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
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.
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:
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
Foster Parent Coffee Meeting
Thursday, April 25th, 9:30am to 11:30am
Topic: Fun time with Brenda Hanrahan teaching us Zumba dance!
(Fourth Thursday of the month)
C.R. Family Services, 487 – 10th Avenue, Conference Room
EVERYONE WELCOME
Timeline
9:30 – Come join us for coffee and discussion
10:30 – Brenda Hanrahan will be teaching us how to “Zumba” so come and join in the fun!
11:30 – 12:30: We’re having a potluck lunch to say, “We’ll miss you!” to Gloria Jackson and, “Welcome!” to Laurie Overton.
Click here to view the poster for this event!
Your Foster Parent Association invites all foster parents to the monthly coffee meeting. This is your chance to network with local foster parents and share your concerns and successes. Light refreshments offered. Children welcome, a child minding room adjoins the meeting room. Babysitting arrangements to be announced. Please contact Heather Murphy at 923-6028 for more information.
Port Hardy Foster Parent Support Meetings
Thursday April 25th, 6:30pm to 9:00pm
(Last Thursday of the month)
Mental Health and Addictions, Port Hardy
Randi Rosso, N.I. Foster Parent Support Worker, facilitates these gatherings. Foster parents are encouraged to network and develop their skills on a variety of topics. Randi encourages foster parents to drop-in and discover the benefits of these events! Refreshments provided. Please contact Randi at (250) 230-3484 to confirm location, or to suggest a topic or guest speaker.
“The Adolescent Brain” webinar
Presented by Dr. Stan Kutcher, MD, FRCPC
Friday, April 26th, 11:30am to 2:00pm Bring your lunch!
11:30am to noon – Meet & Greet, 12:00 to 1:00pm ‘in the know’ webinar viewing, 1:00 to 2;00pm sharing, discussion & networking
Robron Centre (Library), 740 Robron Road, Campbell River
The FORCE Society for Kids’ Mental Health is happy to (finally) offer “In the Know” networking sessions in Campbell River, beginning April 26th. “In the Know” sessions are provided as a group webinar viewing, followed by an onsite networking/information sharing session amongst participants. Each month features a different topic expert. Colleen Clark has been facilitating these sessions in the Comox Valley monthly since September and is happy to see that parents, professionals, and other community members are using these sessions as an opportunity to come together and speak about mental health, mental illness and share their experiences.
This first In the Know in Campbell River will feature Dr. Stan Kutcher speaking about the adolescent brain (pre-recorded webinar). Dr Kutcher is an internationally renowned expert in adolescent mental health and a leader in mental health research.
For more information and upcoming topics go to http://www.forcesociety.com/ or email colleen@forcesociety.com or phone 1-855-887-8004.
Click here to view the poster for further information.
Safe Babies Caregivers Support Gathering
Tuesday, April 23rd, 10:00am to noon
(Fourth Tuesday of the month)
The Robron Centre, 740 Robron Road,
The Family Place, Room A127
Safe Babies Caregivers are invited to network, support and learn from one another. The meeting room is child friendly. Refreshments provided. Contact Mary Catherine Williams at 250-703-6135 for more information.
