These webpages identify external resources on specific topics of interest to foster, kinship and adoptive families.
From the Virginia Department of Education, this 2021 guidance offer is an addendum to the Virginia Department of Education’s Evaluation and Eligibility For Special Education and Related Services: Guidance Document and Guidance on Evaluation and Eligibility for the Special Education Process Appendix A (Sample Evaluation and Eligibility Forms). The Supplemental Guidance provides information about data sources that may be used to inform eligibility for special education services or a need for a related service, as well as information to assist in the local interpretation for terminology in Virginia special education regulations that are not clearly defined (e.g., determining “adverse educational impact” and determining “need for specially designed instruction”).
Originally broadcast on March 1, 2022, this webinar presented by Kelly Henderson of Formed Families Forward includes a review of the why, when, who and what of special education reevaluations or “triennials”. The 4 steps of reevaluation and the specifics of the ‘developmental delay’ category are covered.
Recording of Reevaluation Webinar
Slides
This article by FFF Executive Director Kelly Henderson offers an overview of special education considerations for children and youth in foster care. It was published in Fostering Families Today magazine in July 2021.
Article on website
PDF version of article
Delivered on February 22, 2022 by FFF staff experts, this was first in the Winter 2022 Accessing Special Education: Evaluation & Eligibility Basics webinar series. This session covered initial referral and evaluation processes, timelines and requirements. Eligibility categories and approaches were shared.
Recording of webinar
Presentation slides
From the PEATC Planning Your Future series, this 2 page fact sheet is designed for youth and explains what is self-advocacy and offers suggestions for increasing it.
Self Advocacy Fact Sheet for youth
This September 2021 Guide from the Virginia CSA State and Local Advisory Team. The Children’s Services Act (CSA) is a planning and funding process to help meet the needs of children and families in Virginia. This document provides parents and families information on eligibility for CSA and other aspects of the CSA process.
The Children’s Services Act is a Virginia law created to develop and fund various services and supports for eligible children and their families. Services are approved through a multi-disciplinary team process and monitored by the local CSA program. Funding is a shared responsibility of local and state governments. Assistance through the CSA might be appropriate if your child needs mental health, behavioral supports, or other resources not funded through private insurance or Medicaid.
A Guide to the Children's Services Act for Children and Families
Kinship Caregiving Options: Considerations for Caregivers was developed in partnership with the ABA Center on Children and the Law, Children’s Defense Fund, and Generations United, with support from Casey Family Programs. The publication provides a broad, national overview of choices that may be available to caregivers, along with related considerations, to help caregivers make more informed decisions about pathways to pursue.
Report
Delivered live on January 27, 2022, this webinar overviewed major educational provisions for serving students with FASD in schools. Presented by Dr. Kelly Henderson of FFF, the session also covered ways for building home/school collaborations and offered a variety of resources for educators and families.
Webinar recording
presentation slides
Changing our Approach blog from Barb Clark
Improving the Behavior of Children with FASD 2021 article by Hutton
Hosted live by FFF on January 20, 2022, this webinar featured Dr. Molly Millians of Emory University reviewing evidence-based interventions for children and youth with prenatal alcohol exposure.
Webinar recording
Presentation slides
Handout with resources from Dr. Millians
The TREP Project was launched in 2016 with a policy brief on the educational consequences of the chronic toxic stress of living in high crime communities. The TREP Project works to develop the individual and organizational capacity of educators and schools serving children growing up in neighborhoods that have high levels of toxic stress, such as violent crime, concentrated poverty, concentrated foster care involvement, and housing instability.
Affiliated with the University of Chicago, the Project offers professional learning courses, online resources and a Magazine.
TREP Educator website
Got Transition® is the federally funded national resource center on health care transition (HCT). Its aim is to improve the transition from pediatric to adult health care through the use of evidence-driven strategies for clinicians and other health care professionals; public health programs; payers and plans; youth and young adults; and parents and caregivers.
Link to Special Populations webpage on Got Transition
From Teaching Exceptional Children journal, this article by Hutton (2021) offers strategies for addressing FASD in the classroom.
Article
Slides from a FFF-hosted webinar presented live on January 14, 2022. The presentation features Monique Lilakos, DSW, LCSW, of Higher Purpose Coaching and Mentoring, LLC. Dr. Lilakos presented on challenges faced by kinship caregivers, how self care can support resilience, and offered specific self care techniques.
Webinar presentation slides
This September 2021 report from Children’s Bureau Administration for Children and Families U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports findings from the Prenatal Alcohol and Other Drug Exposures in Child Welfare (PAODE-CW) study. The primary objective of this study was to examine the current state of child welfare practice regarding identification of and service referrals for children with prenatal substance exposure with a strong focus on exposures to alcohol. This study focused on how child welfare agencies can obtain important information about FASD and other conditions when children come into contact with the system, and how they use this information to provide services to support affected children and strengthen their relationships with parents and/or caregivers.
Date from state and local child welfare agencies and from foster and adoptive parents are reported.
Delivered live on January 13, 2022, FFF hosted Dr. Renee Turchi for a webinar about diagnosis of conditions under the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders umbrella.
Webinar Recording
Slides from Dr. Turchi FASD Diagnosis
Turchi and colleagues article on FASD Integrated Care
This fact sheet from the Northern Virginia Family Network, of which FFF is an active member, provides an overview of social emotional learning efforts in the schools. It offers families information about how they can be involved in SEL efforts in their children’s schools.
SEL Fact Sheet
Presented live on January 6, 2022, this webinar features counselor and FASCETS Director Melissa Elligson covering foundational information about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and other neurobehavioral conditions. Slides are available upon request from Melissa, melligson@gmail.com.
Recording of Instilling Hope webinar
From Understood.org, these worksheets are tools for kids and parents/caregivers to identify and prepare for holiday stressors.
The holidays can be hard for kids who learn and think differently. Things that are supposed to be fun — special holiday meals, chitchat with friends and relatives — can be stressful. There may be unspoken (or even spoken) comparisons to other kids. All these demands can lead to behavior problems .
Holiday Stress worksheet
Holiday Stress during COVID worksheet
This publication from the Addiction Policy Forum and Warren County, Ohio is for adults who come into contact with children impacted by a parent’s addiction and provides information about how to help. It is meant for anyone—teachers, coaches, pastors, relatives, friends, neighbors.
The toolkit offers resources for understanding adverse childhood events, what to look for if you suspect a child might have a parent with a substance use disorder, what you can do to help, and more.
This fact sheet from FFF and the WAZE to Adulthood project, led by PEATC and supported by the US Rehabilitative Services Administration. It provides an overview of some common challenges to transition planning for this population and offers parents and caregivers suggestions and resources for supporting person-centered planning.
Fact Sheet