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Jump for Joy: We are Springing Forward on April 27
Finally, our biggest family event of the year is almost here! REGISTER NOW!
Spring Forward will be Saturday, April 27 from 8:30 am to 2 pm. Planned around this year's theme NAVIGATING SYSTEMS TO BUILD STRONGER FAMILIES, Spring Forward Family Fun Day offers adoptive, foster and kinship families a day of fun and learning about tools and solutions that really work.
We are partnering with NewFound Families, the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), and VDOE's Training and Technical Assistance Center at GMU to bring families and professionals the best Spring Forward yet!
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This year's Spring Forward will be held at the GMU Science and Technology Campus in Manassas. Structured experiential outdoor programs are offered for children and youth at The EDGE, right on the GMU campus.
While the kids enjoy activities, parents, caregivers and professionals will be treated to keynote
Family Strong: Five Ways to Fight the Fear, Beat the Burnout, and Stay Focused for the Long Haul by presenter Ms. Wendy Besmann, author of
Family Road Map: A Step-by-Step Guide to Navigating Health, Education and Insurance Systems for Families with Special Needs. All registered families and professionals receive copies of the
Guide!
Following the keynote, parents and caregivers chose from a variety of breakout sessions. Social services, mental health and education professionals may choose a professional workshop,
Start Here --> Get There: Supporting Families to be their Own Best Advocates, Conquer Chaos & Take Charge workshop (4 social work CEs from NASW-VA are available). Professionals will gain skills, resources, and practical strategies for empowering families. Find all Spring Forward session descriptions HERE.
New this year! Check out our Spring Forward Instagram. |
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Attention Teens and Young Adults - Fairfax Co. Needs You!
Fairfax County wants to create services to better serve older teens and young adults age 16-24 and they need your help.
Want housing or peer support?
Need job training?
Would you use a drop-in center just for young adults?
The County wants to know!
Youth and young adults ages 12-24 are asked to complete a brief online survey to share what they need and want most. Survey closes soon!
Respond to the survey HERE or use the QR code. |
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A Moment in the Spotlight: Formed Families Forward Featured on Public Access TV!
Formed Families Forward former Board Chair Dee Robinson Rutkowski and Executive Director Kelly Henderson sat down with Fairfax Public Access television host Catherine Read. The
Your Need to Know show was broadcast several times in February and March and is available to view HERE. The show focused on key issues for formed families such as accessing appropriate services, supporting the needs of kinship families and securing needed mental health supports. Thanks to Catherine Read for offering FFF the opportunity to share its wealth of resources with a wider community!
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Caring for a Relative's Child? Share your Ups, Downs, Needs, and Wishes!
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Caring for children and youth can be a tough job. Kinship caregivers who step in to raise a relative's child/ren often face additional hurdles, including access to services and supports. Here are two ways to share your experiences and let officials, researchers, policymakers and others know what you need most!
1) Attend a kinship focus group in your jurisdiction this spring. The Northern Virginia Regional Kinship Group and A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI) are working to increase kinship foster families within foster care and to enhance agency support for all kinship families within child welfare and our communities. The Regional Kinship Group received a grant from VDSS and agencies are working with ASCI to reveal opportunities and challenges in addressing how to engage and work with family/kin as a best-practice response in child welfare. ASCI is facilitating focus groups of kinship caregivers in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun,
FFF is hosting the Fairfax Co. Kinship Focus Group on Tuesday, May 14 at 6:15 at our office in Fairfax city. Child care is available. Learn more and RSVP HERE.
Families in other jursidictions can contact their Department of Social Services to learn about their feedback opportunities.
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2) Complete a Kinship Survey. Researchers at the Catholic University of America are studying kinship caregiver parenting experiences. Learn more about the Survey HERE. The CUA researchers are also offering afocus group opportunity, HERE. Compensation of $40 gift cards is available for both research opportunities.
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Q & A:
Assistive Technology
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Q: My son's school said we will be talking about "AT" for him at the next IEP meeting. He has a hard time communicating with others and they said there may be devices that can help him. What are they talking about?
A: Great question and thanks for asking when you hear acronyms or terms that are not clear!
Assistive Technology or AT is a broad term for any kind of technology that can be used to enhance the functional independence of a person with a disability. Often, for people with disabilities, accomplishing daily tasks such as talking with friends, going to school and work, or participating in recreational activities is a challenge. Simply, AT devices are tools to help to overcome challenges and enable people living with disabilities to enhance their quality of life and lead more independent lives.
For children receiving special education, the IEP team must consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services (Va Regulations 8VAC20-81-110 (E) 2).
Schools are to ensure that assistive technology devices and/or services are made available to a child if required as part of the child’s special education, related services, or supplementary aids and services.
A great basic primer on assistive technology for children of all ages with disabilities is
Assistive Technology 101 from the Center for Technology and Disabilities. The Virginia Family Special Education Connection website is another great resource and compiles many family-friendly AT resources in one place.
The Va Department of Education supports an AT Network, and families and professionals in northern Virginia have advantage of the regional network expertise at GMU. On May 8, AT Coordinator Geoff Weber of the Training and Technical Assistance Center at GMU will share about assistive technology services and supports at a FFF training, hosted at the Kellar Library on the GMU Fairfax campus. This is a chance to learn all about AT and the responsibilities of schools to provide devices and services that may be helpful to your child!
REGISTER HERE.
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Spring SproutsTraining & Events Regionwide!
We post FFF and other trainings on our website calendar. Just click on the EVENTS tab!
April 23- Gender Differences in ADHD, sponsored by Loudoun Co. Public Schools Parent Resource Services, Ashburn.
April 24- Transition Fair and Parent Workshop/Webinar on Employment and Other Options, sponsored by Alexandria City Public Schools Parent Resource Center, Alexandria.
April 27- 6th Annual Spring Forward Family Fun Day and Regional Professional Conference, Manassas.
April 30- Becoming an Active Member of Your Child's IEP Team, sponsored by Arlington Public Schools Parent Resource Center, Arlington.
May 2- High School Prep: A Strategic Transition from Middle School to High School, sponsored by Fairfax Co. Public Schools Parent Resource Center, Dunn Loring.
May 4- Parents as Partners: Building Bridges Between Home, School and Community, sponsored by Prince William Co. Schools Parent Resource Center, Woodbridge.
May 7- Parent Caregivers Connect, peer support session for caregivers of children with brain injury, sponsored by Brain Injury Services, Springfield
May 8- Assistive Technology and Your Child: A Recipe for Success, hosted by FFF at GMU Kellar Center library at GMU Fairfax.
May 9- Fairfax Co. Children's Mental Health Awareness Day Open House and Vendor Fair, Merrifield.
May 14- Fairfax Co. Kinship Caregiver Focus Group, Fairfax.
May 21 - June 18- Parenting Wisely classes for parents and caregivers of teens, hosted by FFF at Sherwood Community Center, Fairfax. Free! Register HERE.
June 22- Memoir and Life-writing Workshop for Foster, Adoptive & Kinship Families with author Deborah Gold, hosted by FFF, Fairfax.
We post info and events daily! Follow Formed Families Forward on Facebook.
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Formed Families Forward provides training and support to northern Virginia families formed through adoption, foster care and kinship care who are raising children and youth with special education needs. We also serve professionals who work with our families. Consultations and most trainings are free of charge to parents and caregivers raising children and youth with special needs.
Moving Formed Families to Better Outcomes
Reach us at www.FormedFamiliesForward.org, info@formedfamiliesforward.org or call (703) 539-2904.
Kelly Henderson, Ph.D., Executive Director
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This project is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Opinions expressed herein are those of the project and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Education. |
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