Transitioning a new foster child into your home can happen much more smoothly when a pre-placement visit occurs. Whenever possible your FW social worker will try to coordinate such a visit so everyone can better decide whether or not to proceed with the placement.

During a pre-placement visit, both children and foster parents are scared, unsure and excited all at the same time. Don’t expect a lot of verbal communication at first. Stick to simple questions and make sure you offer the child opportunities to ask you questions and learn more about your family and home. Read the rest of this entry »

Even boys who complain they can never find anything good to read and, as a result, may not excel in school, should be able to find books they enjoy by searching the lists provided at www.childrensbooks.about.com. The books on these reading lists include fiction and non-fiction books that will appeal to a wide range of ages and interests. Another great website called www.guysread.com provides good information for any frustrated parent of a boy who struggles with reading or who does not like to read.

JUNIOR FICTION TITLES

Gruel and Unusual Punishment  -Arter, Jim

The Discovery of Dragons – Base, Graeme

The Chocolate Touch – Catling, Patrick

Artemis Fowl  -Colfer, Eoin

Gregor the Overlander – Collins, Suzanne

James and the Giant Peach  -Dahl, Roald

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key  -Gantos, Jack

My Side of the Mountain  -George, Jean Craighead

Dr. Franklin’s Island – Halam, Ann

Stormbreaker – Horowitz, Anthony

Touching Spirit Bear  -Mikaelsen, Ben

Midnight for Charlie Bone – Nimmo, Jenny

Silverwing – Oppel, Kenneth

Hatchet – Pauslen, Gary

A Long Way From Chicago  -Peck, Richard

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  -Rowling, J.K.

Holes  -Sachar, Louis

Time Warp Trio Series – Scieszka, Jon

Cirque du Freak Series  -Shan, Darren

A Dog Called Kitty – Wallace, Bill

Seasonal thunderstorms and tornadoes can arise quickly, leaving little time to prepare. Taking a minute to check your  emergency kit will help your family members be safe and stay calm in these events.

• Are the batteries in your flashlights still good?
• Are your emergency contact numbers current?
• Is your first aid kit well stocked?
• Have you replenished your bottled water and snacks?
• Is the battery operated radio still on the shelf?

Life threatening accidents often occur during power outages. Please keep these safety factors in mind:

• Unplug all electrical devices and turn off the air conditioner.
• Once power is restored, turn on the appliances one by one.
• Avoid using candles and never use a gas/charcoal grill indoors.
• Always assume a downed power line is dangerous and don’t allow anyone to touch or drive over it.  Call for help!
• Don’t enter a basement that has standing water unless you’re certain the power has been shut off.
• Standing water can snuff out pilot lights on hot water heaters and furnaces. If this occurs, natural gas may collect in your home, creating the risk of an explosion.
• Never attempt to remove tree limbs stuck in or touching a power line.

For additional storm safety information, visit powerhousetv.com/stormsafety.

June 1, 2010 marked an important date for Family Works. It was our 20th Anniversary, a point in time worth celebrating and realizing what a wonderful organization exists because of the vision and commitment of many people. We have survived many challenges including the death of our founder, Joel Ungrodt. As I looked back through the documents that were created 20 years ago and even as we’ve grown and evolved, I am reminded that Family Works continues to hold true to the same mission and values Joel envisioned 20 years ago.

I found our first newsletter. It was created in the basement of our home, the site of the first office. I remember looking for graphics, cutting and pasting…not with a mouse but with a scissors… laying it out, eyeballing the text and graphics, etc. We created something that pales in comparison to the technology used in the creation of the newsletters we send out today, but then, it was meaningful and something we were quite proud of. The main article Joel wrote is titled, Family Works – - A New Resource in Treatment Foster Care. In it, he wrote,

“As our name suggests, Family Works is based upon principles that characterize healthy families. We believe children deserve families and grow up best in families. We further believe that organizations built upon family values – open communication, trust, participation in decisions, clear goals and expectations and mutual support – work best. All of us at Family Works contribute to one another’s personal and professional growth. We are committed to a high standard of care and treatment for children, and know that we will maintain this standard only by working as a team.”

I also found many other epistles written by Joel. He was articulate and prolific. He spoke and wrote often about the concept of “team”.

“As I observe and sometimes participate in the day-to-day activities of Family Works, I’m reminded again and again of the significance of team functioning in deciding whether we reach our goals with any given child and family. Kids are well served when adults work together. When we don’t, they suffer. Much good work by individuals goes to waste if we’re not all working cooperatively. Effective teams value the concepts of mutual respect, open communication and the ability to accept and resolve differences of opinion. Team members bring out the best in each other and keep one another well informed.”

This concept of team was one of the building blocks of Family Works and is still a significant part of who we are today. Joel wanted the foundation of this agency to be built on core values that were important to him, such as:

• Interacting respectfully with kids and other adults.
• Being accessible to each other.
• Focusing on the strength, competencies and survival skills kids bring with them.
• Being open to self-evaluation, including a willingness to say “I screwed up”.
• Doing the “right thing” including and maybe especially, when that’s not the easy thing to do.
• Embracing the concepts of team and being a vital part of the quality of that team.

I am extremely grateful for the people who have been such an essential part of getting us where we are today and where we are headed tomorrow. We have a remarkable staff who continues to amaze me with their dedication to this work. We have gifted foster parents who have opened up their hearts and homes to children who come with a myriad of strengths and challenges.

Thank you for the great team work in serving hundreds of children over the past 20 years. The next 20 will likely bring with it more opportunities and probably a mix of challenges. Together, we will embrace them and go forward.

Thank you and congratulations!

Lyn Ungrodt

1. Wear a Blue Ribbon during May in support of National Foster Care Month…when someone asks about your ribbon, plant a seed by sharing something with them about foster care.

2. Waiting for your next foster placement? Get involved in providing respite or tutoring for another foster child you have met through Family Works.

3. Become a virtual mentor for a young person in college, expanding the circle of support for a youth in foster care as an email/facebook/online pen pal.

4. Send a care package to a foster care alum that you still keep in touch with.

5. Donate goods such as suitcases, books, games, computers, sports equipment, musical instruments, clothing and school supplies to young people in foster care.

6. Send a “Shout Out of Encouragement” to a foster youth!! Be inspired to make a difference! Read more about former foster children from all walks of life who are enjoying positive, accomplished adult lives thanks to the relationships they shared with caring adults. http://www.fosterclub.org/grownups/allstars.cfm http://www.victoriarowell.com/site/index.php

7. Encourage a business owner in your community to support young people in foster care through training, internships and employment. Help a youth in foster care explore career options, acquire new job skills, and find employment or a resume-building internship.

8. Contact an Independent Living Program in your area or visit the links below to find more information on how to get involved. www.lyoughrules.dol.gov www.careervoyages.gov www.ajb.dni.us www.careeronestop.org

9. Learn how public policy affects young people in foster care. Understand the issues, find out about new foster care legislation, and help make children and youth in foster care a national priority.

With the school year drawing to a close, IEP meetings are being scheduled to prepare for the educational needs of children next fall. Provided below is a summary of suggestions for preparing for IEP meetings made by Terri Mauro at the website www.about.com.

Q: What happens at an IEP meeting?

A: Initially, IEP meetings will focus on arranging for testing, giving a classification, and assessing a child’s needs. Over time, annual IEP meetings will involve assessments of progress and the planning of the following year’s program. Teachers, therapists and case managers will read their reports, and propose program modifications. Discussions may include: changing classifications, adding or subtracting services, moving the child into a different type of classroom, behavior plans and academic goals.

Read the rest of this entry »

Much of the behavior that pains and puzzles foster parents can be understood when it is viewed in the context of the grieving process that parents go through when they lose their children. The stages of birth family grief are:

1. Shock: Parents cry and plead for another chance. They can’t believe their children are gone. They may feel like they are sleepwalking through life. They may be angry and irrational.
2. Protest: Parents show their feelings in more physical ways. They may be sick, can’t sleep, are tired, or have headaches. They may cry or lash out at anyone who seems like an enemy. They may refuse to do anything the judge demands because to do so would be to admit guilt. They may feel everything is hopeless and give up trying to reunite with their children.
3. Adjustment: Things start settling down. Parents regain appetite, sleep through the night, and think more clearly. The more they see their child in a non-threatening, nonjudgmental setting, the harder they may try to reunite with their child. Their self-esteem heightens and they are more open for support.

Copyright © 2000 Jordan Institute for Families

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of this environmental holiday. Show your commitment to a clean environment by challenging your family to try three of the following ideas:

• Buy used from your local thrift store or neighborhood garage sales. Better yet, swap with friends or family!
• Volunteer for a cleanup effort in your community or school, on your street, along roadsides, vacant lots, or other local areas.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle! Try to find products with less packaging, take reusable bags on shopping trips, creatively reuse other products, and recycle what’s left.
• Buy in bulk or multi-packs. Buying more items at once reduces packaging waste. You can also buy items with packaging that can be reused or recycled.
• eCycle! Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to a recycling center. This helps keep hazardous substances out of the landfill.
• Share the ride and the road. When going to work, school, or kid’s sporting events, try carpooling, biking, walking, or riding public transportation to reduce pollution.
• Check with local repair shops to see if they can use your old appliances for spare parts.
• For spring lawns, remember all pesticides are toxic to some degree. Try spot-treating problem areas with pesticides, rather than treating the whole yard. Plant trees, shrubs, or other greenery to help reduce carbon dioxide in the air.

For more information on Earth Day, visit www.epa.gov/earthday and www.earthday.gov .

Information from Facts for Families developed by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Panic disorder is common and treatable. Children and adolescents with panic disorder have unexpected and repeated periods of intense fear or discomfort, along with other serious symptoms, in the absence of any real threat. These periods are called panic attacks, and can last from minutes to hours, develop without warning, and can be terrifying for the individual experiencing the attack. Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine for a moment what it must feel like to move into a new environment, with new surroundings, an unfamiliar mattress, new rules and new routines. Moving into a new home can be a scary and overwhelming experience for youth in foster care.

One idea offered by ARW/FCARC that can help ease some of those fears and anxieties is to create a welcome book. The less anxiety a child is experiencing, the safer he or she will feel, which may ease their transition into your home. Welcome books can be valuable resources for youth of all ages. They can help bridge the gap between what is unknown to what will soon become more familiar, comfortable, safe, and secure.

Read the rest of this entry »