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Parenting, Sibling, Foster Care & Adoption Support |
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Links
to More Resources
Toys 'R Us Toy
Guide for Differently Abled Kids - This easy-to-use resource,
released annually, features specially selected toys that promote the
development of children with physical and cognitive disabilities.
Building a Family - Expert articles on starting a family,
adopting, being pregnant and raising young children.
The Two Biggest
Parenting Mistakes
(PDF) - Dr. Thomas Phelan, of
ParentMagic.com and 1-2-3 Magic, explains
that the two biggest mistakes parents and teachers make in
dealing with children are: Too Much Talking and Too Much Emotion.
Talking is bad because it either doesn't work or takes you through the
Talk-Persuade-Argue-Yell-Hit Syndrome.
Bridges4Kids
Featured
Resource:
Love, Magic and Mudpies:
Raising Your Kids to Feel Loved, Be Kind, and Make a Difference
-
In this delightful book by Bernie Siegel, MD,
one of America's most beloved and best-selling authors shares new gems of
his trademark wit, wisdom, and thoughtful advice with parents of all ages.
Toy Chain Offers
Catalog For Children With Disabilities -
Free guide helps parent pick toys for
disabled kids.
Bridges4Kids Parent Resource Guide (PDF) -
Find help for a child in Michigan at all ages and stages,
including websites, hotlines, disability organizations and more.
ParentMagic Newsletter - ParentMagic, Inc. is dedicated to
helping parents build strong, positive relationships with their
children and overcome the stress that can take the fun out of
parenting. They offer easy-to-learn parenting solutions that WORK --
for age groups from toddlers through adolescents. All books, videos
and DVDs have been developed by Dr. Thomas Phelan, a registered
clinical psychologist and an internationally renowned expert on child
discipline and Attention Deficit Disorder.
Featured Resource:
MediaWise
- "We help families and educators to maximize the
benefits and minimize the harm of mass media on children
through research, education and advocacy. You can help your
family to make wise media choices with our many online tools
and resources."
Health
Journals for Parents of Kids with Special Needs
- "When my daughter was diagnosed, I created a
health journal to help organize all of her medical
information. Soon, the clinic asked me to make 40 more for the
other parents." The Little Acorn now offers many versions of
this book which have been customized to fit specific
disabilities. Visit the website for
more details or to order. Available
items (New products added often - see website for current
offerings): "Juggling Autism"
Starter Kit, "Juggling Cystic
Fibrosis” Starter Kit, "Juggling
Down Syndrome” Starter Kit,
"Juggling Cerebral Palsy" Starter Kit,
"Juggling Asthma" Starter Kit,
"Juggling Diabetes" Starter Kit,
"Healthy Kids” Starter Kit,
"A Woman's Health Journal", and "The
Courage Book”
Early Childhood Links
Parents as
Teachers (PAT) - An
international early childhood parent education and family support program
serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten,
usually age 5. The program is designed to enhance child development and
school achievement through parent education accessible to all families. It
is a universal access model.
National Women's Health
Information Center - This website and toll-free call center were created
to provide FREE, reliable health information for women everywhere. Browse our
database for great resources or take a look through our Special Sections on
topic areas like breastfeeding, heart disease, disabilities and pregnancy.
Tools for
Handling Loss by James J. Messina, Ph.D. from Coping.org - Topics
include: Introduction & Prologue Tools for Handling Loss, Loss Events in
Dysfunctional Families, Stages of the Loss Process, Dealing with Denial,
Handling Bargaining Behavior, Anger Workout, Handling Despair, Accepting Change,
Letting Go, and Death: The Last Act of Life.
Bridges4Kids/Early
On Review:
The
Eurps & Eurpsville - The EURPS are warm and whimsical alphabet letters with
eyes, feet, personalities and phonics-based names. The characters appear in
entertaining and educational children’s storybooks where together with
Bipple, a human boy, they take children on magical
educational adventures.
Collection of Games, Experiments, Projects and Diversions For Parents &
Teachers
The
Father's Network - "Good fathering flows from the
realization that being a father is important, vital, demanding,
rewarding, and risky. Telling your story of what it is like to be your
father’s son and your child’s father to another father and another,
and listening to their stories in return is ultimately the only school
for fathering."
Link Up
Parents - Researches
parenting and family oriented sites.
Link Up's sole purpose is to make searching easier and less time
consuming for you.
Family Education Network -
K-12 Web Resources;
Grade-specific guides to your child's
development.
National PTA
and Michigan PTA
I am Your Child -
click here.
Parents Down Under -
click here.
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Choose a topic to
begin:
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Articles and Resources |
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New School Year Brings New Class:
Parenting - Sandwiched between lessons on
counting calories and staving off disease, high school health teachers will
offer hefty doses of parenting advice in the next school year.
A new state law requires that parenting and paternity awareness be
included in the high school health curriculum by 2008-09.
The Power of Apology -
When's the last time you apologized to one of your kids? Of course, maybe
you don't ever do anything that requires an apology. If so, you are a very
rare person.
Get Real - Will next year
be better for you and your kids with special needs? "Gosh, I hope so," I
hear you say. Me too. I want things to get better every year. With two kids
who have special needs, some years have been tough for our family. Recently,
even with new challenges, things have been pretty darn good.
Surviving the Holiday Season
- The holiday season, full of joy and cheer, is just around the
corner. But for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, the class parties,
family get-togethers and other gatherings that so many of us look forward to
at this time of year are fraught with scary social interactions and sensory
overload.
Parenting
Information Handouts - Dozens of handouts containing information on
General Parenting Information, Specific Concerns/Problems,
Discipline/Intervention Strategies, Injury Prevention, Parental Involvement
in Education, and Children’s Development.
RAND Study Finds
Adolescents Who Listen to a Great Deal of Music with Degrading Sexual Lyrics
Have Sex Sooner - A RAND Corporation study
issued today presents the strongest evidence yet that sexually degrading
lyrics in music encourage adolescents to more quickly initiate sexual
intercourse and other sexual activities.
Children of
Yesterday, Today, are in Different Worlds -
To the best of my recollection, the year before I turned 12, I was 11. My
daughter, who turns 12 in October, is now eleventeen. There's a difference.
Jenna is at an age where she seems to have all the answers. I don't remember
being all-knowing until I was at least 14. And let it be known that none of
her sophisticated knowledge was derived from her super-annoying parents. She
got her hands on a fashion magazine geared toward teen girls.
Parenting: Sending
Clear Signals - Communicating poorly seems
so obviously wrong and annoying when someone does it to us -- and so
innocent when we do it to others. Like my son, I’m in the habit of using my
turn signals, but there have been plenty of times when I could have
communicated my thoughts more clearly.
Edwatch by Julia Steiny:
Education Policies That Bully Don't Attack Root of Problems
- On a visit to my parents' home years ago, I took my
twin boys to a nearby park because everything in my mother's
house was begging to be broken. Along with the makeshift toys
cobbled from the kitchen, I installed their rambunctious bodies
in a large sandbox where they could make roads, hills and sundry
destinations. Other women with kids came, and soon a little peer
group was sharing toys and space.
Can Shyness in Children be
Serious? (PDF) - In a very
general sense you might say there are three kinds of childhood
temperaments: aggressive, normal or anxious. Aggressive children
have serious social skills problems, but, ironically, don’t seem
to be able to appreciate this fact. “Normal” kids get along
reasonably well with others and are easier to like.
First Day of
School Success Tips - Most of
us can remember some wonderful and terrible things about school.
In many ways, the first day of class can set the tone for a
whole school year. If you have a child with special needs, or
one who is new to the school or district, you can help lay the
groundwork for a successful year's launch with some basic
preparations.
Parenting Teens and Young Adults with Disabilities
- The passage from childhood to adulthood is a passage
for families as well as individuals. As young people with
disabilities move from their teen to adult years, they and their
families experience many growing pains in common with all
families at that stage of life. In addition, there are often
milestones, questions, concerns, needs, and challenges unique to
individuals with disabilities and their families. In this issue
of Impact we explore strategies for families of teens and young
adults with disabilities to consider in navigating the
transition years with their young person, and share stories of
those who are in the middle of it or have come out the other
side.
Cheerleading for
Parents - I've had a taste of
acclaim a number of times in my life. The first time that stands
out was riding on the bus to an "away" basketball game in junior
high school. The cheerleaders were doing that "Bill, Bill, he's
our man, if he can't do it, David can..." thing where they go
through the names of everyone on the team.
Kids Count on
Consistency - If you're a
parent or a teacher, can your kids or students count on you? I
mean, do you think about being consistent so they know what to
expect? Kids who have Autism Spectrum Disorders, in particular,
often benefit from guidance that's structured and consistent.
Becoming
Bulletproof Parents - Ever been
frustrated or embarrassed by something one of your kids said or
did in public? The stares of strangers can feel like bullets. If
your child has an Autism Spectrum Disorder, you may sometimes
feel like you've been machine-gunned. Wouldn't it be great to
have a way to deal with these situations that made you
bulletproof? I found something that works sort of like a
protective shield -- and it's basically a matter of perspective.
Taking
Care of You - A while back, I wrote an article urging
parents of kids with special needs to deal with stress by taking
breaks and finding other ways to relax. Given that I've been burning
the candle at both ends with a blowtorch recently, I thought it would
be a good time to revisit the subject.
The Comfort of
Limits - True or False?
Self-esteem and creativity both are higher when kids can “do
their own thing” without external limits imposed by adult power
or authority. Believe it or not, this statement is false. Also
included with this article is "Ask Dr. Phelan: Mealtime".
Where's the
Manual? - If your child is
diagnosed with a significant disability, disorder or condition,
it's pretty common to start a frantic search for answers. Is
there a cure? If there's no cure, where's the manual I can use
to do exactly the right things to help my child make his life as
good as it can possibly be?
Five Ways to Stop
School Behavior Problems Even Before They Start
- There are all sorts of reasons why children
misbehave in school. By the time a student is reacting with
violence, it's too late to institute a quick fix. Newspaper
articles about children whose behavior problems have turned
tragic often talk about missed opportunities and why nobody
helped. Here are five ways to start dealing with problems or
potential problems early, when there is still time to work with
teachers and administrators to make school a tolerable place for
your child.
Research Digest:
Mothering the Mind and Soul: African American Mothers' Beliefs
and Practices to Ensure Academic and Social Success for Their
Daughters in High School - In
this study by Barbara Morrow Williams, interviews with African
American mothers of successful high school daughters show that
mothers maintain intense interest and direct involvement in
multiple aspects of their daughters' educational lives, but keep
little contact with school officials. Specific suggestions for
ensuring success are proposed.
AblePlay
is a toy rating system and website that provides comprehensive
information on toys for children with special needs so parents,
special educators, therapist and others can make the best
choices for the children in their lives with disabilities.
Good Parents: Warm
AND Demanding - Research has taught us that good parents
have two important qualities: They are WARM on the one hand, and
they are DEMANDING on the other.
Being Who You
Are - Lots of kids aren't happy being who they are.
Particularly if they have neurobiological conditions that make
them tend to act different from other kids. Conditions like
Asperger Syndrome, Higher Functioning Autism, Pervasive
Developmental Disorder, Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder and others.
Effective Parenting & Building
Your Child’s Self-Esteem - In a sense,
affection is the “I like you” part of parenting. Affection is a self-esteem
builder for kids because it represents a direct confirmation of the young person
and it contributes to the social-competence part of the self-esteem equation.
Praise is the “I like—or I am proud of—what you are doing” part of parenting.
What’s Your Parenting Style?
- Promoting the self-discipline and self-esteem of one’s children
often requires an emotional juggling act by parents. It is not easy to be firm
and demanding one minute, then warm and affectionate the next. In addition, some
adults naturally have personalities or temperaments that predispose them toward
one parenting style or the other.
Getting Behavior in Shape at Home
- Positive behavior support, often called PBS, is not just for
schools. Parents can use the same ideas to create a better environment for the
entire family.
Will Your Kids Be Of "Good Character"? - At
some point parents wonder what kind of adult their child will grow up to be. Use
this advice and beat the odds.
Benefits of the Dinner Table
Ritual - The family dinner has long been an
example of family togetherness. But recently, scientists have been coming up
with compelling reasons - including a lowered risk of smoking, drinking and
doing illicit drugs among teenagers - for families to pull up a chair around the
table.
Talking To Kids: Kids With Special
Needs - Tony has difficulty breathing and uses
a nebulizer (say: neh-byoo-lie-zer), a treatment device that helps him to
breathe easier. He often runs out of breath when playing sports during recess.
Tony's teachers have mentioned that he has "special needs," which is why he
can't run a lot during gym glass, can't always play outdoors, and has to go to
the emergency department sometimes when his breathing gets bad. Tony has severe
asthma, and when it flares up, it can be hard for him to breathe.
Talking To
Kids: Anger - Have you ever lost your temper? Did you yell and scream or
want to hit someone? Maybe your little brother got into your room and played
with your toys without permission. Or maybe your teacher gave you too much
homework. Or maybe a friend borrowed your favorite video game and then broke it.
That made you angry!
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- To your dismay, your daughter has started to complain more and more
about the appearance of her eyelids. She grudgingly compares them to those of
her classmates. You frequently catch her standing before a mirror, scrutinizing
their appearance. When you try to discuss your concerns, she becomes defensive.
To make matters worse, you've observed her reading materials about cosmetic
surgery.
Feedback For Mothers
- We all want to make a difference. We all crave
feedback. As Mothers' Day gets closer, I'm thinking about moms of kids with
Asperger Syndrome and other Autism Spectrum Disorders who give a lot, but don't
always get a lot of feedback from their kids. The way their kids' brains are
wired sometimes makes it hard for them to express appreciation -- or let mom
know how much impact she's having.
The Need to
Prepare Children and Teens for Parenting - Widescale, early parenting
education is long overdue in our schools and the need becomes more compelling
each year. While the nation's overall crime rate fell 22 percent from 1993 to
1997, reports of child abuse and neglect grew by 8 percent and confirmed cases
by 4 percent.
Mentors Help Other Parents Overcome Challenges -
Mentor Tracy LeBel introduces her mentee Patty White, 24, as "my friend."
Despite the 12-year age difference and the socioeconomic gap between the
stay-at-home mom, LeBel, and the single working one, White, the moms bonded over
parenting kids the same age. The two were paired through Children's Home
Society's Healthy Start Parent Mentor Program for young moms. It's one of a
handful of Seattle-area efforts to mentor parents and families who face
challenges from social isolation, youth or poverty.
Teens’ Risk-taking All in Their
Heads? - NIH study: Part of brain that inhibits
risky behavior isn’t fully formed until age 25.
Dr. Toy's Advice on Choosing the Best Products For Your Child
What's
Right for Baby?
What's
Right for Toddlers?
What's
Right for Preschoolers?
What's
Right for Primary-Grade Children?
What's
Right for Older Children?
Comprehensive Parenting Information and Resources - A site that looks
largely commercial, but which offers a rich list of links to parenting resources
on the web, including specialty sites for parents of teens, sports parents,
parents of infants and toddlers, and new parents.
Click here to see more
articles and resources related to parenting.
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Adoption
Information & Resources (Click
here for Foster Care) |
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Adoption: Where Do I Start?
- This fact sheet is a "gateway" to the many possible paths to
building your family through adoption. It will help give you an
understanding of the basic steps in any adoption process and guide you
to resources at each step.
DNA Testing - Identigene
provides DNA testing services for establishing relationships, such as
siblingship studies, grandpaternity studies and paternity testing
services.
Bridges For Kids: the international adoption
resource - Click
here.
The Waiting Children Program - Waiting Children or “Special
Needs Children,” from the People’s Republic of China are generally
children with moderate to significant special needs, of medical or
emotional origin, or older children ( ten to fourteen years old). Both
boys and girls are available in this program. They are seeking loving
adoptive families that have the resources to accommodate their unique
circumstances.
Adoption Glossaries, Definitions
Glossary
of Terms - Definitions of words
and terms used in connection with adoption and foster care, and
adoptive and foster families.
Glossary of Adoption Terminology -
From AdoptNet.
Glossary
of Terms - From the California
Association of Adoption Agencies.
Helpful
Adoption Terms to Know - From the
National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
Special Needs Adoption FAQ
- Part 1: What
Prospective Adoptive Parents Need to Know
- About 134,000
children are waiting to be adopted right now out of the half million
US children in foster care. The rest will eventually be reunited with
birth families or will "age out" of the system while waiting to be
reunited.
Part 2:
Eight frequently asked
questions -
Here is a special needs adoption FAQ, and
some brief answers.
Part 3:
Special Needs Adoption
Advocacy Resources -
This listing contains adoption-related
resources with an emphasis on legal issues, advocacy, parent support,
adoption links, and much more.
Information on
Internet Adoptions and Adoption in General
The Internet may be the fastest,
easiest way to bring a new child into your home, but it is not
without its dangers. Where can you turn for accurate advice and
information? How can you protect yourself and your adopted child
from fraud? Here you'll find reviews of five recommended adoption
websites, a guide to safe cybersearching, links to related articles
from our magazines, and a place to compare notes with other parents.
The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
Developed by the Department of
Health and Human Services, this site offers accurate and unbiased
in-depth information for parents, adoptees, and adoption
professionals. Whether you're looking to adopt, searching for your
birth mother, or curious about recent studies on the consequences of
adoption, the NAIC is the best place to start your search.
Highlights include a searchable database of adoption agencies,
national organizations, and support groups. Users can also access
over 4,500 articles pertaining to adoption issues and state-by-state
summaries of adoption laws.
The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
The website of this non-profit
organization provides a current and fairly comprehensive record of
government policy. Because of its focus, it's not the best site for
people who are just getting started in the adoption process. It is,
however, a great place to become familiar with the latest in adoption
research and practice. The bottom line: Great for education, but not
for action.
The National Adoption Center
If you're searching for an older
child or a child with special needs, visit "Faces of Adoption," the
home of the largest list of waiting children. The National Adoption
Center strives to place children who are currently living in foster
care. You can browse an extensive database of photographs, or search
by age, race, and sex. Accompanying each photo is a short description
of the child's history and any physical or mental disabilities. The
"Adoption Quest" section features a number of helpful articles about
how to adopt, advice for parents of adopted children, and coverage of
transracial adoption.
The Adoption Guide
This site, though tricky to navigate,
addresses an issue on everyone's mind in the wake of the recent case
of the Internet adoption twins: adoption fraud. Here you'll find
information on adoption laws in the U.S. and a link to the U.S. State
Department's site on international adoption. You'll also learn how to
report instances of fraud or wrongful adoption. A special tool allows
you to search for complaints filed against specific agencies or
adoption professionals.
Adopt: Assistance Information Support
Have a question about legal issues,
single-parent adoption, or the search for a birthparent? This site
helps you get your answer from a professional. An extensive system of
message boards and chats allows you to post your questions both to
other adopting parents and to people familiar with adoption practices.
Experts include lawyers, authors, pediatricians, and consultants, and
the live chat rooms are open around the clock. While you're here,
check out the lists of waiting children and waiting parents.
Spaulding for Children - the
National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoption. 16250 Northland
Drive, Suite 120, Southfield, MI 48075.
248-443-0300 or 248-443-7080. Fax 248-443-7099.
www.spaulding.org
Spaulding for Children finds permanent homes for children that have
been in the foster care and adoption system the longest. It was one of
the first agencies in the country that specialized in finding and
training adoptive families for the placement of special needs
children. Spaulding offers support and training for adoptive and
foster parents.
North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) maintains
a listing of adoptive parent support groups and other sources of
information about special needs adoption. Contact NACAC, 970 Raymond
Avenue, Suite 106, St. Paul, MN 55114-1149.
Phone: 651-644-3036; Fax: 651-644-9848; e-mail:
info@nacac.org;
web site: www.nacac.org.
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption - offers information and
education including the excellent "A Child is Waiting: A Beginner's
Guide to Adoption." 4288 W. Dublin-Granville Road, Dublin, OH 43017.
Phone: 614-764-3009; Fax: 614-764--6707; website:
www.wendys.com.
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| Safety
Issues |
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Family Watch Dog - On
this website you can enter your address and a map will pop up with
your house as the small icon of a house. Red, blue, and green
dots are shown surrounding your entire neighborhood. These dots
represent different types of crimes. When you click on these
dots a picture of a person will appear with an address and the
description of the crime he or she had committed. Another tool to
help us keep our kids safe.
When Kids
Network Online: The Benefits and Risks -
Social networking on the Internet has become increasingly popular,
especially among children and teenagers. According to the Pew Internet
& American Life Project, 87 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds, or about
21 million teens, use the Internet. Half of them say they go online
every day. Networking online offers kids many benefits but also
carries a degree of risk. Reports of those dangers — and incidents
that illustrate them — have been a hot topic in the media.
Stan Safety The
Magical Fireman - Check out Stan's fire safety tips, including
information on Smoke Detectors, Planning Your Escape, How to be
Prepared, Getting Out Fast and Preventative Measures. Stan also brings
his 12-seat fire truck to you! The "Stan Safety" tour features both a
magical fire safety show, and rides on Stan's very own kid sized fire
truck. He brings entertainment as well as education right to your
front door. Stan and his fire truck bring an ordinary event to life,
with his siren and flashing lights.
from SafeKidsUSA
How to Keep Your Child Safe from Abduction - Just warning your
children about "stranger danger" isn't enough anymore. Find out how to
update the advice you give your kids to keep them safe.
Fact Sheet:
All Terrain Vehicle Safety (PDF) - The season is here for
outdoor recreation. This includes the use of All Terrain Vehicles
(ATVs). Michigan is number four in the country for ATV sales and
unfortunately is also number four in the nation for ATV related
crashes and deaths having 600 crashes and 15 deaths in 2002 (2003 data
not yet available.) ATV sales in Michigan are on the rise and have
continued to increase by nearly 25% each year since 1999. Safety
training for the youthful operators is mandated by law. Most are
unaware of this requirement and also do not know where to get
training. The Michigan ATV Association website is available at
www.michiganatv.com or call
888.223.5247.
The Following Might Save Your Home
or Your Life: Fire Chief
Sanders Reveals Most Common Causes of Household Fires - The
most common causes of household fires and how to prevent them...
Worldwide SAFE KIDS Campaign - Promoting child safety to prevent
unintentional injury.
When to Call the Doctor: 8
Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore - Making the decision to call
your pediatrician can sometimes be a tricky one, especially late at
night. On one hand, you don't want to cry wolf -- bothering your
doctor every time your child sneezes. On the other hand, you certainly
don't want to miss any critical symptoms.
Flame Retardant Seen as Threat - Toxic chemicals used as flame
retardants are rapidly building up in the bodies of people and
wildlife around the world, approaching levels in American women and
their babies that could harm developing brains, new research shows.
Check out these great
Fire
Safety and
General Safety Links from the Blount County Multi-Needs Center in
Cleveland, Alabama!
Michigan's Sex Offenders List -
http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us/mipsor/default.htm
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Custody
Relinquishment |
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The Secret Sacrifice -
To get help for their mentally ill children, some parents have to give
them up.
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Sibling
Information & Articles |
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Autism, Asperger Syndrome
and Siblings - During the past seven
months, my wife and I have met an amazing group of people. In
producing two videos about brothers and sisters of kids on the autism
spectrum, we’ve conducted 57 interviews with siblings and
parents. People were incredibly open about their lives. About their
hopes, fears, and challenges. Most of all, about the ways they’ve
found to make things better for their families. We went into these
videos looking for “best practices” about siblings that we could share
with other families. We got that and more.
Siblings of Children with Special Needs - Most brothers and
sisters have problems at times. They disagree, they argue, and
sometimes they don't even like each other. But at other times they
enjoy sharing experiences and take pride in each other's
accomplishments. Is it any different when one sibling has a
disability?
Talking To Kids:
Getting Along With Siblings - In a house with more than one
kid, there are bound to be some problems. Brothers and sisters borrow
stuff, and don't always return it in top condition. Younger kids
sometimes feel like the older kids get to do whatever they want. Older
brothers and sisters think that the baby of the family gets more
attention. These are typical problems found throughout the ages,
everywhere in the world.
For Siblings of the Autistic, a Burdened Youth
- When Mark Plage, 15, forgets to padlock the door of his
bedroom, his 13-year-old autistic brother, Derek, barges in and leaves
the place a shambles. When Mark tries to
toss a football with Derek, the boy turns his back and walks away.
[Login/registration required to read this story.]
Sibling Support Project
- The Sibling Support Project is a national program dedicated to
the interests of brothers and sisters of people with special health
and developmental needs. The Project's primary goal is to increase the
availability of peer support and education opportunities for brothers
and sisters of people with special health and developmental needs.
Sibling Issues (PDF; 16 pages)
Learn how to manage the relationships between your child with learning
difficulties and his non-affected siblings.
Our Special Siblings: A
Sister Explains - Often we as adults try to imagine what
it must be like for our children who have a brother or sister
with autism. We read books to help them, we send them to support
groups, and we go out of our way to keep life as normal as
possible for our kids. But hearing it from a child who has a
brother with autism sheds an interesting light.
Parenting On The Go:
When Siblings Battle
As
Parents Age or Die, More People Are Assuming Care of Disabled Siblings
-
Back in 1996, Pat Carver of Falls
Church was not her brother's keeper -- not
yet.
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Foster
Care Support Information and Articles |
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MI Foster
Care Falls Short on Basics - The Michigan Department of Human Services
failed to follow its own policies and to meet basic standards for care of foster
children, according to court-appointed experts who reviewed hundreds of case
files.
MI Suit
Against State Foster Care Delivers Another Blow - State record keeping is
so shoddy and investigations are so superficial that children in Michigan's
foster care system face continuing danger of physical abuse, according to a
report compiled as part of a class action against the Michigan Department of
Human Services.
Legal Center for Foster Care and
Education - A new collaboration between Casey Family Programs and the ABA
Center on Children and the Law. The Center serves as a national technical
assistance resource and information clearinghouse on legal and policy matters
affecting the education of children and youth in the foster care system.
Michigan Foster Education Resource Network
(MI-FERN)
New Report Shows 35,000 Fewer Abused and Neglected Children Eligible for Federal
Foster Care Support in 2005, Increasing Burden on States - Thousands of
foster children and the states responsible for them are losing the critical help
they need from the federal government. In 1998, more than half of the children
in foster care were eligible for federal support, but, by 2005, less than half
were-an estimated 35,000 fewer eligible foster children. The number is projected
to continue to decline by approximately 5,000 children each year, according to a
new analysis released today by the Kids Are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now
campaign, led by The Pew Charitable Trusts. This decrease is due in part to an
antiquated eligibility provision known as the "lookback".
Featured Website: Kids
Are Waiting: Fix Foster Care Now -
A national, nonpartisan campaign dedicated to
ensuring that all children in foster care have the safe, permanent families
they deserve by reforming the federal financing structure that governs our
nation's foster care program.
MI
Report
Outlines Proposals for 'Aging' Foster Care Youth - A
plan to provide Medicaid health care coverage and immediate access to job
training to young people who "age out" of the foster care system at age 18 was
unveiled Monday by the Department of Human Services.
Foster Youth Discuss Issues of Foster Care (PDF) -
Fifteen Statements from the Youth Board; Today, more than half a million
children in America live in foster care. This year alone, 20,000 of us will "age
out" of foster care, typically at age 18.
American Bar Association Issues New Booklet Explaining How to Obtain Educational
Services and Help for Foster Care Youth:
Mythbusting: Breaking Down Confidentiality and Decision-Making Barriers to Meet
the Education Needs of Children in Foster Care (PDF) - Ever struggle to
gain access to education records? Are you ever unsure what education information
can be shared, and with whom, when a child is in foster care? Ever tried to
determine who in a child's life was responsible for making education decisions?
This publication answers common questions by individuals involved with the child
welfare system, including judges, children's attorneys, parents, foster parents,
youth, caseworkers, and court appointed special advocates (CASAs).
Use the
publication online and benefit from the interactive functions, including links
between sections and to additional outside resources or download and print a
copy of the document to use offline.
MI Updated Fact
Sheet Explains Education Training Vouchers (ETV) Available for Foster Care Youth
- Michigan’s ETV Program has a new fact sheet and a new contact person. ETV
provides $5000 per year for two years for foster care youth to attend school
past high school/GED. Ann Rossi with Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, based
in Jackson, is the new contact person. The new updated fact sheet explains the
program and contains Ann’s contact information. Ann is interested in discussing
the ETV program with anyone interested in learning about resources for children.
You may also call the ETV Program toll free number at 877-660-6388.
NPR:
States Underserve Disabled Foster Kids, Study Says - State foster-care
systems neglect the needs of disabled children--and the foster parents who care
for them--according to a national analysis of the child-welfare system. More
than one-third of the more than 500,000 children in America's child-welfare
system have disabilities, according to the report, the first of its kind. NPR's
Rachel Jones reports. Click "Listen" to hear the audio from NPR's All Things
Considered.
Michigan Chosen
for NGA Foster Care Academy - In
an effort to better transition foster care children to
adulthood, senior state officials will participate in the
National Governors Association's Best Practices Policy Academy
on Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care, Department of Human
Services officials announced Wednesday.
Michigan Foster Education Resource
Network 2005-2006 Student Guide to Higher Education (PDF) - This valuable
resource guide contains information on high school classes, standardized tests,
extra-curriculars, college prep, financial aid, creating a budget, student
rights and responsibilities, online resources and institutions of higher ed.
Featured Project:
Suitcases For Kids
- This organization donates suitcases to foster children who move from
home to home and usually carry their belongings in plastic garbage bags. They
seek donations of suitcases, but will also accept large duffel bags and
backpacks.
Youth In Transition Program Provides
Financial Assistance to Foster Care Youth (a PowerPoint presentation from
Michigan's Department of Human Services)
Coercive Restraint Therapies: A
Dangerous Alternative Mental Health Intervention -
Physicians caring for adopted or foster children should be aware of the use
of coercive restraint therapy (CRT) practices by
parents and mental health practitioners. CRT is defined
as a mental health intervention involving physical restraint and is used
in adoptive or foster families with the intention of
increasing emotional attachment to parents. Coercive restraint
therapy parenting (CRTP) is a set of child care practices adjuvant to
CRT. CRT and CRTP have been associated with child
deaths and poor growth.
MI Audit:
Foster Care System Lacks
Oversight -The Department of Human Services has
not been providing the oversight needed in the foster care system, nor has it
met federal goals for the system, said Auditor General Thomas McTavish in a
sharply critical report released Wednesday.
Road Map for Learning: Improving Educational Outcomes in Foster Care -
The book provides a modular framework for achieving collaboration across the
federal, state, and local legal, educational, and child welfare systems.
Emphasizing the needs of K–12 students, it contains resources for parents,
caregivers, teachers, and child welfare professionals.
Education Needs to be a Priority for U.S. Foster Kids -
Although foster children test far behind their peers, are more likely
to drop out, repeat grades, be placed in special-ed classes, and be suspended or
expelled, education has often been a low priority for child-welfare agencies,
most of which are more concerned with a child's safety and placement. But, when
kids age out of the system, college, a high-school diploma, or basic job skills
can mean the difference between achieving self-sufficiency and returning to a
cycle of disadvantage.
Featured Website: Children's Rights
- The nation’s leading organization promoting and protecting
the rights of abused and neglected children in failing foster care systems,
using policy analysis, public education and the power of the courts.
U.S. District Court Finds Children
Have a Right to Counsel in Dependency Cases (PDF) -
The U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division
issued an order on February 8, 2005 in a class action lawsuit brought by
Children's Rights, Inc. against the Georgia state child welfare agencies and
officials regarding children in Georgia's foster care system. Among other
things, plaintiffs allege the defendants have failed to provide adequate and
effective legal representation for children in dependency proceedings. In its
order the court stated that children in dependency cases have a constitutional
right to counsel that may be violated by excessive caseloads. The question of
the excessive nature of the caseloads will now go to trial. Thanks to the
National Association of Counsel for Children for sharing this news.
Juvenile Law Center Leads
Amicus Effort for Foster Youth in College -
The Juvenile Law Center has taken the lead in advocating for
state support for foster care youth enrolled in college by drafting an
amicus brief to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. The brief is on
behalf of S.J., a college student petitioning for the legal right to
remain in the foster care system while she earns her degree. KidsVoice,
a child advocacy organization based in Pittsburgh, represents S.J.
MI
LOCAL COMMENT: Let's All
Help the Youth 'Aging Out' of Foster Care -
Imagine this: It's your 19th birthday. Your few
belongings are packed. The adults you have been living with
say goodbye. The door shuts behind you; you are on your own - and very
much alone. You have no job, no family and no idea how to handle your new
independence. That scene is taking place all over the state
for hundreds of young adults who must leave the foster care system and venture
out on their own.
MI
Kids Exiting Foster Care Lose Out on State's Help -
Foster children in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and 21 other states are
benefiting because the Michigan Department of Human Services turned down more than
$1.2 million offered by the federal government to help children aging out of
foster care. "It's an outrage," said Sharon Peters, president of Michigan's
Children, a nonprofit advocacy group.
Dependent Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: A Guide for Judges (PDF) - The
Juvenile Law Center announces a new publication to guide judicial
decision-making in cases involving older youth in foster care. This 8-page
publication includes analysis of the Foster Care Independence Act, the Adoption
and Safe Families Act, and special concerns affecting older foster children. It
shows how judges, child welfare agencies and children's lawyers can ensure that
youth have safe passage to adulthood by ensuring their access to education,
physical and behavioral health care, housing, and other services. Includes
checklists for ensuring comprehensive decision-making in these areas:
Permanency; Independent Living Skills; Education and Vocational Training;
Physical Health, Mental Health and Other Needs; Youth With Disabilities; and
Discharge of Youth On or After Age 18.
MI
Supreme Court Justices Suggest
Juvenile Code Changes - In an effort to avoid heavy federal penalties to
state trial courts, Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Maura Corrigan and
Justice Elizabeth Weaver offered proposed technical amendments to the state's
juvenile code concerning foster childcare at two committee meetings Tuesday. One
revision would include the parent of the biological father as a child's relative
in cases where the child does not have a legal father. The revision would be
consistent with the definition used by the Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families Act, making the grandparent eligible to receive aid if he or she is
caring for and living with the child.
MI
Thousands Stranded in Foster Care - Broken system leaves Michigan kids vulnerable. State
foster care systems across the nation, including in Michigan,
are crippled by inadequate funding, poorly trained case
workers and a lack of good foster homes. The fallout includes
children stranded in foster care for years and, in some cases,
at risk of further abuse and neglect in foster homes that
receive little state oversight, the report found.
NY
Birth Parents
Retaining a Voice in City Foster Model -
Kristal Johnson nestled deep into the sofa between her mother and her foster
mother and listened to the two women laugh about how she used to try playing one
against the other. There was the time when Kristal, now a poised 18-year-old,
skipped chores at the home of her foster mother, Janet Stevens, and was told
that she could not go to a party her boyfriend was having.
MI
Foster Care Needs Major Redo, Pew Panel Says - A nonpartisan report being
released to Congress today makes sweeping recommendations to improve the lives
of abused and neglected children by simplifying the nation's complex foster care
system.< | | |
