized as a 2020 Adoption Excellence Award Honoree at the Children's Bureau's online celebration of National Adoption Month! As a member of the AdoptUSKids speakers bureau and our Youth Advocate program, she shares her story with great courage and vulnerability in a way that impacts each of her audiences and mentees. Learn more about this story and check out the portion of the awards ceremony video featuring La Tika.
Get to know the staff in our South County Foster Care Unit.
Their goal is achieving timely permanency for children while ensuring their safety and well-being. The unit strives to assist and support birth parents on reunifying with their children.
Supervisor Nakejah Allen answers a few questions about the unit. Learn more about the South County Foster Care Unit.
DFS recently hosted a presentation by author and motivational speaker Tony Hynes on the Six Stuck Spots of Adoption. Hynes was able to share his perspective and lived experiences an adoptee torn between his biological and adoptive families. Even with the most loving and dedicated family, teens can still struggle with defining who they are in the world. Hynes provided solid advice and resources for parents to prepare to get ahead of this challenging period in a teen’s life and to respond well when their teen has questions and doubts. Learn more about understanding and supporting adopted kids.
The county has expanded registration for some in-person events being offered at county facilities. In addition, our partners at Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, Fairfax County Public Library, and the Fairfax County Park Authority continue providing exploration and fun through online resources.
Neighborhood and Community Resources
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 Park Authority programs and classes have resumed! All classes are 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.
- Read about Library Services Available During Limited Opening Status.
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: How do we apply for WIC benefits for youth under 5, especially for formula for infants?
Answer: Check out this information from the Fairfax County Health Department.
Check out other frequently asked questions and answers from past issues.
Length of Time in Foster Care
Nationally, 45% of children remain in foster care from 1-3 years (AFCARS 2018).
Love is Not Enough – Parenting in Transracial Placements
For Foster and Adoptive Parents with Fairfax County
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021
7–9 p.m.
Virtually via Zoom
Well-intentioned transracial parents often deny or minimize the significance of race, mistakenly equating being “color-blind” with love. Often parents recognize the importance of helping their child develop a positive racial identity and connection with their racial heritage, but are uncertain as to how to achieve this goal. Participants in this workshop will learn how to parent a child of a different race to promote healthy, racial socialization, identity development, and a positive sense of well-being. We also address what parents must do to equip their children to cope with racial discrimination.
RSVP by Friday, Feb. 5, 2021
For more information or to RSVP, email Julie Bowman or call 703-324-7131.
Foster Parent College
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 accessing FPC, 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.