Recordings and materials from webinars and other presentations and events.
Hosted by FFF and presented live on May 14, 2025 by Dr. Monique Lilakos, this webinar focused on stress management and self-care.
Session goals included:
– Provide information for caregivers
– Increase and enhance awareness of self-care
– Identify the benefits of self-care and self-regulation for communicating and problem-solving with school and other community partners
– Provide examples of types of self-care
– Provide a platform for caregivers to connect
Self Care webinar slides
Self Care webinar recording
This webinar was presented live on April 29, 2025, by Dr. Lisa Weed Phifer, NCSP, of Fairfax Co. Public Schools.
The content explored how trauma-informed practices and social-emotional learning (SEL) support student well-being and academic success. The session covered impact of stress and trauma on children, how it can manifest in their behavior, and the importance of creating safe and supportive learning environments. The session highlighted protective factors that foster student resilience and growth. Additionally, Dr. Phifer shared helpful practices at school that teach and reinforce essential skills such as self-awareness, self-management, and relationship building. Practical strategies were provided for parents and caregivers to strengthen these skills and nurture resilience in their children.
Presentation slides for Supporting Student Well Being
Webinar recording
Presented live on March 4, 2025, this webinar is presented by Geoffrey Weber, Coordinator, Assistive Technology, Region 4 Training and Technical Assistance Center.
The session presents an introduction to assistive technology, understand its importance for your student, find out how they can access it, and learn about resources that can guide you through the process.
What Families Need to Know about AT slides
What Families Need to Know About AT webinar recording
Presented live on February 18, 2025, this webinar features guest expert facilitator Melissa Long, CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, BF-CMT, DCCS, DCC-CI, Director of Education and Support, Insight Memory Care Center.
The content covers age-related changes in memory and learning, and practices to keep the brain sharp! Ms. Long overviewed what to expect, what’s “normal,” and when it’s time to seek a doctor’s input.
Brain Health as you Age presentation slides
Better Brain Health handout
Recording of Brain Health webinar
Presented live on January 28, 2025, as part of the Formed Families Forward Winter FASD Webinar series, this webinar was presented by Jessica Wilson, LCSW.
The presentation offers an overview of therapy options which have demonstrated success for treating fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, including the Families Moving Forward (FMF) program and the FASCETS Neurobehavioral model.
Presentation Slides for Understanding Therapy Options for FASD webinar
Recording of Understanding Therapy Options webinar
Presented live on January 21, 2025 as part of the Formed Families Forward Winter FASD Webinar series, this webinar was presented by Kelly Henderson, FFF Executive Director.
The presentation covered topics including:
Making Special Education Work for Students with FASD slides
Making Special Education Work recording
Presented live on January 14, 2025, as part of the Formed Families Forward Winter FASD Webinar series, this webinar was presented by Lindsay Zach (Consultant and Adoptive Parent) and Stacia Stribling (Formed Families Forward).
The presentation offers an overview of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and the accompanying challenges faced by children and youth who have FASD and their families, at home and at school.
Presentation slides
Webinar recording
Presented live on January 7, 2025 as part of FFF’s January FASD webinar series, this webinar is presented by Jenn Werden, MSW, from The Florida Center on Early Childhood. The session provides an overview of prenatal exposure to alcohol, including specifics on diagnoses of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, as well as symptoms and impacts.
Presentation slides
Understanding FASD webinar recording
Presented live on December 16, 2024 by Dr. Carole Sebenick, this workshop for families and professionals offered strategies for reducing stress, building routines and managing risk. Guest presenters from Alexandria City Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) offered information about substance use risk, opioid overdose response, celebrating safely and other parenting resources.
Safe and Calm Winter presentation slides
Originally broadcast live on December 12, 2024, this FFF webinar reviews key components and considerations of individualized education programs (IEP). Specific strategies for strengthening present level of performance statements and IEP goals are offered.
Webinar presentation slides
Recording of IEP Goals webinar
Presented live on November 13. 2024, this webinar, FFF staff presents an overview of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs). Content addressed when and why FBAs should be made at school, how families can partner throughout the process and what factors may be unique to children and youth in foster, adoptive and kinship families.
Presentation Slides for Functional Behavior Assessments webinar
Webinar Recording for Functional Behavior Assessments webinar
Presented live on October 2, 2024, this webinar was presented by Ashleigh Conrad and Sammy Carr from Northern Virginia Girls on the Run. This workshop explores diverse communication styles and offers skills to convey tough topics, such as emotions, in a more clear and concise manner.
Webinar Recording of Communicating Effectively
Presentation Slides for Communicating Effectively
This webinar broadcast live on September 26, 2024, addressed ways that foster, adoptive and kinship families can build collaborative relationships with teachers and school staff.
Presented by Stacia Stribling, PhD, Deputy Director of Formed Families Forward.
Recording of Webinar
Presentation slides
Presented in September 2024, this training offers foster parents and kinship caregivers (and other parents/caregivers) insight into stressors related to the start of the school year. Participants will gain practical strategies for understanding and supporting children and youth through trauma-triggered responses. Specific tools and resources are shared.
Presented by clinical psychologist Dr. Carole Sebenick.
This work is funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).
Virtual Training Recording for Starting the School Year Safe and Calm
6 Ways to Calm in English and Spanish
Lista de control de bienestar emocional (NIH)
Emotional Wellness checklist (NIH)
Thoughts and Feelings words
Lista de estados de animo
Broadcast live on September 10, 2024, this FFF webinar offers parents and caregivers a new way to look at and address tough behaviors. Based on the work of Robyn Gobbel and her book, Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors, will deepen understanding of ‘challenging’ behaviors. The webinar focused on strategies that boost the nervous system’s ability to promote a connected, calm and comfortable relationship for families, caregivers and professionals who raise or work with children and youth.
Presented by Melissa Lebling, registered Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors course facilitator, and Formed Families Forward’s Family Support and Outreach Specialist.
Webinar recording
Presentation Slides
Broadcast live on August 20, 2024, this webinar presented by FFF offered families formed through foster and kinship care and adoption strategies for supporting children and youth as the new school year begins.
Recording of Starting the School Year Strong webinar
Presentation slides for Back to School webinar
Originally broadcast live on August 13, 2024 this webinar features attorney Valerie L’Herrou of Virginia Poverty Law Center sharing timely information about navigating the system of financial supports, health care, legal issues, education concerns, barriers to finding help, and maintaining family relationships.
Recording of webinar
Child Custody Fact Sheet
Virginia TANF Payee Manual
Virginia Relative Maintenance Payment information
Grandfamilies Opioid Report
Know Your Rights as a Relative Caregiver from VPLC
Kinship Guardian Support Chart from VPLC
This webinar, originally broadcast live on May 8, 2024 and hosted by Formed Families Forward, provides an overview of foster care in Virginia. Veteran DSS caseworker Shawn Nashwinter and foster/adoptive parent Melissa Lebling share specifics on training, eligibility and approval for foster or resource parents and address common questions.
Webinar Slides
Webinar recording
Originally delivered live on February 28, 2024 by pediatric Speech Language Pathologist Beth Stribling, the Let’s Talk About Talking: How Families Can Nurture and Support Communication Skills webinar offered families guidance on developmental language development milestones. Specific strategies for supporting pragmatic language were shared.
Presentation slides
Webinar recording
What is a Speech Language Pathologist? handout
Communication Milestones by age Handout
Expressive and Receptive Language Delays handout
What's Difference Between Speech and Language? Handout
This webinar originally broadcast live on January 31, 2024, was presented by Dr. Molly Millians, Emory University. Dr. Millians reviewed evidence-based school interventions as well as family and mental health supports for children and youth with prenatal alcohol exposure.
Webinar slides
Recording of webinar