FFF encourages families and professionals impacted by the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) used with students with significant cognitive disabilities to be aware of the proposed action by the Virginia […]
READ MOREFrom the Virginia Commission on Youth, two requests for feedback from parents and caregivers, educators, and other professionals: Special Education Dispute Resolution Study Families and Professionals Interested in Special Education […]
READ MOREOmnium Circus is coming to our area! February 22, 2025 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm at the Warner Theater in DC. Omnium: A Bold New Circus is a first […]
READ MORELearning Your Way is Formed Families Forward’s free online learning portal for parents, caregivers, youth and professionals. Enroll now to access courses on-demand, and go at your own pace. Registration for […]
READ MOREOn August 16, 2024, the Virginia Department of Education shared new guidance on Special Permission Locally Awarded Verified Credit (SPLAVC) Accommodation for Students with Disabilities. Find the guidance HERE.
READ MOREThe Virginia Department of Education has released a summary of policy changes and resources to implement new legislation passed as House Bill 777, in 2024. A child exiting foster care […]
READ MOREIn June 2024, the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights release new fact sheets that offer specific guidance on protections for students with cancer, sickel cell disease, and […]
READ MOREFormed Families Forward continues to grow our services and outreach to foster, adoptive and kinship families. Check out our 2023 stats HERE.
READ MOREThe Virginia of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) is offering vouchers for kinship caregivers. The Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program can now provide up to $595 in reimbursement to Grandfamilies […]
READ MOREOn Tuesday, February 13, Formed Families Forward hosted a virtual “Loving Formed Families” Open House. Attendees heard from our Board, family members and a special guest! Thanks to those who […]
READ MOREGreat news to share! On September 28, 2023, the U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a final rule that explicitly gives child welfare agencies the option to use […]
READ MOREThe long-awaited revision of the Parent Guide is now ready! The new Virginia Family’s Guide to Special Education overviews the special education process and focuses on what families need to […]
READ MOREFormed Families Forward is hosting new meetings of the Fairfax Kinship Support Group, under agreement with Fairfax County Department of Family Services. If you are raising child or youth for […]
READ MOREOur Stronger Together peer support groups for ages 14-22 are back this fall! Eight weekly sessions on Thursday evenings meet in person in the Fairfax area, starting September 28. FREE […]
READ MOREFFF, as part of the Northern Virginia Family Network, hosted a virtual panel on 2/22/23. Schools Respond: Teens and Substance Abuse panelists from 6 local school districts shared about substance […]
READ MOREFebruary is Black History Month. One great way to honor the accomplishments of Black Americans with your children is to share some books that feature Black characteristics or critical historical […]
READ MORESharing from our friends at the RAISE Center: Are you a parent or legal guardian of a high school student who has an IEP and is about two years away […]
READ MOREIn October 2022, the federal Administration on Children and Families (ACF) issued a Dear Colleague letter offering resources and links for families and professionals supporting children who have been impacted […]
READ MOREOn November 10, the US Department of Education issued guidance to states about how to support students who move schools frequently including children in foster care, military-connected children and those […]
READ MOREThe Virginia Department of Social Services is partnering with Child Trends (a non-profit research organization) to conduct a needs assessment of adoptive families in Virginia, which includes a 20-minute voluntary […]
READ MORENew guidance for serving young children with disabilities in Head Start programs The Department’s Office of Special Education Programs and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of […]
READ MORELearn at your own pace! Free interactive online courses from Formed Families Forward on Special Education Basics, Trauma, Communication and Collaboration with Agencies, and Dispute Resolution! Learning Your Way registration […]
READ MOREReleased July 19, new federal Q & As and Guides clarify schools’ responsibilities under Section 504 and IDEA related to disciplining students with disabilities. Must-reads! bit.ly/3Pjv7E8
READ MORESadly, in response to the horrific events in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022 and other too-common violence impacting children, families and communities, we offer this collection of resources to […]
READ MOREThe U.S. Department of Education will seek public input on possible amendments to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in public […]
READ MOREThank you to our Spring Forward 2022 sponsors: Kay and Stan Klein for their SPECIAL GIFT Our GOLD sponsors – For Children’s Sake Virginia & Anthem Healthkeepers Plus Our SILVER […]
READ MOREThank you to ALL who came out on April 30 for a fabulous Spring Forward Family Fun Day and Workshop. Links to resources from the presentations can be found HERE.
READ MOREFFF offers these links for summer 2022 camp, therapeutic recreation and other programs for children and youth with special needs in the northern Virginia region. The Prince William County public […]
READ MOREFFF hosted a new series of webinars on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders throughout January 2022. All webinar recordings are available under our RESOURCES tab, then WEBINARS. A flyer for the […]
READ MOREFFF’s online Learning Your Way self-paced courses offer family members, professionals and other interested partners brief lessons and vignettes about critical special education content including referral and eligibility; individualized education […]
READ MOREIn early April 2021, the US Department of Education released Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs, part 2 of an ED COVID-19 Handbook. Find it HERE.
READ MORENEW on June 1, 2021- COVID family resources from the IRIS Center including virtual learning fact sheets NEW on February 1, 2021- Virtual Learning and Accommodations Guide from Virginia Department […]
READ MOREFor those raising children and youth who experience critical mental health or behavioral issues during this challenging time, here are some options for crisis response in Northern Va: Your local […]
READ MOREFamilies are learning to live with new roles and routines while children, youth and young adults are learning from home or in hybrid settings. More recently, students may be returning […]
READ MOREA fan-favorite, our Formed Families Northern Va Resource Directory is updated for 2019-20. Get your free download HERE. Find hundreds of services, organizations, agencies and other resources of interest and […]
READ MOREFormed Families Forward, family partner to the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS), has released a new series of three brief videos on Family Engagement in VTSS. The training videos […]
READ MORENOTE as of September 1, 2023, we have MOVED OFFICES. Our building is now located in the city of Fairfax near the intersection of Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) and […]
READ MOREA report to the Virginia legislature lays out some significant concerns about the state’s foster care system. Read the December 2018 REPORT HERE.
READ MOREWhen you shop Amazon, through our Formed Families Forward’s link, Amazon Smile donates to Formed Families Forward. Help us help families, just by shopping Amazon.com.
READ MOREFormed Families Forward-produced trauma training videos are available now! These introductory videos are each less than 10 minutes long, and are designed for a wide audience of families, educators and […]
READ MOREIn September, the Virginia Department of Education provided information to school divisions about options for serving students identified as hearing or visually impaired. The information describes the educational and other services […]
READ MOREThe Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) offers some great opportunities for young persons who can benefit from education, training, workforce development, and other supports. For older youth and young adults […]
READ MOREOur friends at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Northern Virginia host a variety of education programs and support groups for individuals with mental health conditions and their families. […]
READ MORESchool enrollment for children and youth who are in the care of non-parent relatives can be tricky. Attorney Becky Wolozin of the Legal Aid Justice Center presented a training in […]
READ MOREThe US Department of Education has revamped its website with resources specific to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Find and bookmark it at https://sites.ed.gov/idea/. Content from the previous Building […]
READ MORE