RESOURCE WEBPAGES, by TOPIC
These webpages identify external resources on specific topics of interest to foster, kinship and adoptive families.
Promoting Equity in Education Through Family Engagement video
This 9.5 minute video is designed for school personnel and families. It offers an overview of education equity and suggests strategies for facilitating greater educational equity through meaningful family engagement practices. The video features the voices and lived experiences of students, parents and caregivers, and school leaders. Strategies are organized by key components of family engagement in multitiered systems of supports.
The video has captions available in English and Spanish.
A fact sheet accompanies the video.
The video is produced by Formed Families Forward in our role as family partner to the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS) project.
VIDEO with English and Spanish captions
Promoting Equity through Family Engagement Video FACT SHEET
Feedback survey. Tell us what you think!
Checklist for Kinship Caregivers Working with the Schools
Developed by Va Department of Education’s Family Engagement Network (FEN) and Formed Families Forward, this checklist is for any kinship caregiver who is enrolling a child or youth in schools and working with schools to get appropriate services and supports.
Trauma Training Videos & Fact Sheets: Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School
Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School videos– produced by Formed Families Forward as part of our work with the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports project. Under 10 minutes in length, each video provides an introduction to critical trauma content.
The videos include:
1) Understanding Trauma
2) Responding to Trauma
3) Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools
Three fact sheets are designed to support the Trauma Sensitive Responses at Home and School video series.
Individual Fact Sheets are available as separate documents, and all three fact sheets in one document. Accessible text versions of all fact sheets are also available in English and Spanish.
Video Series
Fact Sheets for Videos 1 through 3
Video 1 Fact Sheet Understanding Trauma
Video 2 Fact Sheet Responding to Trauma
Video 3 Fact Sheet Trauma Sensitive Schools
Video 1 Fact Sheet Understanding Trauma accessible version
Video 2 Fact Sheet Responding to Trauma accessible version
Video 3 Fact Sheet Trauma Sensitive Schools accessible version
SPANISH Video 1 Fact Sheet accessible version
SPANISH Video 2 Fact Sheet accessible version
SPANISH Video 3 Fact Sheet accessible version
ARABIC Video 1 Fact Sheet
ARABIC Video 2 Fact Sheet
ARABIC Video 3 Fact Sheet
Family Engagement with Schools: Strategies to Build Partnerships Video
Designed for family members, this 10 minute video explains the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS) and offers concrete tips and strategies to engage with school partners more effectively. The video features family members and school staff from around Virginia, sharing their own lived experiences and suggestions for building stronger connections between families and educators to improve outcomes for all students. A fact sheet accompanies the video. Spanish and Arabic captions are available via YouTube settings.
We welcome your feedback on the video at https://tinyurl.com/yah2542o .
Family Engagement video link
Accessible video transcript
Fact Sheet to Accompany Family Engagement with Schools video
ARABIC Video fact sheet
SPANISH Video Fact Sheet, accessible Word format
Feedback Survey; Tell us what you think!
Strengthening Family Engagement in VTSS videos
This series of videos features six key elements to engage families in Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS). Designed for use by educators and families, the three videos highlight specific strategies for school teams to consider as they build momentum around family-school partnerships and strengthen skills to meaningfully engage families in multi-tiered systems.
Spanish and Arabic captions are available via YouTube settings. A fact sheet accompanies the videos.
Produced by Formed Families Forward, family partner to the VTSS project, in conjunction with Atom Stream Communications, LLC.
Link to Videos
Fact Sheet to accompany videos
Accessible Fact Sheet to accompany videos
Video 1 transcript
Video 2 transcript
Video 3 transcript
SPANISH Fact Sheet, in accessible Word format
ARABIC Fact Sheet
Virginia Special Education Regulations
From the Virginia Department of Education, this launch page offers a copy of state regulations for implementation of IDEA, and other state and federal special education policies.
The ABCs of back to school with FASD
Informative PDF on the ABCs of Back to School with FASD from the North American Council on Adoptable Children.
Trauma Training Videos from FFF – Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School
Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School videos– produced by Formed Families Forward as part of our work with the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports project. Under 10 minutes in length, each video provides an introduction to critical trauma content.
The videos include:
1) Understanding Trauma
2) Responding to Trauma
3) Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools
Effective Strategies Checklist: Children and Youth with Developmental Disorders and Challenging Behaviors
Children and youth who have intellectual disabilities or developmental disorders are at elevated risk for co-occurring psychiatric or behavioral problems. These young people pose a serious challenge for administrators, program directors and clinicians, especially when they present with aggressive or disruptive behaviors. When appropriate community services have not been organized, these youth can be among the most difficult and costly to serve. Across the country, their families report relentless stress, partly because it is very difficult to obtain the help they need. This paper provides resources and strategies that have improved outcomes and lowered costs, while diminishing risk for institutional placements, referrals to juvenile justice and child welfare.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Educational Strategies handbook from Sanford School of Medicine
The educational strategies presented in this handbook are intended to be helpful to all teachers who work with students who may have a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). If this is your first time teaching a student with an FASD, this guide should be extremely helpful. While many of the strategies are general and are appropriate to use with all students who may share some of the learning needs of students with an FASD, they should be especially helpful to use with students who have been diagnosed with an FASD, from Sanford School of Medicine, Univ of South Dakota.
NAMI of Northern Virginia
NAMI of Northern Virginia offers a number of support groups for families and individuals struggling with mental illness. Find the list of support groups as well as other resources form NAMI of Northern Virginia.
Trauma and Developmental Disabilities webcast series from VCU
This series of three webcasts from VCU Autism Center for Education, presented by Dr. Ruth Brown, were made available in February, March and April 2023.
Webcast Part 1: The Essential Messages of Trauma Responsive Practices
Webcast Part 2: Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses
Part 3: Trauma Responsive Strategies for the Classroom
Critical Crossroads: Resources for Recognizing and Addressing Trauma in Children and Youth with Disabilities webinar
On March 8, 2023, FFF hosted a live webinar featuring the new Critical Crossroads videos and other resources. Provided here is a re-recording, that does not include time for the pre-and post-tests or Q & A that were included in the live webinar.
Recording of Critical Crossroads resources webinar March 2023
Schools Respond: Substance Abuse in Teens panel webinar from NVFN
February 22, 2023Presented live on February 22, 2023, this virtual panel session was hosted by Northern Virginia Family Network (nvfn.org) and facilitated by Formed Families Forward and NAMI Northern Virginia.
Panelists included:
Victor Martin, Ruthy Marcado, Alexandria City Public Schools
Jenny Sexton, Arlington Public Schools
Stefan Mascoll, Fairfax County Public Schools
Rebecca Sharp, Falls Church Public Schools
Blaise Carland, Megan Marshall, Loudoun County Public Schools
Mallory McKnight, Julie Crawford, Prince William County Schools
A recording of the session and a resource sheet with links mentioned during the session are available.
A recording with Spanish captions will be available soon.
Resources shared in Session and related links of interest
Recording of Panel session
Preventing Secondary Characteristics of FASD: What Does the Research Say? webinar
January 31, 2023Originally broadcast live on January 31, 2023, this webinar featured a replay of a FASD Collaborative webinar on Preventing Secondary Characteristics of FASD by Adrienne Bashista, Director, Families Affected by FASD (FAFASD). Ms. Bashista addressed questions from participants at the end of the webinar.
Presenter Adrienne Bashista can be reached at fasdfamilies@gmail.com.
Webinar recording
Interdisciplinary Diagnosis and Interventions for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders webinar
January 24, 2023Originally broadcast live on January 24, 2023, this webinar features Dr. Elizabeth Cleveland of the Central Arkansas University. Dr. Cleveland overviews FASD and in particular, the diagnosis of FAS and ND-PAE. She offers recommendations for meeting the needs of children, youth and young adults in home and school settings.
Webinar recording
Dr. Cleveland's presentation slides
Supporting Educational Access for Kinship/Grandfamilies
This January 2023 resource from Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center at Generations United covers some areas of educational access for kinship families.
Fact sheet
Kinship Care and the Child Welfare System fact sheet
From the National Child Welfare Information Gateway at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, this fact sheet is designed to help kin caregivers—including grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings, and other relatives as well as family friends caring for children— work effectively with the child welfare system.
It also includes resources, such as links to more detailed information or places to find support, to help you learn about and navigate the child welfare system.
May 2022
Fact sheet
Supporting Educational Access for Kinship/Grandfamilies fact sheet
From the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center, this fact sheet address a number of key issues kinship caregivers face when support their kin in school.
Education is high on the to-do lists of kin and grandfamily caregivers. Accessing educational services for children in their care can be difficult. Frequently, kin/grandfamily caregivers lack legal custody of the children and/or are unfamiliar with the local education system. This resource is designed to help direct-service professionals assist caregivers in ensuring the children they raise have the educational experiences needed to thrive.
January 2023
Fact sheet
Addressing Challenges Faced by Students with a FASD Diagnosis webinar
January 17, 2023Originally broadcast live on January 17, 2023, this Formed Families Forward-hosted webinar featured panelists:
Nate Sheets, Behavior Consultant and Parent Coach at Oregon Behavior Consultation, https://cognitivesupports.com/
Carson Kautz-Turnbull, 5th year graduate student at the University of Rochester, working with Dr. Christie Petrenko. ckautz@ur.rochester.edu Ms. Kautz-Turnbull shared this resource for families and educators: Families Moving Forward Connect project and related app: https://fmfconnect.com/
Kelly Henderson, PhD, Executive Director, Formed Families Forward
Additional scholarly resources suggested by Ms. Kautz-Turnbull are also provided here.
Recording of Panel webinar
Self care in Caregivers of Children with FASD
A Mobile Health Intervention for FASD Families Moving Forward Connect
Initial Feasbility of the Families Moving Forward Connect App
A meta analytic review of adaptive functioning in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and the effect of IQ, executive functioning, and age
Strengths and Positive Influences of Children with FASD
IDEA to ADA: The Difference Between High School and College Accommodations webinar
January 10, 2023Originally broadcast on January 10, 2023. this webinar was presented by Annie Tulkin, MS, Accessible College LLC.
Webinar presentation slides
Webinar recording
Accessible College Resources from presenter Annie Tulkin
How Trauma Informed Care Can Benefit Children and Youth with Disabilities – Critical Crossroads Infographic
This infographic from Formed Families Forward’s Critical Crossroads resources overviews the issues around trauma impact on children and youth with disabilities.
Critical Crossroads Infographic
Federal letter to Special Education Directors on High Quality Education for Highly Mobile Children
November 10, 2022This federal letter from the US Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services issued 11/10/22 to State Special Education Directors clarifies requirements for highly mobile children and youth such as military-connected children, migratory children, children who are homeless, and children in the foster care system.
Specific issues addressed are:
- Highly mobile children should have timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations.
- Comparable services include services during the summer, such as Extended School Year (ESY) services.
Educate, Collaborate, and Engage with Family Members throughout the Transition Process fact sheet
November 01, 2022From VCU’s Center on Transitions Innovation, this brief factsheet covers strategies for educating, collaborating and engaging families of transition-age youth and young adults with disabilities.
Transition Process fact sheet
Transition Planning for Youth in Foster Care fact sheet
November 08, 2022From FFF and the WAZE to Transition project at PEATC, this fact sheet is designed for youth in foster care. It overviews individualized education programs (IEPs) and foster care transition plans.
Fact Sheet
Stop Banging Your Head Against the Wall: Options for Dispute Resolution in Special Education webinar
Presented live on October 12, 2022, this webinar presented by FFF’s Renee Myers, NCSP, offered an overview of informal and formal special education dispute resolution techniques.
Recording of webinar
Slides from Webinar presentation
Back to What?! Coping Strategies to Successfully Manage the Transition Back to School webinar
September 21, 2022Originally offered live on September 21, 2022, this webinar from FFF was presented by Nina Manganaris, Deputy Director, and Ebony Thompson, experienced bio and foster mom. The reasons behind stressful transitions as well as coping strategies were covered.
Webinar recording
Slides
Positive Behavior Supports: An Approach to Supporting Individuals with Disabilities and Sexual Offending Behavior webinar
From the Home and Community Positive Behavior Support Network (HCPBS), this April 2022 webinar by Dr. Robin Wilson and Mariah Tricker focuses on Sexual Offending Behaviors.
webinar recording
VDOE Credit accommodations for Advanced Studies and Standard Diplomas
This webpage provides updated information about available accommodations for earning credits needed for Virginia’s Standard and Advanced Studies diplomas.
VDOE Credit Accommodations for students with disabilities
Back to School with ADHD webinar
Originally broadcast live on September 6, 2022, this webinar from FFF provides an overview of ADHD, recent federal policies and strategies for formed families impacted by the condition.
Recording of Back to School ADHD webinar
Presentation slides
State Complaint Toolkit from PEATC
This Toolkit from Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC, the Virginia statewide parent training and information center) reviews policy and procedures for filing a State complaint regarding an alleged violation of special education rules.
State Complaint Toolkit