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The Caregiver Courier
April 2018
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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to remember that we can each play a part in promoting the social and emotional well-being of children and families in our community. To help promote this reminder, Prevent Child Abuse America and local chapters nationwide use the Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign.
The pinwheel is an uplifting reminder of childhood and the bright futures all children deserve. We want to reinforce the notion that healthy child development serves as a foundation for both community and economic development.
Click here
for Child Abuse Prevention Month events throughout Clark County during April.
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National Sibling Day
St. Jude's Ranch will be hosting its 3rd Annual National Sibling Day event on April 7 at Tivoli Village.
Click on the flyer for more info about how to RSVP.
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Spring Celebration
The annual Spring Celebration is this Saturday, April 7! There will be plenty of fun activities for the entire family.
Click on the picture for more details.
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Egg-cellent Time at the
Egg Hunt
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Thank you to all who came out to this year's egg hunt. It was great for all of the children who had fun searching for eggs or enjoyed one of the other activities that were part of the great celebration.
Click
here to view pictures from the event!
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During the month of April, the Clark County Government Center's Rotunda Gallery will host a "village garden" art display. The display will be a creative garden filled with ways to support children in foster care and their families and will include artistic works created by current foster children.
There will be an opening reception on Friday, April 6 at 6:30 pm. Please click on the flyer for more information.
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Straight Talk About Child Sexual Abuse:
A Prevention Guide for Parents
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Every parent is concerned about keeping their children safe from those who might sexually abuse or exploit them. This "Straight Talk" Guide will give you the information and skills you need to strengthen safety within your family and community and reduce the risks of sexual abuse.
If you've been putting off talking to your kids because you feel you don't know enough, don't know what to say, or how to approach the subject, the Enough Abuse Campaign here to help. Armed with this booklet, you can confidently help your child grow up safe and free from sexual abuse and its devastating consequences.
You can view the booklet
here.
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There are many cases in which a licensed caregiver may be required to provide proof of affiliation with foster care. This could happen at a child’s school, by medical providers, by law enforcement or the courts, and even with DFS staff. In order to alleviate any potential confusion, the recommendation of the QPI Support and Retention work group has been to issue all foster parents an ID badge.
This ID badge is issued and authorized by the Department of Family Services and can be used as proof of identity AND affiliation with foster care. We hope this will allow families to more effectively care for the children in their care.
If you are currently a licensed caregiver, who does not have a current ID, please call 702-455-0181 to make an appointment to get your foster parent ID badge. IDs will be produced by appointment only at the DFS Central office (121 S Martin Luther King Blvd).
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2018 Camp To Belong Nevada
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Applications are now open for the 2018 Camp To Belong.This year's Camp To Belong will take place from July 22 - July 27.
All paperwork must be completed and submitted by April 30, 2018.
Click
here to download the application.
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What's New with Independent Living
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Foster and Adopted Youth Together (FAAYT) has been busy since the beginning of the year by volunteering in the community, most recently with Three Square. Read more about that and other upcoming FAAYT activities in the IL
newsletter.
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DFS to participate in the Federal Child And Family Services Reviews in May and September 2018
As part of the Nevada Continuous Quality Improvement process, Clark County will be participating in Round 3 of the Child & Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) this year. The reviews in Clark County are scheduled in both May and September. CFSRs are completed in partnership with both State and Federal support.
CSFRs Enable the Children's Bureau to:
- Ensure conformity with federal child welfare requirements
- Determine what is actually happening to children and families as they are engaged in child welfare services
- Assist states in enhancing their capacity to help children and families achieve positive outcomes.
The CFSRs bring people together who can make a difference in state child welfare systems. Hearing from parents, caregivers and youth about their first-hand experiences is important. Information that parents, caregivers, and youth provide about their experiences helps child welfare agencies make changes to strengthen their work with families.
For more information about CFSRs for parents and caregivers click here
English
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Spanish
For more information about CFSRs for youth click here
English
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Spanish
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Foster Care Information Sessions!
There is always a need for more foster families in Clark County. The first step is to attend one of the many information sessions offered all across Clark County.
If you know someone who has been thinking of becoming a foster resource, click on the picture to see the full schedule of information sessions and help them take that first step.
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School Holiday Reminders
The Caregiver Courier would like to offer friendly reminders of upcoming school holidays (based on the Clark County School District 9-month Calendar)
Monday, March 26 - Monday, April 2:
SPRING BREAK-NO SCHOOL
For more CCSD calendar information, click
here
.
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April 2018 Events
There are some incredible events coming up in April in the community. Some of them are even indoors, just in case we do get hit by those April showers.
Check out
this month's list of events in the community.
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Caring for a child is one of the most important things a person can do. Caring for a child who is not your own requires a special kind of dedication. There are many children in Southern Nevada who are unable to remain in their homes. Families who open their homes and hearts to these children are committed to improving their lives and their futures. Foster Change is committed to those families.
We are proud to be the foster and adoptive family association in Southern Nevada. For just $20/year, we offer monthly community connection groups, parents' nights out, family events, educational opportunities, play dates, and free car seat and CPR/first aid training. Many of our events include free childcare and meals. We also work together to advocate for support for all foster and adoptive families in Nevada. We look forward to meeting your family!
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Foster One Recruit One
The greatest tool to recruit new foster parents...are current foster parents.
Clark County DFS wants to help you host a recruitment party. We will provide the information and refreshments, all we need from you is a location and a minimum of five (5) potential foster parents confirmed to attend.
See this
flyer
for more information.
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Grace Point Church Offering Monthly Foster Parents' Night Out
Grace Point Church is hosting a
FREE
respite program so foster parents can get an occasional night out! Grace Point will offer respite care from 6 - 9 p.m. on the first Friday each month through August 2018.
Who: All foster caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, relative, fictive kin)
What: Foster Parents' Night Out
When: 6 - 9 p.m., first Friday each month. Next date: Friday, April 6th, 2018
Where: Grace Point Church, 3794 W. Ann Rd., North Las Vegas
How to register:
Click here
. (Registration closes two days before the event and opens the Saturday after each event for the following month's event.)
What Do You Get Out of it?
Make it a "date night," catch a movie, unwind at your favorite coffee shop...whatever you need, it's a little "you" time to use as you choose! During that time, Grace Point will provide a fun, safe and nurturing environment for your children in care as well as your biological children.
The full list of upcoming Foster Parents' Night Out evenings includes: April 6, May 4 (Star Wars Day!), June 1 and Aug. 6. Keep watching the Caregiver Courier for more details and registration information.
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10 Ways to Support Foster Children in Clark County
We are so appreciative of all the amazing people who have opened their homes to become foster parents.
However, becoming a foster parent is not the only way to help a child in need.
We have compiled a list of 10 ways you can support foster children in Clark County. Check out the full list
here.
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Entrenamiento en Español
There's a new feature on the QPI Nevada Just in Time training website! There is now a button (Entrenamiento en Español) on the homepage. This button directs caregivers to a new page that features a link to the "Trainings in Spanish" topic in the video library and the Spanish version of the FAQ document.
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What is QPI?
Making sure every child living in foster care has a caregiver (foster, relative, fictive and/or adoptive) who provides skilled, nurturing parenting while helping the child maintain connections to his or her family.
Enhance Your Skills
Various trainings are offered in the community to help enhance caregivers' capacity to parent. Please click on the links below to learn more about exciting training opportunities from which you can benefit.
The QPI Clark County Brand
Foster parents nurture children who have experienced trauma and provide a safe, loving and healing environment in which the children can thrive. They are parenting partners who honor and support family relationships. Foster parents are dedicated, informed and committed advocates for children. They are instrumental and fully supported members of the child and family team. Great foster parents make a difference for children and families in our community
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Let Your Voice Be Heard!
Join a QPI Workgroup Today
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As a caregiver, we know you have ideas for improvements in child welfare that you'd like to share with decision makers. Now is your chance. Get involved with the Quality Parenting Initiative and join one of our six workgroups:
- Training: Meets the second Tuesday of each month
- Recruitment: Meets the first Wednesday of each month
- Community Partnerships: Meets the third Tuesday of each month
- Support & Retention: Meets the third Thursday of each month
- Communications: Meets the third Friday of each month
- Child Welfare: Meets the fourth Tuesday of each month
Within these workgroups, child welfare professionals, community partners and caregivers convene monthly to develop solutions to issues they face every day. Your input can make the difference in the lives of children and families in Clark County.
Click here
for more information about QPI training, initiatives and workgroups.
Click here
to complete the workgroup interest form.
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121 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89106
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