Foster Parent/MCFD Partnership Meetings – Potluck Lunch
Thursday, May 30th, 11:00am to 1:00pm
St. John’s Anglican Church, 163 First Street

An opportunity for foster parents to meet with the Resource Team to be informed of what is occuring in their local fostering community including, workshops, Ministry policy, procedures and program updates, staffing changes and bringing forward questions they may have. Please bring a delicious dish to share at the potluck after the meeting.

Celebrating

BC Child and Youth in Care Week

June 2^nd to June 8^th,  2013

For more information about celebrations taking place in your area, visit the websites below. 
Check back often as new events are announced.

Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks
MCFD Newsroom
Speak Out Youth Zone Adoptive Families of BC

New Updated Foster Family Handbook – 5th edition

Can be viewed on the FPSSS Resources page here or
On the Ministry Publications page here

Goodbye and Good Luck to Gloria Jackson

Campbell River and North Island foster parents are saying good bye and best wishes to our very good friend, confidante, and colleague, Gloria Jackson. Gloria has been the Behavioural Consultant for Campbell River and area caregivers for over seventeen years and she has recently accepted a new position within Family Services. Although she is literally “just down the hall” from her old office, we will still feel a sense of loss.

We will miss her sound advice and her shoulder that we often leaned on when the challenges we faced in our daily life just became too heavy to bear alone. Gloria was always quick to respond to our cries for help and in her non-judgmental way, gently brought our feet back down to the ground where we would then carry on with renewed energy and frequently, perspective. Her ability to bring clarity to often muddled situations was so appreciated.

I know I am joined by many, many foster parents and MCFD staff in wishing Gloria all the best in her new role with Community Victims Services. We will miss her but are happy to see her entering this new chapter in her career with the same enthusiasm and dedication we witnessed while working with her through the years.

Farewell to Gloria: submitted by Heather Murphy
Foster Parent and Chair CRFPA

A Day on Drugs – Conference for Drug Awareness for Youth on Vancouver Island
Wednesday, May 15th, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Queen Alexandra Centre
2400 Arbutus Road, Victoria
Cost: $60.00
Lunch and refreshments provided

Please join the nurses of the Pediatric ICU at Victoria General Hospital as they present the conference…

This conference is focused on bringing awareness about drug use and treatment options for youth on Vancouver Island.

“Designer Drugs” – the toxicological effects of these drugs on the human and how to identify the user
Wayne Jeffery

“Beyond Safe Babies” – A discussion of the lifelong challenges faced by children exposed to drugs in utero
Angela Hatch

Case studies from the PICU
Dr. Amanda Barclay

A brief overview of contemporary treatment approaches and information on accessing resources currently available on Vancouver Island
VIHA Youth Addiction Services

Click here to view the poster for this event.
Click here for the registration form for this event.

Dr. Karyn Purvis
Family Education DVD Series
Facilitated by Ros Pringle
St. John’s Anglican Church, 163 First Street

Facilitating Behavioural Change
Wednesday, May 1st, 9:30am to noon

Please join us in viewing this invaluable educational DVD series which focuses on in-depth training for parents or caregivers of children with trauma-based behavioural issues. Sessions will be facilitated by Ros Pringle (Resource Enhancement Worker). This education series is intended for both foster parents and social workers. For more information please contact Roslyn at 250-701-1737.

Safe Babies Caregivers Group
Monday, April 29th, 9:30am to 11:30am
(Last Monday of the month)
Location TBA – watch your emails!

Safe Babies Caregivers are invited to network, support and learn from one another. All Safe Baby Caregivers are invited to join us. A great line-up of guest speakers is being arranged. If there is a specific topic you want to learn more about please contact Shawna Stevenson 250-334-5820 or Mary Catherine Williams at 250-703-6135.

Pitipan’s Swing Workshop
Wednesday, May 1st, Time TBA (All Day)
Victoria Native Friendship Centre
231 Regina Avenue
Facilitated by Holistic Practitioner Darlene Auger, Cree

“An Indigenous Nurturing and Spiritual Healing Experience to be swung is to be recognized in a spiritual way, to be nurtured in a healing way, and to be loved in a sacred way.”

The Native Traditional Healing Swing was born out of a powerful vision that spoke about the essence of love that is needed to bring healing to all people.

Presented in Partnership with Surrounded by Cedar, Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents, Hulitan Social Services Society and Foster Parent Support Services Society.

To register please contact Janet Christie at sicoord@fpsss.com or 778-430-5460.

Group Home Open House
Saturday, April 27th, 8:00pm to 11:00pm
Location to be announced

Comox Valley foster parents operating “mom and pop” group homes for MCFD are invited to join the Open House on the last Saturday of every month. These evenings are opportunities to create supportive relationships in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere. For more information contact Kim at 250-897-3148.

To view this article click here

New funding to speed up adoptions for children in care

VICTORIA – A new online adoption education program and training for social workers in effective recruitment techniques will help children in care find permanent homes faster.

The Adoptive Families Association of BC (AFABC) is receiving $290,000 from the Ministry of Children and Family Development to develop an online Adoption Education Program – a preparatory program that all prospective adoptive applicants must complete. Currently, the program is administered by social workers but, by offering the educational component online, social workers will have more time to complete home studies. This will increase the number of families and individuals approved to adopt children and teens.

Home studies involve a series of interviews and discussions between adoption social workers and prospective adoptive applicants. Home study assessments focus on adoptive applicants’ strengths and parenting skills so kids are matched with the families and individuals best able to meet their needs.

As well, AFABC will train adoption social workers in recruitment techniques that actively engage British Columbians who might not have considered adoption but have specific skills that would make them ideal parents for a child or teen with complex special needs. Presently, the focus is on prospective adoptive parents who have already shown an interest and begun the adoption process on their own.

AFABC will also use the funding to assist in preparing teens for adoption and provide post-placement supports, such as counselling and enhanced parenting skills, for families and individuals once matches are made.

Cowichan Tribes’ Lalum’utul’ Smun’eem Child and Family Services agency has received $15,000 in funding for recruitment of foster and adoptive parents for Aboriginal children and to raise awareness about the need for permanency in Aboriginal communities. Lalum’utul’ Smun’eem is the only delegated Aboriginal agency in B.C. and the second in Canada to take on full responsibility for adoption planning within their Aboriginal community.

In the past five years, more than 1,400 children in care have found permanent families through adoption. However, the need for more adoptive families continues as more than 1,000 children in care in B.C. are still waiting for a permanent family.

Quotes:

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development -

“We are committed to increasing the number of adoptions, raising awareness and prompting open conversations about children who are waiting to join loving and secure homes through adoption. This funding will provide advanced training for adoption workers, help educate adoptive families and increase cultural awareness so we can get kids into permanent homes and reduce the amount of time they spend in care.”

Karen Madeiros, executive director, Adoptive Families Association of BC -

“We commend the ministry for providing these dollars, which will ensure that waiting children and families come together more quickly. I’d also like to acknowledge the hard work that ministry social workers do every day, and we look forward to building improved services with them this year.”

Lise Haddock, executive director, Lalum’utul’ Smun’eem Child and Family Services -

“We are excited about receiving this one-time-only funding and about being able to provide venues for adoption and permanency planning within the Aboriginal community. Stronger partnerships need to be built between the ministry and the Nations to start bringing our kids back home, and it is encouraging to see the ministry recognizing adoption and permanency as a greater priority.”

Quick Facts:

• In the past 10 years, B.C. has averaged more than 290 adoptions of children in care annually – a significant increase from the 165 adopted in 2000-01.
• In 2011-12, permanent families were found for 23 children over 12 years of age – an increase from 10 in 2001.
• Approximately 64 per cent of Aboriginal children adopted in 2011-12 were placed with Aboriginal families, up from 27 per cent in 2000-01.
• When placing Aboriginal children for adoption, requirements are for an initial search for placement with extended family, then within their community, then within the larger Aboriginal community before looking at a non-Aboriginal home.

Learn More:

For more information on adopting in B.C., please go to:
To find out more about the Adoptive Families Association of BC, please visit: www.bcadoption.com

Contact:

Sheldon Johnson
Manager, Media Relations
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639