Kinship information, news, resources, and much more!
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A Word from the Interim Program Director |
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2021 has been a busy year so far. The 2021 legislative session started on January 19, 2021 and ended on March 5, 2021. GRANDfamilies (Children’s Service Society of Utah) sponsored House Bill 358 this legislative term. In February we worked through some administrative changes. All five counties are in the middle of our Adult, Teen, and Children's classes. We have a variety of Friend2Friend activities planned over the next few months on a virtual platform. At the end of February we started an informal Adult Support Group on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Additionally, we continue to provide the same support services that we did prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, including: case management services, crisis management, and resource referrals.
As mentioned above, in February the GRANDfamilies team saw a change in administration. Bacall Hincks made the difficult decision to leave the GRANDfamilies Program and Children’s Service Society of Utah. Bacall’s dedication to the program and the families that we serve shaped the program into what it is today. Bacall will truly be missed, but we at GRANDfamilies and all of Children’s Service Society of Utah wish her the best of luck in her new endeavors. As the interim GRANDfamilies Program Director, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Rich Johnston and I am the current GRANDfamilies Program Director and Adoption Program Director at Children’s Service Society of Utah. I have over 35 years of personal experience with Kinship, and over 15 years of professional experience with Kinship. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Bacall as a member of the GRANDfamilies team prior to becoming the Director of the Adoption Program. Prior to working at Children’s Service Society of Utah I worked for the State of Utah: Division of Child and Family Services for over 12 years. I look forward to the opportunity to help lead the GRANDfamilies team and program.
Please follow our social media pages for ongoing updates, and for further discussion regarding House Bill 358 and how it directly impacts Kinship Families.
Rich Johnston, CMHC
GRANDfamilies Interim Program Director/Adoption Program Director
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Children’s Service Society of Utah continues to provide services to our clients and partners Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm. To maintain CSS staff members’ health and safety and the safety of those around us, our offices will remain closed to the general public until further notice. We are serving our clients by phone, via email, or by telehealth and virtual meetings. One-on-one visits are discouraged at this time.
We appreciate your business and we are very sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you for your understanding.
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We are excited to announce the passage of HB358, which Children’s Service Society has had the privilege of sponsoring through the legislative session this year. This bill amends guardianship language to allow for kinship caregivers to obtain guardianship in circumstances where the parents are not cooperative in the guardianship process at the same time as being unwilling or unable to provide support to their children, or in the instance that a parent, or parents, are unable to be located. The proposed amendments will allow kinship caregivers the ability to provide a safe and stable home environment for kinship children in their care, at the same time as being granted the ability to access necessary services, including: medical, mental health, and education, that the existing bill blocks many kinship caregivers from accessing.
We are thrilled for the hundreds of caregivers and children in kinship care that this bill will benefit each year.
Thank you to Rep. Spendlove for his support and sponsorship of this bill!
If you would like to learn more about this bill and what it means for kinship families throughout the State, please contact Rich Johnston, rich@cssutah.org or Alyssa Craven, alyssa@cssutah.org.
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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month |
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The impact of child abuse can be felt by many and is a devastating event for children, families, and communities. When a child experiences abuse and/or neglect, the outcome may lead to long-term emotional and behavioral concerns. Fortunately with the support and services throughout many agencies, there are places to turn in times of need. As Utah’s oldest child welfare non-profit agency, Children’s Service Society plays an active role in the prevention of child abuse and neglect on a daily basis and is a resource for families and caregivers to reach out to.
Providing services is a specialty within all programs at Children’s Service Society. By offering a comprehensive array of resources and keeping the safety and well-being of children in mind, the ultimate mission is to help families and caregivers find success in their day-to-day activities. Services include:
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Care About Childcare: Helps to promote a quality environment for families and children with guidance, education, and support in caring for children.
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Home Visitation: Reaches out to families directly in their homes with trained parent educators who provide parenting skills in hopes of overcoming challenges and alleviate possible future abuse by helping families reach their full potential.
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GRANDfamilies: Steps in during a time of need to advocate, provide support, education, and crisis intervention for those who are caring for a relative’s child by offering a wide array of services, all in hopes of providing safety and permanency for the child.
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Adoption: Helps those who are looking to adopt or helps those who are looking for guidance, counseling, and support with the process of placing their child for adoption.
During the month of April, our mission at Children’s Service Society is to help spread awareness with the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. With the support of all agency programs, we will be showing our support by wearing blue on April 7, 2021 in honor of victims, posting tips and resources on our Facebook and Instagram social media pages, and planting pinwheel gardens for prevention. The pinwheel became a national symbol for child abuse prevention and represents the carefree and innocent childhood we wish for all children along with the bright and happy future every child deserves.
Join us during the month of April and show your support by wearing blue and planting a pinwheel garden at your home! You can purchase pinwheels at various locations. Once your garden is planted, share your photos on your social media pages and tag Children’s Service Society for all to see. Let’s paint the state blue during April!
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The last three months, GRANDfamilies completed... |
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Upcoming at GRANDfamilies! |
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CONSIDERING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES WITH BIOLOGICAL PARENTS
One concern that comes up frequently in my conversations with caretakers of children is boundaries. Setting healthy boundaries with the parents of the children in your care can be incredibly difficult, awkward, and painful, but it needs to happen for everyone’s sake. For one reason or another, you now find yourself in a position where you have had to step up and take care of someone else’s child. You need to keep them physically and emotionally safe. Sadly, this sometimes means keeping them safe from their own parents.
The children need a safe, reliable adult to care for them and so here you are. But how do we navigate this situation when the children’s parents are still around or have visitation? Questions of when, how frequently, and where they can see the children should be considered and discussed.
Unfortunately, this topic seems to come up after problematic incidents have already occurred. Perhaps their father showed up high or impaired or you were concerned about his mental state. Perhaps their mother said bizarre or inappropriate things to the children during her visit. What should you do if they spend the entire visit staring at their phone, napping on the couch, etc.?
THE BATHROOM EXAMPLE
When discussing the concept of boundaries with my clients, I like to use the example of a bathroom. This is a clear, understandable example of a literal boundary we use every day. When we use the bathroom, we close the door. Why? Because in that situation, we feel the need to have a boundary (the door) that helps us maintain a sense of privacy. When we close the door, other people are still free to move about the house and do whatever they want. The boundary does not necessarily force them to do anything. The boundary is more about us and less about others.
The same is true with any other healthy boundary in our life. The sign of a good, strong, healthy boundary is that it is by you, for you, and about you. In other words, you don’t get to decide what other people’s boundaries are. You decide your own boundaries. Boundaries should not be in place to punish or retaliate against others. They should not be done to manipulate, coerce, guilt, or control others. Their purpose should be to maintain the autonomy and safety of you and your home.
Do not fall into the trap of hijacking “boundaries” in an attempt to control the children’s parents. Your job at this point is to keep you and the children in your care safe. Do not waste your limited time and energy trying to control someone else. When someone is in your home, you get to decide what boundaries are observed because it’s your home. If the children’s parents are visiting, they are a guest and they should respect the boundaries you’ve established for your home and the visitation. If they are unwilling or unable to respect the boundaries for your home, then you may need to have a discussion with them about what will happen next if they refuse to respect those boundaries.
By Chris Schulze
GRANDfamilies Family Advocate/Therapist
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Thank you to our January - March donors! |
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When everything in our world feels so uncertain, our children should feel SAFE at home. Unfortunately for many, that’s not the case. We need your help to keep Utah’s children SAFE. You can donate to GRANDfamilies today by clicking here.
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Community Partner Spotlight |
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Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A) |
Bikers Against Child Abuse, Inc. (B.A.C.A.) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle. |
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My name is Jamie Duke and I am currently in my first year of the MSW program at the University of Utah. I did my undergraduate in photography, but realized I wanted to empower and support those in the community. I enjoy spending time with family, friends, or in the canyons. My favorite thing about GRANDfamilies is the wide range of experiences I have been able to have working with all ages. I also appreciate being able to create a safe space for clients to talk and work towards their goals. |
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I am a senior in the Bachelor of Social Work program at the University of Utah. I was born and raised in Park City, UT, and I am a solo parent to an incredible little 4-year-old boy. The experience of becoming a parent pushed me to reinvest in my education and pursue a career in the social work field. My favorite part about GRANDfamilies besides the gracious and supportive staff that have contributed so much to my growth and development, are the amazing kinship families that I have had the pleasure of interacting with. I have been so overwhelmed by their compassion and resolve to care for their relative's children. Knowing that simply providing a connection to a resource or guiding them through a process has the power to make an impact in their lives, reassures me that I have chosen to be a part of a meaningful field of work. |
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Michaela grew up in VA where she was surrounded by history and forests. She loves traveling, hiking and learning about different cultures and people. After getting her bachelor's in communications from BYU, she worked in marketing for a bit and has now shifted her focus to social work. She is a current MSW student at the U, and with all of her free time (please sense the oozing sarcasm) she runs a small e-commerce business, volunteers as a birth doula at the U hospital, reads books and watches Smallville with her husband and puppy. |
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Fun Family Spring Activity |
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DIY GIANT LAWN MATCHING GAME |
Get creative and try out this fun activity indoors or outdoors!
Supplies needed:
12×12″ Cork Tiles
Spray Paint
1 Sheet 12×12″ Cardstock
X-Acto Knife
Painter’s Tape
Paper, Drop Cloth or Other Way To Protect Your Workspace
Pencil
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GRANDfamilies at Children's Service Society of Utah
www.cssutah.org | 801-355-7444
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