FOSTER CARE & ADOPTION E-NEWS

September 2013

Children’s Bureau PRIDE Trainers Co-Author Article to be Published in Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Magazine, the Children’s Voice

Cathy Allan & Cynthia Stogel

Children’s Bureau Trainers Cynthia Stogel, Foster Care/Adoption Coordinator and Cathy Allan, Foster Care/Adoption Program Coordinator have co-authored an article about the implementation of the PRIDE Model of Practice at Children’s Bureau.  The article will appear in an upcoming issue of the Children’s Voice magazine, published by CWLA.

The article outlines the implementation of the PRIDE Model of Practice at Children’s Bureau which includes: teaching prospective foster and adoptive parents and CB staff the PRIDE competencies: protecting and nurturing children, meeting children’s developmental needs and addressing delays, supporting children’s relationships with their birth families, connecting children to safe and nurturing relationships intended to last a lifetime, and working as a member of a professional team.  The PRIDE Model of Practice also helps prospective foster and adoptive parents make an informed decision about their willingness, ability, and resources to put the competencies into practice for the children placed with them.

The next phase for PRIDE at CB will be the implementation of a research project to look at specific child safety, wellbeing and permanency outcomes.

Our consultants for the implementation of the PRIDE Model of Practice are: Dr. Eileen Mayers Pasztor, a foster and adoptive parent, professor at California State University, Long Beach School of Social Work, and CWLA trainer/consultant; and Dr. Donna D. Petras, Director of Training and Models of Practice at CWLA.  Both Eileen and Donna were the original developers of PRIDE.

We will share a link to the magazine article when available.

Famous People Who Were Adopted: Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s

Dave Thomas was adopted at birth and had already begun working in the restaurant business before he had finished high school.  Adoption was such a blessing in Thomas’s life that he returned the favor, thousands of times over.  The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (which specifically serves kids currently in foster care) has helped over 3,400 children get adopted.

Smiling is Good for Your Heart!

According to University of California – Irvine research study of 170 people, individuals who smiled after completing a stressful task showed a greater decline in heart rate and faster recovery from stress that those who maintained a neutral facial expression! Source:  Bottom Line Personal, June 2013

Foster Care & Adoption Information Meetings on Children’s Bureau’s Facebook

Not sure about when the next information meeting is for potential foster and adoptive families? Interested in attending a fundraiser for Children’s Bureau?  Become a fan of Children’s Bureau’s Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to get current information and news.  We also encourage you to repost or retweet news with your family and friends.  To connect with us, click on the Facebook and Twitter icons located in the right column of this newsletter.

Be Inspired!

Watch this video of families we helped to create. Their stories are different but each one is filled with an unconditional love for a child that changed their lives forever.

Get Rewarded for Referring a Foster or Adoptive Family!

Just a reminder that Children’s Bureau offers a $500 referral fee for each family our certified families refer.  $250 is paid at the time of certification and a second $250 is paid at the time a child arrives at the home of the new family!  This is our way of thanking you and encouraging you to continue to recruit families who have the ability, willingness and resources to protect and nurture the needs of children.  We have pride in our families and look forward to having you join us.

Also, many thanks to those of you who have referred family, friends, co-workers, church congregations, etc. to learn about our program.  Your effort is greatly appreciated and has a true impact on the lives of children in need.  Keep those referrals coming as we continue to have children in need of a safe and nurturing family.

Please forward this email to someone whom you think would be interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent!

Children need families today…a referral you make could save a life and impact generations to come.