"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." - Albert Einstein
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Look for Fostering Vermont every other week. Send your news, events, and other items of importance and interest to: mary.collins@vermont.gov DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: TUESDAY, NOON.
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Lily Tomlin reads "Hey! That's My Monster!"
April is Library Month. Celebrate with us!
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 LIBRARIES ARE COOL!
April is National Library Month. It may seem an unlikely acknowledgment for the Family Services Division to share in our newsletter, but it heralds exciting news of a project spearheaded by the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB), Barre District Resource Coordinators Stephanie Reale and Jaime Blouin, and the Vermont Child Welfare Training Partnership (VTCWTP) at UVM.
Over the past year, Stephanie and Jaime have worked with a team from VTLIB and VTCWTP to develop a special program in support of kinship, foster, and adoptive parents statewide. In that collaboration, the three agencies applied for a grant to create a path to healing and stability through “Care Kits”! This included bringing statewide training for librarians, kinship, foster, and adoptive parents regarding grief, loss, and trauma. The goal was for caregivers and librarians to gain a sense of increased skill as a trauma-informed caregiver/librarian in addition to caregivers and children/youth in care accessing their local libraries on the topics of grief, loss, and trauma.
Resource Coordinator Jaime Blouin describes it this way, “The Care Kits are a book collection targeting grief, loss, and trauma for different aged children and youth; 0-5, 6-12, and 12-18 yrs. While we didn’t get the grant in the Fall of 2020, our group felt so strongly about this project, we wanted to push forward using the resources already available to us.” She went on to acknowledge VTCWTP partner Sharon O’Neill in this effort. “Sharon has developed training materials for librarians and caregivers across the state and has started to deliver trainings specific to the book collection in the Care Kits.” Jaime said the rollout for this project occurred in December 2020 with a training and introduction to librarians. In March 2021 Sharon kicked off a 3-Part virtual micro-series focusing on the book collection for the Care Kits. “We wanted to pilot this project in Washington County and then Covid happened. This allowed us to pilot the trainings for librarians and caregivers virtually and allowed for a much larger audience than just Washington County.”
Stephanie Reale added, “We have continued to meet once a month to talk about how we want to move forward. We want this to be a priority with or without the grant. I learned that libraries have a lot more to offer beyond books. It is also about the relationships between foster parents and our local libraries. This is a great shared educational relationship within all Vermont communities.”
Jaime added, “We are working with the systems and resources we have currently, which has allowed us more flexibility than the grant may have allowed us. We offered a presentation to about 24 librarians across the state with the focus on being trauma-informed. Attendees brainstormed ideas of how librarians could partner with foster parents and DCF. This was the start of a great collaboration!”
“Using literature with children and youth who have experienced a trauma history is such a powerful tool to promote healing. Stories and characters often come to life for the reader and show how they can express emotions and handle challenges. The closeness of reading with someone you trust also helps heal attachment relationships” notes Sharon O’Neill. In April and May 2021 Sharon will be offering statewide “Healing Through Reading” workshops as part of the Home But Not Alone series. She will be using books from the Care Kit collection. Sharon will continue to host book groups using Hey Kiddo, by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, which addresses topics of grief, loss, and addiction.
“The partnership with DCF and VTCWTP has given our departments an opportunity to use our respective strengths to have a direct impact on communities throughout Vermont. Public libraries are always searching for ways to increase services and improve access to children and families.
We have received feedback from many libraries, who are grateful to connect with their local DCF to start or further build collaborations to serve foster families and those dealing with loss, grief, and trauma.”– Jonathan Clark - State Library Consultant, Children and Teen Services.
For more information about this project please contact VTCWTP, Sharon O’Neill (sharon.oneill@uvm.edu) and the Barre District Resource Coordinators – Jaime Blouin (Jaime.Blouin@vermont.gov) and Stephanie Reale (Stephanie.Reale@vermont.gov)
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As we continue to work to safely navigate Covid-19, please rely upon your District Office should you need support during this critical time. Here is a link to each of our District Offices: https://dcf.vermont.gov/fsd/contact-us/districts
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Helping Youth with Foster Care Experience Through the Pandemic
While challenging for everyone, the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard on young people. They may have:
- been socially isolated,
- had their education disrupted,
- lost jobs,
- had a hard time finding jobs,
- faced economic uncertainty, and
- been at risk of becoming homeless.
Recent legislation gives DCF flexibility to help youth successfully make it through the pandemic. This includes helping:
- Youth who are close to aging out to stay in foster care longer.
- Youth who aged out of foster care after October 1, 2019 to either re-enter foster care or access funding to help them live independently.
The above supports are available until September 30, 2021. However, the YDP is always available to help youth with foster care experience find needed services and supports (e.g., health and mental health services).
To find out more and access supports, reach out to the DCF Worker or local YDP Coordinator. https://vtyouthdevelopmentprogram.org/find-your-local-ydp
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IN YOUR DISTRICT
news from around the state
Send us news of what's happening in your community and district.
We'll post highlights here. Email to: mary.collins@vermont.gov
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APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH
The National Child Abuse Prevention Month website has a brand-new look—and all new resources to help you put innovative prevention strategies into practice! The most important thing we can do to keep children safe is to support families before they reach a crisis. Included on the website are a series of helpful and informative publications you can reference to learn more about child abuse prevention. Here is a list:
Publications
A strong foundation for child maltreatment prevention requires authentic partnerships with families, cross-system collaboration and evidence-based practice. To that end, child welfare professionals frequently must explain maltreatment to related professionals, provide information to families and communities, and identify risk and protective factors. The Children's Bureau's information service, Child Welfare Information Gateway, offers a number of publications to support these goals. Topics include preventing child abuse, protecting children from the risk of abuse, and promoting healthy families.
You can find the latest bulletins for child welfare professionals, factsheets for families, and issue briefs that cover research and evidence-based or evidence-informed practices for preventing maltreatment. For a full list of titles, visit Information Gateway's publication catalog and browse by topic.
All-NEW 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide
Download your copy today!
The 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide is a tool for caregivers, communities, and states to access innovative strategies that strengthen families. This year’s guide offers a “Protective Factors 201” approach focused on how to overcome barriers and effectively implement strengths-based practices. Find new program examples, interactive guides to share with families, and so much more. Use it one-on-one or in group settings—virtually or in person!
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Vermont’s Education Recovery Effort
The Agency of Education (AOE) is embarking on an Education Recovery Process to make intentional efforts to combat the negative impact the COVID pandemic has had on the well-being of our state’s children and youth. Below are some of the sobering statistics we are now seeing (pulled from the AOE overview document linked below):
• Anxiety and depression were already on the rise in the student population prior to COVID-19.
• Anxiety and depression rates have risen in both teens and children, corresponding with the timing of the pandemic.
• Medical emergency departments have witnessed an increase in visits by young people for mental health related issues, including increased suicidal ideation.
• Older students appear to be struggling more perhaps because education disruptions are increasingly high stakes the closer one gets to high school graduation.
• SU/SDs have seen an increase in 504 plans for students who have documented disabilities.
• Vermont pediatricians report an increase in poor nutrition, eating disorders, lack of sleep, and reduced physical activity with COVID-19.
• The social emotional and mental health impact of recovery on educators and local systems personnel has been profound.
• Some students are doing well in the current learning setup. We need to ensure they have what they need moving forward as well.
• National and regional concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on motivation, absenteeism, truancy, and disconnection with school. This is particularly problematic for our most vulnerable students, who often rely every day on the structure, safety and support that school provides.
• Patterns in Vermont suggesting that many students have been “lost” during the pandemic response, with SU/SD and school staff having tremendous difficulty remaining in contact with and connecting with some students and families.
• Data in Vermont indicate many students are struggling academically in the context of COVID-19. xii A recent survey by Vermont Principals’ Association of its members revealed that 74% of respondents (total respondents = 68) reported students were doing worse off or much worse off academically than normal.
• National and state evidence suggests that existing equity gaps are widening between historically marginalized and non-marginalized students because of COVID-19.
• Older students might be struggling more given the increased demand for self-motivation and discipline inherent to hybrid and remote learning paradigms.
• Preliminary evidence indicates potential differences in which arenas of academic performance may have been affected most (e.g., math versus ELA).
• Some students are doing well academically within the novel paradigms created to address the pandemic.
AOE will be conducting a thorough assessment of need, and DCF will be working in partnership with AOE and DMH to help to identify vulnerable children, youth and families, and make efforts to ensure appropriate treatment and supports exist for families.
Here is a link to Vermont’s Education Recovery Framework and Overview. Vermont's Education Recovery Framework and Overview
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Training Reminders
A Reminder from RLSI to Complete Foster Parent Training
Thank you for your contribution to our foster care system – we could not keep kids in custody safe without your support and commitment. In an effort to make sure that all foster parents have the tools to care for youth who have experienced trauma, the Family Services Division (FSD) has determined that foster care applicants must receive certain training prior to being licensed as foster parents. This is best practice and aligned with federal recommendations so that foster parents are well-equipped to provide care when children are placed. FSD policy now reflects these changes and when family services workers from the Residential Licensing and Special Investigations (RLSI) Unit conduct home study evaluations they will remind applicants to sign up for Orientation and Foundations Online training. These pre-licensure requirements are available virtually and online for your convenience. RLSI cannot issue a foster care license until pre-licensure training for both applicants is complete. After the license is issued, foster parents will then have one year to complete Foundations Learning Network post-licensure training.
For foster parents who were licensed prior to July 2019, you were required to complete Foundations 1 and Foundations 2 within the first year of licensure. When you request your foster care license to be renewed, if you have not completed training your license may not be renewed, or it may be placed on hold if there is no child placed to allow you the time to complete the trainings. If a child is placed in your home, RLSI may limit the license to the child(ren) placed while you complete the training. Again, this is an effort to help ensure that all of our foster parents have the training and tools to care for children who have experienced trauma. Please reach out to your local resource coordinator if you need assistance accessing trainings. Thank you for your support and commitment.
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FOSTER PARENT WORKGROUP: Do you have ideas for how to make improvements to the caregiver’s experience of the foster care system?
The Foster Parent Workgroup is reconvening. The workgroup was initially established in 2017, to support a sustained focus on creating better experiences for children in care. Through this work, Family Services commits to partnering with foster parents to enhance collaboration and promote improvements to Vermont’s child welfare system.
The workgroup will meet virtually every other month starting April 29, 10 am -12 pm. We recognize that no date or time will work perfectly for everyone and we are committed to providing opportunities for those who cannot make the meetings to participate in other ways. This group will welcome the participation of all caregivers, Family Services District Staff, and other interested partners.
Schedule of Future Meetings:
6/24/21 10-12
8/26 /21 10-12
10/28/21 10-12
12/16/21 10-12
Foster Parent Workgroup Re-Launch
April 29, 2021 10-12am
Microsoft Teams
Workgroup Charge: establish a permanent foster parent workgroup that will focus on the goal of creating better experiences for children in care. Through this work, DCF will partner with foster parents to enhance collaboration, and promote improvements to Vermont’s child protective services system. The working group will expand ongoing workgroup membership to include DCF/FSD district office staff and additional foster parent voices from throughout the state.”
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VERMONT CHILD WELFARE TRAINING PARTNERSHIP
Here is the link to our updated training catalog:
Vermont Kin, Foster and Catalogue April 2021 Adoptive Families Training
This catalog also includes a link to our online training catalog. We will send you a new catalog link once a month. Please reach out if you have questions.
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RPC + All RPC+ classes are currently offered virtually via Zoom so you can take it anywhere in the state, although there is some advantage to taking it locally in order to get to know other participants and resources in your own community.
The RPC+ course lasts for 10 weeks -- with some work for participants to do on their own at home between classes -- such as watching a video or reading a short article.
Questions? Contact: Amy.Bielawski-Branch@uvm.edu 802-578-0426
Classes are for kin, foster, and adoptive caregivers.
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LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES WITH THE
CONSORTIUM FOR ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP
The Consortium for Adoption and Guardianship is sponsoring a Lunch and Learn Series being held at noon on the 3rd Wednesday of each month throughout 2021. For more information and to register go to https://vtadoption.org/post-adoption-contact-agreements-february-17th-lunch-and-learn.html
Lunch and Learn Series 2021
Sponsored by supporting Foster, Adoptive, and Guardianship families, and their supporters, with listening, discussing and learning around topics that touch their lives. Join us each third Wednesday at noon for this free virtual series. To Register click on the session’s title or go to the Consortium Website to Register https://www.vtadoption.org/
April 21st
StrengtheningTransracial Families—continuing the conversation with April Dinwoodie
May 19th
Talking with our Children about their Journeys with Janet Benoit Connor
June 16th
Parenting LGBTQ+ Children and Youth with Mara Iverson
July 21st
Strengthening Transracial Families—continuing the conversation with April Dinwoodie
August 18th
Continuing the Journey—Adult Adoptees with Katherine Boise
September 15th
Being a Transracial/Transcultural Family in Vermont with Karen Hack
October 20th
Strengthening Transracial Families—continuing the conversation with April Dinwoodie
November 17th
Keeping Connections with Birth Families Positive with Christina Shuma
December 15th
Working with Extended Families with TBD
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VFAFA NEWS
helpful news and information for our VFAFA partners
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VFAFA MEETINGS
Here you will find notices of upcoming meetings, events, and news of special interest from our VFAFA partners. If you would like to suggest a topic or share news from your Parent Group, please email: mary.collins@vermont.gov. Thank you!
VFAFA board members:
Currently, the position of Board President remains open. The newly-elected Vice President will serve as acting president until further notice.
President:
Vice President: Debbie Boyce (Acting President)
Secretary: Robyn Sweet
Treasurer: Linda Couture
These members officially took office Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at the VFAFA board meeting.
JOIN US FOR OUR MAY MEETING!
Tuesday, May 11, 2021 7 pm
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During the Covid-19 restriction time VFAFA is meeting via online or phone. You can join the ZOOM meeting here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85822727984?pwd=dncwMGFHQ2U3Zmp6alYxTXBTdTF3dz09
Meeting ID: 858 2272 7984
Password: 288400
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,85822727984#,,,,0#,,288400#
Dial by your location: +1 646 876 9923
Meeting ID: 858 2272 7984
Password: 288400
In addition to the above information, you can always find a link on the Vermont Foster and Adoptive Families Facebook page.
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VKAP NEWS
helpful news and information from Vermont Kin As Parents
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Vermont Kin as Parents also known as VKAP has moved to 1205 North Ave Burlington, 05408. The phone number is 802 871 5104. This number is answered 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. VKAP can help caregivers navigate the various educational, medical, legal, and financial services the children need. A support group is available on Tuesday evening. Please contact VKAP if you have any questions. Email Jim Holway: president@vermontkinasparents.org
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YOUTH NEWS
helpful news and information from the Youth Development Program
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FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE THROUGH EDUCATION
VSAC PRESENTS:
This year's conference, A Time for Gratitude and Appreciation, will be held virtually over two half-days, April 29th and May 13th.The keynote presentation on the morning of April 29th will feature Luis Ortega, Founder and Director of Storytellers for Change. Luis will return on the afternoon of May 13th for a brief refresher before we begin the breakout sessions.
The Transition and Career Planning Conference brings together a mix of education and vocational professionals from all over the region. The goal of this year’s conference is to provide participants with an opportunity to better understand how to prepare Vermont students and adults to launch into meaningful careers. Today’s workforce and Vermont students are increasingly diverse. We need to build our toolkit to better see ALL students and serve them in their transition. With this in mind, the conference is structured to strengthen the transferable skills of empathy, inclusion, and equity. We strive to place the learner at the center of every interaction, every plan, every opportunity, and every lesson.
As our gift to you, there will be no registration fee to attend this year's conference. For full details and to register, visit the Transition and Career Conference event page.
16th Annual Transition and Career Planning Conference
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| Remind your students to apply for the Vermont Grant today! If students haven't completed their Vermont Grant application or FAFSA, now's the time! The Vermont Grant application should take 5 minutes or less to complete. Don't let your Vermont students leave money on the table. Students apply through their MyVSAC account. |
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Thank you to all who contribute to these important conversations. To learn more about YDP, contact us at: YDP@wcysb.org
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VIRTUAL AND LIVE EVENTS
events of interest for vermont foster and kincare families
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PLEASE CONFIRM THAT EVENTS OF INTEREST POSTED ON THIS CALENDAR ARE HAPPENING. CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS MAY OCCUR WITHOUT NOTICE.
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EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
PLEASE FOLLOW ALL VERMONT STATE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND BE SURE TO CHECK IN ADVANCE TO CONFIRM THAT EVENTS OF INTEREST ARE STILL HAPPENING.
Plastic Bottle Whirlygig Windchime
FreeOnline
Fri., April 16, 4 p.m.
Fairfax Community Library
75 Hunt Street, Fairfax
Old plastic containers find new life as simple, colorful decorations. Pick up materials at the library on Thursday between 3 and 7 p.m. 802-849-2420
Young Artist Showcase
Chaffee Art Center
Rutland, VT
04/23/21 - 06/04/21
4-6:30 pm
FREE
The Chaffee Art Center is proud to again showcase young artists from dozens of Vermont schools and homeschoolers for this Annual Student Exhibit. We take great pleasure in creating an opportunity for these talented young people to be inspired by seeing their artwork, and the works of others, displayed in our professional gallery housed in an historic 1890’s mansion. This year’s theme, Expressions of Me, encourages students to create works that reflect themselves…how they feel, how they see things… Entries in all of the arts are encouraged (art medium, theater, culinary, poetry, music, literature and more). Only works by students in pre-school and grades K – 12 are eligible for this show. Vermont public, private, and home school groups are all invited to participate. Delivery of work to Chaffee on April 15, 16, 17. The Exhibit OPENING is April 23rd from 4-6:30pm with reserved time slots (4pm, 4:30pm, 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, with more added if needed).
Contact Sherri Birkheimer Rooker
Phone: 802-775-0356
Email: info@chaffeeartcenter.org
Acting Class for Youth
Southern Vermont Arts Center
Manchester, VT
04/29/21 - 06/03/21 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Member: $160; Non-Member: $195
(Limited Scholarships Available)
Instructor: Michelle Cox Dates: Thursday, April 29 – Thursday, June 3, 2021 (every Thursday for 6 weeks) Time: 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Open to children in grades 5 – 8 For kids in grades 5 – 8. Students will build a solid acting foundation while working with other young actors in a safe, fun, and non-competitive atmosphere. We will work to sharpen acting skills and create characters through improvisational games and scenes. This is a great class to gain confidence in actor instincts and choices. The class will be outdoors as much as the weather allows. Covid protocols will be in place. Limited scholarships are available.
Contact: Erin Kaufman
Phone: 802.367,1306
Email: ekaufman@svac.org
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COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Thank you for your generous support!
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We appreciate every Vermont community and individual for all the ways you support children and youth in foster care throughout Vermont. If you would like to learn more about ways that you or your organization can support a child in foster care, our Recruitment & Retention Specialists and Resource Coordinators would love to work with you!
Here's how: Contact your District Office Recruitment & Retention Specialist and Resource Coordinator at: https://dcf.vermont.gov/fsd/contact-us/districts
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For all newsletter inquiries, please contact:
Mary.Collins@vermont.gov
Are you a foster care provider who would be willing to speak with the press? If so, we would LOVE to hear from you. From time-to-time, the Commissioner's office receives requests for interviews. Perhaps your story may be one we could share? For more information, contact:
Luciana.DiRuocco@vermont.gov.
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Copyright © 2021
Vermont Department For Children and Families, Family Services Division
All rights reserved.
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Our mailing address is:
280 State Street HC1N Building B Waterbury Vermont 05671
Tel: (802) 241.0896
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