REACHOUT NEWS
SFA School of
Social Work
Child Welfare Professional Development
Fall 2015
Inside this issue:
Parenting Your
Adopted
Preschooler
1-7
Regional News
8
CWIC
9
FP Training Hours
10-11
REACHOUT NEWS
Published by
Stephen F. Austin
State University
Child Welfare Professional
Development Project
School of Social Work
P.O. Box 6165, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
Phone: (936) 468-1846
Email: bmayo@sfasu.edu
Funding is provided by a contract
with the Texas Department of
Family and Protective Services.
All rights reserved. This newsletter
may not be reproduced in whole or in
part without written permission from
the publisher. The contents of this
publication are solely the responsibility of the Child Welfare Professional
Development Project and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the
fun-
Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler
Reprinted from Factsheet for Families “Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler" by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Children’s Bureau.
Children ages 3 to 5 are limited in how
much they can understand about
adoption. Like all children of this age,
adopted children are naturally curious
and may ask many questions. They also
are growing and changing rapidly. As
their abilities develop, so will their understanding of their place in their families and communities. These early years
are a good time for you to start practicing talking about adoption in a positive
and relaxed manner. This will set the
stage for open communication as your
child grows.
This factsheet is designed to help you
understand your preschooler’s development needs. It also provides practical
strategies to promote a warm and loving relationship with your child based
on honesty and trust. Finally, this factsheet can serve as a reference for parents to revisit as their adopted child
navigates the preschool years.
Adoption and Child Development
It is important to understand the typical developmental tasks and needs of
preschoolers, as well as how adoptionrelated experiences may affect your
child. This knowledge will help you better meet his or her needs, build a close
relationship with your child, and
promptly identify and address delays.
(Continued on Page 2)
From the Director… Becky Price-Mayo, MSW, LBSW-IPR
Over the summer, our 19-year partnership with the Texas Department of
Family and Protective Services was renewed, and the Stephen F. Austin
State University School of Social Work, Child Welfare Professional Development Project is ready to assist with training opportunities for area foster/adoptive parents and Child Protective Services staff members.
The next Region 5 Foster and Adoptive Training Conference will be held
Saturday, April 16, 2016, so the planning starts now! There are planning meetings
scheduled for 10 a.m. on the following Tuesdays: Oct. 6, Nov. 3 and Dec. 1, in the
Nacogdoches City Hall, Room 203. For more information about conference planning
and to be added to the email list, send a request to bmayo@sfasu.edu. If you are unable to attend meetings, be sure to email your suggestions and workshop ideas to
Mike Williams, Region 5 Foster Parent Association Council representative, at
mwms628@gmail.com.
(Continued on Page 12)
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REACHOUT NEWS
Adoption and Child Development…… Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (continued)
(Continued from Page 1)
Preschooler Development
Preschoolers don’t need special classes or expensive
toys to learn and grow. Simple everyday interactions
such as singing, talking, touching, rocking and reading can help create a bond with your child and support healthy growth. The following are common characteristics and needs of preschoolers:
What preschoolers are learning:
 How to jump, hop, climb, ride a tricycle, and throw
a ball (large-muscle development);
 How to color, draw, cut with scissors, brush teeth,
dress and undress themselves, and use forks and
spoons (fine-muscle skills);
 How to put words and short phrases together;
 How to concentrate on a task;
 How to recognize family members and friends;
 How to name simple emotions such as happy, an-
gry, sad or scared; and
 How to express emotions in an appropriate way.
What you can do:
 Provide space, activities and playthings to stimulate
both large- and small-muscle groups.
 Provide chances to play and talk with others.
 Give them the opportunity to make simple choices
(what to wear or eat). Narrow down choices to just
a few things to keep them from being overwhelmed
with options.
 Read to your child, and nurture an interest in read-
ing by visiting libraries and bookstores.
 Teach appropriate social skills through words and
by example.
 Model and talk about healthy ways to cope with
emotions.
 Calm their fears. (“see, there are no monsters hiding
under your bed.”) Remember, you may not understand why they are afraid of somethings, especially
if a fear is linked to a past memory.
 Help them understand cause and effect. (“You were
placed into foster care, because your parents had
grown-up problems that kept them from being able
to take care of you, not because of anything you
did.”)
 If possible, when transitioning a preschooler into
your family, use familiar foods, clothing and blankets – little things that will help them feel comfortable and make the transition easier.
How preschoolers think:
 They believe in magic and imaginary characters
such as fairies, elves and monsters.
 They believe they cause life-changing events, every-
thing revolves around them, and everyone shares
their point of view.
 Their thoughts are often occupied by fantasies and/
 Be calm, patient, consistent and predictable. Listen
to your child, and be emotionally and physically
available.
The National Library of Medicine provides a brief
overview of the typical developmental tasks of preschool children, visit
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/
article/002013.htm
or fears.
 They give lifelike qualities to nonliving objects
(children may believe a stuffed animal has thoughts
and feelings).
 They are literal thinkers and may not understand
abstract concepts (children may think a child “put
up for adoption” is literally put up on a shelf).
(Continued on Page 3)
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Adoption and Child Development…… Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (continued)
(Continued from Page 2)
Effects of Early Experiences
A child’s brain grows rapidly during the early years of
life and is shaped by experiences, both good and bad.
When the brain is stimulated in positive ways, connections related to those experiences form (for example, talking and singing with and reading to your child
helps develop connections related to language). Negative life experiences – maltreatment, involvement
with the child welfare system and institutionalization also impact brain functioning and are risk factors for
cognitive, emotional, social, health and developmental delays. They also may cause sensory-processing
issues, where a child can be either sensory seeking or
sensory avoiding as a way to calm their nervous system. The experiences described below sometimes
contribute to delays or disabilities, but they do not
affect all children in the same way:
Poor prenatal care. If your child's birth mother had
poor prenatal care or nutrition, your child’s physical
or mental development may have been harmed. Prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs may damage a
child’s developing brain or lead to specific disabilities.
In preschool-age children, prenatal alcohol- and/or
drug-related impairments can cause learning disabilities and poor self-control and social adjustment. It
may be hard to tell if a child’s impairments are related
to substance abuse or to trauma after birth.
Child abuse or neglect. If your child experienced
early neglect or abuse, that experience could limit his
or her physical, mental, emotional and social development. Often children can catch up to peers, although
their development takes longer, but in some cases,
development is permanently damaged. Children
whose early lives are harsh and/or unpredictable may
not be able to develop the trust needed for healthy
emotions. Sexual abuse can have an especially negative impact on young children by altering a child’s
understanding of appropriate roles and relationships.
Physical abuse and harsh physical punishment may
affect how a child responds to discipline.
Institutionalization or multiple moves. Young children in institutional care (e.g., orphanages) are at risk
for delays in mental, social and physical growth. They
also may have challenges processing sensory information or challenges with balance and movement.
Institutionalization or multiple moves from family to
family may limit a young child’s ability to form a
healthy attachment to a primary caregiver. This can
delay emotional and social development.
Grief and loss. Children who experience separation
from their birth parents may feel an unresolved sense
of grief or guilt. Even children adopted as infants will
experience grief about the loss of their birth parents
and a potential life with them. These feelings may
recur over their lifetime, particularly at milestones in
their life, even when the adoption was a positive experience. Unresolved grief can affect a child’s emotional and mental development.
Trauma. Trauma is an emotional response to a stressful experience that threatens or causes harm (such as
child abuse, neglect, separation from loved ones, institutionalization and/or multiple moves). While most
children have some resilience, trauma overwhelms a
child’s natural ability to cope, and untreated trauma
can interfere with a child’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health and development. Some of
the signs of trauma in preschool-aged children include irritability (fussiness), tantrums, startling easily
or being difficult to calm, repeating traumatic events
in play or conversation, and delays in reaching a variety of milestones.
Parents should know that while the experiences outlined above can negatively affect a child’s development, every child is different. Not all children will exhibit impairments or disabilities. For those children
that do, there is hope. Parents can help their children
build resilience (the ability to cope and heal) following negative life events with nurturing and support.
Although many children will catch up developmentally; some children will always have challenges.
(Continued on Page 4)
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REACHOUT NEWS
Gaps in Development…… Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (continued)
(Continued from Page 3)
More information on brain development is available
at www.childwelfare.gov/topics/can/impact/
development/brain.
Gaps in Development
Children who spent a lot of time living with a family
or in an institution and experienced maltreatment
may not learn how to communicate well or to express
their feelings. They may not have had chances to play
with other children, take turns or just have fun. If this
was your child’s experience, your child may be much
younger in development than his or her chronological
age, and it may be helpful to think of your child as
being younger. This reduces expectations that can
frustrate a child or damage his or her self-esteem.
Your child may need time to “catch up” to children in
the same age group in some skills. Most children are
able to do so, particularly if parents are patient with
their child and if they offer the guidance and experiences necessary for growth. Although parents might
be uncomfortable allowing their child to behave in a
younger manner, children must go back and learn
what they have missed in order to grow. Also, if your
child’s first language is not English, there may be additional delays and challenges.
The following are some examples:
 Teach your child new ways to interact and communicate. Use both actions and words. (“I am waiting for my turn to throw the Frisbee.” “John showed
his anger with words, instead of hitting.”)
 Teach your child about safety, privacy and
healthy family relationships. Demonstrate appropriate behavior and explain. (“In this home we go to
the bathroom one at a time,” or “We don’t talk to
strangers.”)
 Use simple games and activities that help your
child develop and coordinate all five senses. Finger-paint in the bathtub with colored shaving
cream, practice writing with foam rubber letters,
play dress-up with multifabric clothing and accessories, and identify toys and point out their different
characteristics (red, yellow, smooth, soft, big, small).
Allow your child to play with “baby toys” designed for
much younger children. A child cannot catch up without experiencing earlier developmental steps.
You can help your child overcome these developmental gaps by considering your child’s developmental
needs, rather than his or her age. Allow your child to
learn at his or her own pace. Break tasks down into
smaller, doable steps so the child can feel a sense of
mastery and accomplishment. This encourages progress.
Parenting to Build Attachment
Secure attachment — the strong, emotional bond
between child and primary caregiver that makes a
child feel safe and loved — is an important and powerful influence that positively affects a child’s brain
development, social and emotional development, and
self-regulation. Children who have experienced trauma (maltreatment and/or involvement in the child
welfare system) may exhibit problems associated with
a lack of healthy attachment to a caregiver, including
(Continued on Page 5)
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REACHOUT NEWS
Gaps in Development…… Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (continued)
(Continued from Page 4)
developmental delays, difficult social relationships,
struggles with emotional regulation, aggression, low
self-esteem and depression.
Use the knowledge of your child’s history and developmental needs to help enhance his or her attachment to you. Offer your child the kind of attention,
nurturing and physical closeness that he or she may
have missed during early months and years. This is
particularly important for children who have experienced traumatic life events because positive, healthy
relationships with supportive and loving caregivers
increase the odds of recovery.
 Establish regular routines, guidelines, family activi-
ties and traditions.
 Plan future events to reassure your child that he or
she will always be part of your family. Show your
child where he or she will go to grade school, middle school and high school. Talk about the future in
your conversations (e.g., next Thanksgiving, next
summer, on your sixth birthday).
 Help your child grieve. Talk about former caregiv-
ers, and look at their photos together, if available.
Allow your child to feel sad and to miss people; it
doesn’t lessen your child’s bond with you.
 Help your child remember his or her past with
scrapbooks and pictures, but follow your child’s
lead. Some children may not always want to talk
about their pasts or have pictures within view.
 Find ways to make eye contact playing board
games across from each other, fixing hair or face
painting.
What you can do:
More information on nurturing and attachment is
available on the Child Welfare Information Gateway
website at www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/
promoting/protectfactors/nurture-attach.
 Smile at your child often, make loving eye contact,
and use frequent praise.
 Increase your physical contact (hug, hold hands, let
your child sit on your lap, even lovingly apply a
bandage to a small cut). Be careful to use “safe
touch” with children who may have been sexually
abused. (For more information, see the Child Welfare Information Gateway factsheet “Parenting a
Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for
Foster and Adoptive Parents” at
www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f-abused.)
 Spend as much time with your child as possible.
Consider reducing your work hours or taking a
leave of absence during the child’s initial placement, if you are able.
 Allow your child to go back to an earlier develop-
mental stage, such as rocking on your lap cuddled
in a blanket. Play baby games like peek-a-boo,
feeding each other, and pat-a-cake.
 Show your child how to play, have fun and be silly.
When to Seek Help
Children learn skills (talking, walking, kicking a ball,
recognizing letters) at their own pace. Don’t become
alarmed if your child is slightly behind others his or
her age in one or more areas.
However, any child, adopted or not, may have a developmental delay or disability. This is defined as a
significant delay in one or more skill areas. Some delays are present at birth while others become more
(Continued on Page 6)
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Gaps in Development…… Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (continued)
(Continued from Page 5)
evident as the child grows. Some delays (e.g., academic struggles) are not noticeable until a child gets
older. If you notice significant delays, loss of previous
skills or extreme behavior, contact your child’s doctor.
You also should report if your child has excessive reactions to touch, light, sounds and motion. A professional can help assess your child’s development and
determine if serious delays exist. If you disagree with
your professional, then be sure to seek a second
opinion or press for further testing. For more information on developmental disabilities, view the following from the American Academy of Pediatrics at
www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/
conditions/developmental-disabilities/Pages/
default.aspx
available in your state, and how do you find out
more about them?”) on the Information Gateway
website. For more information, visit
www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/adoptassistance.
 Seek support and advice from experienced adoptive
parents of children similar to yours. Join an adoptive
parent support group. (Access Information Gateway’s National Foster Care and Adoption Directory
to locate support groups in your state, available at
www.childwelfare.gov/nfcad/index. cfm?
event=viewSearchForm.)
 Ask for a professional assessment. Under Federal
law, a young child who might have a physical, sensory, mental or emotional disability is guaranteed the
right to an assessment. If your child receives Medicaid, the screening is free through the Early Periodic
Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment program. For
more information, visit www.childwelfare.gov/topics/
systemwide/service-array/health/types-of-healthservices.
 Attend ongoing training on adoption and special
needs.
 For children showing signs of trauma, ask the plac-
ing agency if a trauma/formal mental health assessment was done, and, if it was not, request one. Discuss the availability of trauma-focused treatment. Be
sure an adoption-competent practitioner is used.
There are several things you can do if you feel your
child’s birth family history or early experiences may
put him or her at risk for developmental delays or
disabilities:
 Talk to your child’s doctor about the possibility of a
developmental delay or disability. Choose a doctor
who has experience with children who have been
adopted or those in placement, if possible.
 Contact the placing agency to ask about postadop-
tion services that may be available. It may be possible and helpful to retake preadoption trainings and
review the materials you acquired during the adoption process.
 Contact your state’s postadoption resource center
or adoptive parent association. See the Adoption
Assistance by State database (specifically, the
question, “What types of postadoption services are
If your child is found to have a disability, he or she
might be eligible for Early Childhood Special Education.
This can include speech therapy, occupational or physical therapy, and counseling. Some services can be provided at home, while others may be offered at a child
(Continued on Page 7)
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REACHOUT NEWS
Talking About Adoption…… Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler (continued)
(Continued from Page 6)
Talking About Adoption
development center. For information about early developmental and behavioral screening for kids, visit
the following link from the U.S. Department of Education at www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/watch-methrive/index.html.
It’s important that you maintain a positive attitude
and establish a tone of loving support and encouragement by showing you are willing to meet the child
where he or she is developmentally. Recent research
shows that nurturing environments and loving relationships can build resilience in children.
Parents who project an attitude of acceptance and
comfort with adoption are better able to help their
children explore their own feelings and fears. With
young children, how you say something is more important than what you say. Stay relaxed and matter-offact. Your tone of voice is important. Parents who
tense up when the topic of adoption is raised may
send the message that something is wrong with being
adopted. Similarly, keeping information “secret” implies that adoption is negative, bad or scary. This section provides strategies to help you communicate effectively with your preschooler.
Continued in the Next Issue
Child Welfare Information Gateway provides more
information about postadoption services, health service locators, respite care, developmental and physical
disabilities resources, therapy, and adoption preservation services on the Finding Services for an Adopted
Child Web page at www.childwelfare.gov/topics/
adoption/adopt-parenting/services.
Save the Date!
APRIL 16, 2016
The spring 2016 REACHOUT newsletter will feature the
remainder of this article, which provides strategies to
help you communicate effectively with your preschooler. Parents will learn how to talk openly with their
child; support birth family relationships; and help their
child with postadoption issues. Other topics will include: transracial/transcultural openness, social media,
and adoption fears and fantasies. Discipline considerations in relation to abuse and neglect will also be discussed. So keep an eye out for the second half of this
article!
19th Annual Region 5
Foster and Adoptive
Training Conference
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas
Conference Partners:
SFA School of Social Work
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Region 5 FPA Council
Angelina College, Community Services
Page 8
REACHOUT NEWS
Region 5 News
New Foster and Adoptive Home Development
Staff Members
Please welcome the newest member of our Foster and
Adoptive Home Development Team, Anna VanMetre.
Anna, a FAD specialist, is located in the Orange office.
We are very excited to have her join our team! Also,
please welcome our new FAD Supervisor, Brandi
Chambers. Brandi will be the second FAD supervisor
for the region, joining Jennifer Vincent. She has been
in the FAD program as a specialist for eight years and
is very excited to start this new journey.
Protect Your Child!
Make sure you visit with your FAD
home developer BEFORE using a
babysitter. Anyone that babysits in
your home must have FBI fingerprints completed along with all
regular background checks. Anyone that babysits outside of your home must have all
regular background checks completed, as well. Any
person(s) babysitting must submit a 4054 background check statement form to your home developer BEFORE any babysitting is provided.
Also, please remember to report ALL serious incidents to the hotline at (800) 252-5400 or online within the timeframes set in the Minimum Standards
Subchapter D. Serious incidents must be reported
within 24 hours. Also, be sure to inform your home
developer and the child’s caseworker of the incident.
If you are unsure whether an incident needs to be
reported, contact your home developer immediately
for assistance.
New Annual Trainings
Remember, medical consent, trauma informed care,
and psychotropic medications are all required annual
trainings and are available online.
Medical Consent: www.dfps.state.tx.us/
child_protection/medical_services/medical-consenttraining.asp
Trauma Informed Care: www.dfps.state.tx.us/
Adoption_and_Foster_Care/About_Foster_Care
Psychotropic Medication: www.dfps.state.tx.us/
Training/Psychotropic_Medication.
If you complete the online psychotropic medication
training, your FAD specialist will need to arrange an in
-person visit with you within 30 days in order for you
to receive credit.
Need Support and Encouragement
We all need a little help sometimes so please join us
for one of our Foster Parent Association Meetings!
In addition to the support and encouragement you
will receive, benefits include: additional training opportunities and automatic membership in the Texas
Foster Families Association. Also, child care is provided.
For details on meetings in your area, speak with your
Foster and Adoptive Home Developer.
Page 9
REACHOUT NEWS
Child Welfare Information Center
Dharti Patel, BS
MSW Child Welfare Graduate Assistant
Stephen F. Austin State University
It can be a very exciting and emotional
time when a family is adopting a
young child. Foster and adoptive parents play an important role in guiding and encouraging their preschooler to grow and understand adoption.
The Child Welfare Information Center offers great resources on adoption of young children. Books and
DVDs are targeted to guide you, as well as your
adopted child through this process.
Earn
Foster Parent
Training Credit
“Parenting Children with Disrupted Attachment”
The second DVD discusses attachment issues encountered by foster and adoptive parents and family members.
“Connecting with Kids Through Stories”
Adopted children whose early development has been
altered by abuse or neglect may form negative beliefs
about themselves and parents, and may resist connecting with others. This book outlines how stories
can help children heal and develop healthy attachments, and demonstrates how to create stories to improve relationships, heal past trauma, and change
problem behavior.
“The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to
Your Adoptive Family”
The adoption of a child is always a joyous moment in
the life of a family. Some adoptions, though, present
unique challenges. This book provides proactive parenting strategies with compassion as the cornerstone.
“Child’s Play: How Having Fun Turns Kids into
Adults”
Playing is how children try out roles and test limits. It
also allows for the development of basic physical and
mental skills. Playing is fun and free, yet also a dress
rehearsal for adulthood. It’s the engine that drives
child development.
“Successfully Parenting Your Baby with Special
Needs”
Discovering your baby has a problem can be a very
traumatic experience. This DVD is designed to give
parents hope and support by informing them of the
wonderful benefits of early intervention. Early intervention is a system of services designed for children
with unique needs from birth to the age of three.
“Understanding Children with Disrupted Attachment”
The first DVD in this series is intended to help parents
work with children with disrupted attachment. It explains the effects of disrupted attachment and provides introductory information.
“Adoption Parenting: Creating a Toolbox, Building
Connections”
This book reviews the core issues all members of the
adoption triad face, and examines the affects of
standard parenting challenges like sleeping through
the night, discipline and attachment. It also covers
specific challenges many families have faced.
(Continued on Page 12)
A special toll free number . . .
(877) 886-6707
. . . is provided for CPS staff members
and foster and adoptive parents. CWIC
books, and DVDs and videos are mailed
to your home or office, along with a
stamped envelope for easy return.
Please specify if you are interested in receiving foster parent training hours, and a test and evaluation
will be included with the book or DVD. Once completed and returned, foster parents will receive a
letter of verification of training hours earned.
Your calls are important to us!
FOSTER PARENT TRAINING - REACHOUT Newsletter Fall 2015
Complete for one hour of training credit and return to your caseworker.
Learning Objectives

The participant will define the term “secure attachment” and identify ways to build attachment.

The participant will understand their preschoolers developmental characteristics and needs.

The participant will develop strategies for creating bonds with their preschooler.

The participant will identify methods to help their preschooler overcome developmental gaps.
Learning Activities
Activity One
Define secure attachment:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Describe three things you can do to build attachment with your adopted child(ren):
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Activity Two
Determine which of the following is a characteristic of thinking and/or learning during preschooler development.
A. Thinking
B. Learning
1. How to jump, hop, climb, ride a tricycle, and throw a ball____
2. Their thoughts are often occupied by fantasies and fears____
3. They believe in magic and imaginary characters such as fairies, elves and monsters____
4. How to recognize family members and friends____
5. How to put words and short phrases together____
Activity Three
List five things you can do to promote healthy growth and development in your preschooler.
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Activity Four
What are three methods and examples of helping your preschooler overcome developmental gaps? List one method and
one correlating example.
Method/Example One:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Method/Example Two:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Method/Example Three:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
Children that have development gaps do not need to go back and learn what they have missed in order to grow.
True
False
Evaluation
Trainer: SFA, School of Social Work, Child Welfare Professional Development Project,
Date: ____________
Name (optional): ___________________________________________________________
Newsletter presentation and materials:
1. This newsletter content satisfied my expectations.
___Strongly agree
___ Agree
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
2. The examples and activities within this newsletter helped me learn.
___Strongly agree
___ Agree
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
3. This newsletter provides a good opportunity to receive information and training.
___Strongly agree
___ Agree
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
Course content application:
4. The topics presented in this newsletter will help me do my job.
___Strongly agree
___ Agree
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
5. Reading this newsletter improved my skills and knowledge.
___Strongly agree
___ Agree
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
6. The following were two of the most useful concepts I learned:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Overall, I was satisfied with this newsletter.
___Strongly agree
___ Agree
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
Comments:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 12
REACHOUT NEWS
Child Welfare Professional Development Project
((Continued
(Continued from Page 9)
from Page 1)ntinued from page 1 )
Check out the CWPDP Child Welfare Information Center Web page, to learn how to receive foster parent
training hours at no cost - without leaving your driveway! Graduate assistants, in SFA’s School of Social
Work, Dharti Patel and BreAnna Hall, are ready to assist you with locating training materials that fit your
needs.
This issue of the REACHOUT Newsletter offers ONE
HOUR of foster parent training. The feature article,
“Parenting Your Adopted Preschooler,” is designed to
help parents understand developmental needs and
provide practical strategies to promote a warm and
loving relationship with their child. The first half of the
article focuses on developmental needs, effects of early experiences, and strategies to help your preschooler
overcome gaps in development. The spring 2016
newsletter will continue with the second half of the
article. Recommendations for communicating effectively with 3 to 5 year olds are provided, including talking openly about adoption, birth family relationships,
transracial/transcultural identity, and adoption fears
and fantasies. To receive training credit, complete the
enclosed test (pages 12 and 13) and return to your
caseworker.
We hope one or more of these resources help you
meet annual foster parent training requirements and,
most of all, help you make a difference in the lives of
East Texas children you foster in your home! We welcome all feedback and look forward to hearing from
you.
Sincerely,
"I’m Just Anneke and The Family Journey: What
Happens When Your Child Changes Gender?"
These films provide a portrait of a 12-year-old girl,
Anneke, and her family's journey, as well as other
families who are raising gender nonconforming children. Anneke takes viewers into the heart of the new
generation of children who are questioning traditional
gender roles.
"Interview with a Mother About Addictions and
Foster Care"
This documentary is a candid interview with a mother
whose children were taken from her and placed into
foster care. Without making excuses for her behavior,
she talks about her past mistakes and what she had to
endure before she was willing to get clean and work
to get her children back. The viewer feels the deep
love she has for her children and her gratitude toward
their foster mother.
"In Plain Sight: Stories of Hope and Freedom"
This documentary is an inspiring film featuring the
work of six modern-day abolitionists as they fight sex
trafficking in our nation. Through engaging interviews
with numerous victims, a similar pattern of vulnerability and abuse becomes clear. In the midst of the darkness, stories of hope and freedom emerge as each
survivor shares how she was transformed through the
work of a sex trafficking aftercare home.
Child Welfare Professional Development Project
Dharti Patel
Becky Price-Mayo, MSW, LBSW-IPR
BreAnna Hall
Graduate Assistant
(936) 468-1846
Director
(936) 468-1808
bmayo@sfasu.edu
Graduate Assistant
(936) 468-2705
Stephen F. Austin State University
School of Social Work
Child Welfare Professional Development Project
P.O. Box 6165, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962-6165
REACHOUT NEWS
Mark your Calendars:
19th Annual Region 5
Foster and Adoptive
Training Conference
April 16, 2016
Fall 2015
Earn One Hour of
Foster Parent Training