December 2022 Issue 57

How to Support Children During the Holidays

As we enter the holiday season, there is a lot to look forward to. We often associate this time of year with fun traditions, fond memories, and spending time with family. For children in foster care, the holidays may have different associations. No matter how much effort is made to include them in your family’s traditions or make the holidays extra special, the child may still feel sad to be separated from their family. It can help to empathize with what the child may be feeling during a time when so much emphasis is placed on family and togetherness. They may be wondering what their family is doing, if they are okay, if they miss them, etc.

It is also important to bear in mind that, in some cases, this may be the first time the child will receive gifts or get to see Santa. They may feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, or confused about these experiences. Children are often unable to verbalize these complex emotions; instead, it presents in their behavior. You may see an increase in emotional dysregulation, change in sleep or appetite, more defiance or clinginess, emotional distancing, etc., leading up to or following the holiday season.

Here are some strategies that your family can implement to support your foster child during the holidays:

• Learn about what the holidays mean to them. Ask the child about their own traditions and beliefs. Ask about how they usually celebrate the holidays and if they would be comfortable doing any of this with your family or incorporating it with your own traditions.
• Prepare them for what your family does to celebrate the holidays. Talk to them about your traditions and customs, and make sure they know about any religious customs, what they should wear, what you will eat, etc. Describe the home or place where any event will be held and tell them how it usually proceeds. Tell them what to expect with your celebrations; are they loud or quiet, sacred or silly, big or small.
• Facilitate communication and/or visits with the child’s family (if it is safe/appropriate). Children often worry about their family struggling during the holidays, and being able to speak with them or see them may put their mind at ease. Support the child in making or buying a gift for their parents, siblings, or other important family members, if they want to.
• If it is safe and approved by the DCS Specialist, consider extending an invitation to siblings or parents during the holiday. It does not need to be an invitation to your main holiday celebration or to your home; consider a “special dinner” or an extra visit at a park. It will show the child that you respect their wish to remain connected to their family and that they aren’t being put in a position to “choose” one family over the other.
• Prepare your family and friends before visits. They may be curious about the addition to your family, and it’s natural that they would have questions. Think in advance about how to answer some of the questions you may receive while maintaining the child’s confidentiality. It may also help to provide some guidance to your family and friends on any topics to avoid discussing in front of the child.
• Conversely, tell the child about the “characters” in your family that they may meet; share photos or arrange meeting your family in advance, if possible. Know that it may be overwhelming to meet so many new people at once, so if possible, prepare a place for the child to have some quiet time if they need to decompress for a bit.
• Discuss with the child how they would like to be introduced and, if age-appropriate, what they are comfortable sharing about their history. The child has no obligation to reveal their past. Help them set boundaries and consider arranging a private “signal” to use if they feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable.
• Have extra gifts ready to offset an imbalance. While it should not be expected that all relatives purchase presents for the child in your care, children often keep count of the number of gifts received, and they may notice if they have received less than the other children in your family. Extra presents can be “from Santa,” and the child will not feel that they are being treated differently.
• A child in care may be confused or overwhelmed when asked to identify gifts for a wish list. For some, they may not have celebrated Christmas before, or they may be used to getting only “needs” not “wants.” Try not to put so much pressure on them to tell you what they want. Let them know that the desire to give them a gift means that they are loved.
• If your family plans to travel, make sure the child is informed of where you are going, who they will meet, and what to expect. If they will miss visits or other communication with their family, explain what that will look like, such as video chats during the trip or make up visits when you return.
• Try not to take it personally if the child pulls away, acts out, or has other behavioral changes. Be empathetic and open to listening if the child wants to talk. Give them space and support during this time. Listen to what they need and provide it if it is within your power to do so.

The Art of Love Christmas Party

Run Home Camp

Do you have a boy age 9-12 in your care that loves baseball? Run Home Camps is hosting a free overnight baseball camp in Phoenix on December 27-31 at Arizona Christian University. The program serves boys in foster care and nurtures their love of baseball. There will be professional baseball players and volunteers helping the children learn and play baseball while creating childhood memories. The boy does NOT need to have any baseball experience.

PAX Tools Workshops

Children don’t come with instruction manuals, but PAX Tools can help!

How would you like to:

• Reduce conflict at home and in the community?
• Create better relationships with the young people in your care?
• Help your young people learn to manage their own behavior?

PAX Tools are simple strategies to improve cooperation, reduce unwanted behavior, and help build self-regulation and positive behavior in you people!

AHCCCS has teamed with Tucson-based PAXIS Institute to offer PAX Tools Workshops at no cost to Arizona families and caregivers.

Caregivers who participate in a 2-hour, live virtual PAX Tools Workshop will receive all the materials needed to use PAX Tools in a variety of settings. Additionally, everyone completing a PAX Tools Workshop will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card.

To register for an upcoming workshop, please email info@paxis.org.

Parent Partners Plus

Therapeutic Foster Care Info Sessions

Dear Caregivers,

We thank you for your ongoing commitment and support to the children and families you support in our community. We are writing today to discuss a growing need in our community to support more children in a family setting. There are opportunities to support children in need by being a Therapeutic Foster Caregiver. We believe that many community caregivers have the skills and experience needed to be successful serving children with higher therapeutic needs. Children in therapeutic foster care need consistent and stable caregivers with behavioral health experience and skills in order to help them on the path to succeed in their next family environment.

We would like to invite you to attend a virtual information session with the agencies that support Therapeutic Foster Care, to help share information regarding the licensing experiences and differences from community care. These information sessions will review specific guidelines and requirements for becoming a Therapeutic Foster Caregiver. We hope that you will consider attending to learn more and see if this is something that you and your family might be interested in pursuing. If it is not right for you, consider that you may know someone who is a good fit. If so, please recommend this opportunity to them.

Virtual Information Sessions:

• Every 2nd Thursday of the month (6pm)
• Every 4th Saturday of the month (10am)

Thank you so much for your time and dedication to children and families in need.

Sincerely, Gillian Vanasse, Assistant Director for Foster Care Supports

Foster Family Weekend Experience

MayFly Project

Free Arts Family Nights

Free Arts would like to welcome foster and kinship families for a night of community connection. Kick off the month with an art project, dinner, and quality time together. Learn more about Free Arts programs for foster families. Pizza and salad are included, and the whole family is invited!

Click this link to register for one or more of these monthly Monday night events: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-arts-family-night-tickets-428691366417

For more information, please contact Erina Sanchez by emailing esanchez@freearts.org or calling (602) 258-8100, ext. 920.

Child and Family Advisory Partnership (CFAP)

CPR/1st Aid and Abuse/Neglect/Exploitation Trainings

Casa de los Ninos is offering in-person/online hybrid CPR/1st Aid traning and an Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Awareness training (DDD-required for CDH-licensed homes) for just $35 per person.

CPR/1st Aid

• Saturday, December 3, 9-12pm

CPLC Training Classes

Chicanos Por La Causa is offering a free class for tweens/teens ages 11 - 18, as well as a parenting class for their caregivers.

Our teen class goes by the name of "Sowing Seeds" and centers around drug abuse prevention education. The curriculum we use in the class is research-based and is called Project TND (Toward No Drug Abuse). We know that this topic is not one of the "fun" topics to cover, but we aim to keep conversations very open and honest in a judgment-free zone.

Our parenting class is facilitated by Pam Campbell, who is a certified trainer of trainers of the "Active Parenting of Teens" curriculum. Pam takes a trauma-informed care approach to facilitating these classes. The focus of the class overall is to strengthen the bonds between caregivers and their youth by going over different parenting styles, demonstrating effective communication, and learning about how to have talks with their children about sexuality and substance abuse prevention.

CPLC Parenting Arizona does provide all course materials. At the end of all 6 sessions, participants earn a "Family Toolkit" that comes with journals, pencils, a medical lockbox, a "How Well Do You Know Me" game, and other useful things for families to practice what they learned in class. We also do provide a certificate of completion to caregivers that lists 12 hours of class time completed. Parenting classes are open to Foster/Kinship/Adoptive parents and also to professionals who work with foster/kinship/adoptive youth.

Scheduling varies by need, so please reach out to Ashley Avila for more information.

Foster Arizona

Foster Arizona is providing some much-needed resources for kinship and foster families. Families can request First Night Essentials for new placements, as well as Back-to-School supplies.

First Night Essential Items

Are you in immediate need of some items for a child that has been recently placed in your home? Please fill out our request form. Be specific and add links, if the items are available online.

Current Notice To Provider is required for each child needing support. Also, the child must have been placed in your home within the last 10 days. Please fill out one form per child. Requests will be met as funding allows. You will be notified if/when the request is fulfilled. Kinship families will receive priority.

To request First Night Essentials, click this link: https://forms.gle/x8SgwYe7sn5M8LQq8.

Back-to-School Items

Are you in need of items for your child’s education, or items that will allow him or her to experience normalization in their schooling? Please fill out our request form. Be specific and add links if the items are available online. Also, upload any school supporting documents, if the request is a school fee.

Current Notice to Provider is required for each child needing support. Please fill out one form per child. Requests will be met as funding allows. You will be notified if/when the request is fulfilled. Kinship families will receive priority.

To request Back-to-School Items, click this link: https://forms.gle/YQXFcmB58dhP25CN8

Love Your Texture - African American Hair Care

Love Your Texture is an organization that answers questions and educates foster caregivers on hair products and styling all textures of hair. The organization is eligible for funding through Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (under Ethnic Hair Care).

Boys & Girls Club

Foster Ed

Advocacy31nine

Are you a caregiver of a student in foster care? Do you need support navigating the special education system to get help for your student? Does your student have difficulty at school or exhibit behaviors that have a negative impact at school?

Advocacy31nine provides educational advocates at no cost for students impacted by foster care, kinship, or adoption in Arizona. Our trained advocates help you navigate the confusing maze of special education and help students get the support they need to THRIVE!

one-n-ten Support Groups

one-n-ten provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to connect with others, engage in fun, empowering programs, and get resources to be their best self. They also offer a monthly Parents' Group that is open to parents, teachers, counselors, or other trusted adults to ask questions about one-n-ten programs and services and how to best support their LGBTQ+ youth. For questions about Parents' Group, contact Gina at 602-279-0894 or gina@onenten.org

Arizona Grandparent Ambassadors

We are a statewide support and legislative advocacy network of, by and for grandparents raising grandchildren and non-parent caregivers raising children. We are the families who give these children safe, stable homes and keep them out of the foster care system. Join us as we work with legislators and policymakers to create positive changes for our families. Check out our website for information and resources, including parenting classes, respite services, support groups, therapy and parenting help, and more!

Raising Special Kids

Raising Special Kids began in 1979 as a grassroots effort of families, professionals, and community leaders determined to provide support and information for parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs. Today, Raising Special Kids serves as Arizona’s Family-to-Family Health Information Center, and as Arizona’s Parent Training and Information Center. Helping parents access information about health care, community resources, and support services so they can make informed decisions regarding their children’s care has been our mission from the beginning. We support thousands of Arizona families each year through our programs and services.

Raising Special Kids provides programs and services at no cost to families. No eligibility determinations are required. Any parent or family member of a child with a disability can take advantage of services provided in English, Spanish, and other languages.

• Individual Consultation - Our staff of Family Support Specialists is comprised of parents and family members of children with disabilities who can relate to the challenges facing parents and family members who call for support. Our staff receives ongoing training on Federal and State programs, as well as community-based programs and resources, available to individuals with disabilities and special health care needs. We provide families with support for the full spectrum of issues a family may encounter from birth through age 26, and sometimes beyond. Raising Special Kids staff specializes in information and training in the areas of Education, Health Care, Behavior Support, and Transition to Adulthood. Families who contact us or are referred for individual consultation will receive: a call from one of our Family Support Specialists by the end of the following business day; compassion and understanding from our staff of professional, experienced, fellow parents or family members of a child with a disability; information, resources, problem-solving support, and strategies to help parents access and advocate for the support their child needs.
• Parent-to-Parent support has always been the heart of Raising Special Kids. Each year, more than 300 families in Arizona are connected with veteran “mentor” parents who have walked a similar path and who understand the challenges of raising a child with a disability or special health care need.
• Raising Special Kids’ Positive Family Coaching (PFC) program provides enhanced support to families of children receiving behavioral health services through AHCCCS. Through the child’s Child & Family Team (CFT), Raising Special Kids can provide support with education, health care system navigation, development of effective advocacy skills, and strategies for positive behavior support. Currently, Raising Special Kids PFC program is only available to families of children with Mercy Care and United Healthcare plans through AHCCCS, with more plans to come soon. If you have Mercy Care or United Healthcare and would like to receive Positive Family Coaching from Raising Special Kids, please contact your child’s case manager to request our Positive Family Coaching services. For more information, please call us at 602-242-4366.
• Events & Trainings - At this time, most events and trainings are being held virtually. Trainings/workshops include topics such as Talking to Your Child About Sexuality, Understanding 504, IEP Training, High School Transition, Early Childhood Education, Positive Behavior Support, and more.

Family Involvement Center Resources

For plenty of parents, teachers, and school staff, anxiety is running high as school is back to in-person learning, and COVID-19 cases are rising again. So we want to remind you that support is available right now. Our team is trained to help with recovering from the psychological effects caused by the pandemic. Thanks to our partnership with Resilient Arizona, you can receive confidential help at no cost in group or one-on-one settings. This includes for supportive crisis counseling, education and development of coping skills. Again, services are 100% free and confidential.

Resilient Arizona providers are located throughout Arizona. If you live in Northern Arizona, call (928) 440-6181. If you reside in Central Arizona, call (602) 704-0440. And if you live in Southern Arizona, please call (520) 485-5858.

The available support also includes assistance with finding food, paying house bills, accessing free childcare, and other essential services. You can also dial 2-1-1 anywhere in Arizona 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or visit www.ResilientArizona.org. Feel free to email us at pac@familyinvolvementcenter.org if you have any additional questions.

ASA Now

ASA Now is a non-profit organization that ADVOCATES for, SUPPORTS, and ASSISTS children and families impacted by foster care. We are passionate about providing support to families and professionals by restoring hope and empowering them to better serve these children in need.

Services we offer include tutoring & extracurricular activities, food pantry, clothing, and meeting basic necessities. Other services include life skills for youth, respite care, therapeutic programs, family activities, peer-to-peer support groups, education and training on utilizing Jacob's Law to obtain behavioral health services, providing resources to families and caregivers to successfully navigate the foster care system, raising awareness, recruiting new foster families, and advocating for families and their children.

Arizona Helping Hands

Arizona Helping Hands provides essential needs for children in foster care in an effort to help every foster child feel safe and loved. Our programs provide beds, clothing, hygiene items, birthday packages, backpacks filled with school supplies, licensing safety items, foster footlockers, and more. Our services are open to kinship and foster families with a current Notice to Provider.

After hearing stories of caseworkers driving over six hours to pick up items like beds, clothes, and birthday gifts, we have decided to open a second Arizona Helping Hands location in Flagstaff, Arizona. This northern location is our first step in expanding access to our services across the state. To receive assistance from our Flagstaff location, please contact Matt Lipan at mlipan@azhelpinghands.org to schedule an appointment.

Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents

AZAFAP wants to support you and the children in your family (foster, kinship, adopted, biological). We are a non-profit, statewide organization that serves families who adopt children and provide foster and kinship care. Working in partnership with child welfare professionals and the community, our purpose is to support, educate, empower and provide a unified voice for Arizona’s foster and adoptive families, with the goal of increasing the well-being and stability of Arizona’s most vulnerable children. AZAFAP’s programming is open to all foster, kinship, and adoptive families in Arizona. Basic membership is free and includes a subscription to our monthly newsletter with information and resources, our online support groups, and some of our training. Premier membership is available for an annual fee of $75 for two-parent families and a discounted rate of $50 for single-parent families. Premier members are eligible to participate in all program activities. Our programming includes Family Connections events like camps, picnics, and staycations, Family Support Services such as training, Children’s Basic Needs with new shoes, jackets, toys and bikes, and Community Awareness events. Join us today before the Family Camp registration opens! Visit www.azafap.org/membership for more information.

Sign up on our Event Calendar! If you aren’t a member yet, check out our free membership so you can sign up! Ever need adult conversation during the week? We also have weekly drop-in chats on the calendar on Tuesdays and Fridays!

Papa John's Partnership

Southwest Human Development Head Start

Southwest Human Development is offering Early Head Start and Head Start Programs. The in-person classes will be small to encourage physical distancing while being socially together. There will also be virtual programs that families can participate in from home. In-person groups will be limited to 8 children with 2 or 4 teachers, depending on the length of the program day.

For children under 3 years old, the Early Head Start program offers a 10-hour program for working families designed to provide a high-quality learning environment while encouraging physical distancing, as well as a virtual curriculum families can participate in from home.

The Head Start program has in-person, small group programs offering 10 hours, 6 hours, or 3.5 hours of care in a high-quality learning environment designed to limit close physical contact, as well as a virtual option for families to participate in from their home.

Child Crisis Arizona Training

Child Crisis Arizona's spring program calendar is live! Classes include Adoption 101, Neurosequential Model in Caregiving, Trauma Informed Parenting Techniques, and more! All trainings are virtual via Zoom.

Email FCATraining@childcrisisaz.org to register for training or the support group!

STEP Training- TUCSON

Support, Tools, and Education for Parents (STEP) is designed to build positive relationships between family members. It provides a safe space to discuss topics that may be too difficult to talk about at home. These conversations are about peer pressure, stress, and the importance of working together as a team. When caregivers and children work together, it creates a stronger family! The Children’s Advocacy Center understands that family does not always mean a biological parent and child. STEP is a program that will benefit the whole family, including biological, foster, kinship, and adoptive families.

Families enrolled in STEP will meet virtually each week. Each session consists of different topics such as communication, stress management, substance abuse prevention and how to talk to your child about difficult topics (identifying potential child abusers, child abuse, healthy and concerning sexualized behavior), each session building on the next. Child care will be available when classes are offered in person again. For questions, please contact Jackie Ballesteros at jballesteros@soazadvocacy.org or 520-724-2148.

Christian Family Care Training

AZ.127 Foster Family Support & Connections

AZ.127 will be offering support via Facebook & Instagram mini-sessions of techniques and tools from the Trust-Based Relational Intervention program. Additionally, they will be matching mentor foster families with foster families in need of support.

Caring Connections for Special Needs

Yavapai CASA for Kids

Helen's Hope Chest

At Helen's Hope Chest, our mission is to engage the community to provide for the basic needs of children and teens in foster and kinship care. Helen's provides more than just clothes for kids in care. It is important that every youth who comes through our door feels a sense of confidence, acceptance, and dignity. Our boutique environment allows kids to choose their favorite items and feel like they are in a regular store, all at no cost to the foster/kinship family.

Families with a current foster or kinship placement are encouraged to call us at 480-969-5411 to schedule an appointment.

Christian Family Care Thrift Store

Did you know, Christian Family Care’s Thrift Stores have been around since 1996? Previously known as Family Attic, our Tucson and Phoenix thrift stores help fund our adoption, foster care, and counseling programs. Make a donation, shop, or volunteer at our thrift stores. Don’t miss out on all of the amazing discounts we offer. All foster/adoptive families in Arizona receive a 25% off discount when shopping at our thrift stores. Just show the cashier this Thrive article for the discount. Visit https://cfcare.org/get-involved/#thrift-stores to learn more!

Tucson Resources

Spreading Threads is a grassroots, nonprofit community clothing bank that provides free clothes to foster youth in southern Arizona. The organization was founded by two foster moms in Tucson who have fostered and adopted several children in Arizona. Your donations go directly to local children in need. The second Saturday of each month, foster, adoptive, and kinship families can visit the clothing bank. A Notice to Provider will be needed. The clothing bank events are held at 2945 N Flowing Wells in Tucson.

A Mighty Change of Heart

A Mighty Change of Heart provides FREE duffle bags to foster children with new, age-appropriate items inside: 2 outfits, shoes & socks, underwear, book, diapers/wipes, hygiene items, and more. These bags have the children’s names embroidered on them, and are something that they can call their very own. They have delivered over 3,500 bags across the state.

Please check out their website for more information: www.amchaz.com. If your family, business, church group or school would be interested in holding a donation drive, please contact A Mighty Change of Heart. Items are always needed.

Warmline Supports Kinship and Foster Families

The Foster Parent Warmline is available for kinship families and licensed foster parents. While not an emergency number, Warmline staff can assist with information, timely communication, and support. It is not intended to discourage or replace direct and regular communication between the DCS Specialist and the out-of-home caregiver. You can reach the Warmline by calling 1-877-KIDSNEEDU (1-877-543-7633) and selecting Option 3. Please leave a message with your name and contact information in order to receive a call back.

Children's Heart Gallery

More than 70 percent of the children in need of forever families are adopted by their relatives or foster parents. For the remainder, special recruitment efforts like the Heart Gallery are used to connect them with a forever family.

The children featured in the Heart Gallery represent all ethnic groups and range in age from toddlers to teenagers. Some have special behavioral or medical needs, some are without siblings, and others are in groups of siblings.

Hero & Tauke