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Join the CT Adoption Community Network on Facebook for news and information on trainings and adoption-related events.
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Waiting Children
Please click on the AdoptUSKids link to view CT's children and youth waiting to be adopted. |
| Upcoming Events |
Please visit our events calendar on our website for a complete and up-to-date listing of ALL events that we will be appearing at. The events listed in this area are those we are hosting or play a significant role in.
Dynobites Smiles End of Summer Bash
CANCELLED Due to Storm
August 27
FAM Campout
Invitation only Hammonasett Beach
September 10-11
Ring of Hope
Adoption Support Group
Prospect Public Library
September 21
Bells Of Hope
Statewide Churches and Schools
November 4-6th |
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Wednesday's Child 
WTNH Channel 8 airs a weekly segment featuring CT children available for adoption and families formed through adoption. Click on the logo above to see recent video segments hosted by Ted Koppy. |
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Words of Wisdom | | |
The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think,
than what to think -rather to improve our minds,
so as to enable us to think for ourselves,
than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.
~John Dewey
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Open House schedule available on our website
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Prospective foster and adoptive parents are welcome at any Open House listed on our website. Please call one of the regional coordinators listed at the bottom of this newsletter or email
us for more information or to schedule an individual appointment.
Click here for the most current listing of open houses across the state.
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Volume 3, Edition 8 August 2011 |
Greetings!
What a way to end the summer! Various campgrounds across the state are closing. Schools have already postponed the first day of school. Officials in our state are busy preparing for Hurricane Irene. Many events have been cancelled or postponed. I spoke with DCF earlier today to find out what advice they are providing foster families. Be sure to read our article below and check out the links we provided if you live in an area directly in the hurricane's path (which is just about everyone.)
This fall is also a time of new beginnings. The Department of Children and Families is continuing the process of change begun under Commissioner Katz's leadership. The most recent changes impact Area Offices and their leadership staff. Click here to read more. Back-to-school can be a time of higher stress for our kids and their families. Check out these resources to help you with the transition from the lazy days of summer to the structure of school and homework. Back-to-school is always a time of great anticipation for FAM and our partners as we begin serious work on National Adoption Month activities. Most of you are aware that November is National Adoption Month and it will be upon us before we know it. Bells of Hope is once again scheduled for the first weekend of November. We will be adding other events to our calendar as they become available to us.
Keep safe this weekend!
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| Foster Family Hurricane Preparedness | | |
Is Your Family Ready?
Our colleagues at United Way have prepared hurricane safety tips on their website. Please click here to access the article. In addition, our state has prepared a website with tracking and safety information. Click here to read on...
DCF advises all foster families that they should have a back-up plan for this weekend including a list of emergency phone numbers (fire and police) and that in the case of evacuations or safety issues, put safety first and contact the DCF Hotline (1-800-842-2288) once you have reached safety or within 24 hours if you cannot immediately access a phone. In addition, families caring for medically complex children who are electrical equipment-dependent (i.e. ventilator) should have immediate access to a generator and if they do not, they should immediately contact their child's DCF worker.
We hope that none of these precautions will turn out to be necessary and hope that your families and all of the residents of Connecticut are spared the worst of the storm.
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Making a Difference! | |  A Great Big Thank You to Volunteers for Everyone Needs a Nest!
"It takes a village to raise a child "(African proverb).
This statewide project was begun to raise awareness about the continued need for foster "nests." We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the following organzations/individuals for participating in the project with us or one of our partner agencies:
- Girls, Inc., Waterbury
- First Congregational Church of Cheshire Vacation Bible School
- Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center, Montville
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Plainfield
- United Congregational Church, Pawcatuck
- Camp Chase
- Support With a Purpose Parent Group, Groton
- Brownie Troop 60681, Stonington
- Plainfield Recreation After School Program @ Shepard Hill Elementary School
- Mindful Village Homeschoolers
- Mother Daughter Tea participants
- The Walrath Family
- Various foster children and families and mentors/mentees
Do you or a member of your family belong to a service organization or youth group that would like to participate in this project? Please contact us for more information. We will be happy to refer you to a local agency participating in the project. |
Each month one of our member agencies feature a "star" whose service to children in foster care
deserves special recognition.
Stars receive a small gift from FAM and a certificate of appreciation from the nominating agency. This month our partner, Community Care Services, is honoring one of their foster families.
Not too long ago, Jessica and Joseph Gallagher came to our agency to become licensed as therapeutic foster parents. Their enthusiasm was unwavering throughout PRIDE training, the many in home visits to do the home study and throughout the process of matching a child for their home. Although our agency does not have many families yet, the Gallaghers stick out as one family that we all think will be one of our best.
Before a child was even placed in their home, Jessica had already started to think of ways to make the child more comfortable in her home- whether it was letting the child pick out the color of their new room, right down to taking them shopping so they could pick out their bed sheets and other things to make their room "theirs." Knowing how enthusiastic the Gallaghers were, we were all very anxious to make a placement. After what seemed like forever, we finally matched and placed a child in Jessica and Joseph's home and the true test really began. We started asking ourselves the same questions that any placing agency asks, "will they make it through the "honeymoon period", will they call us the first week and say it's not going to work out?" However, much to our absolute delight, as the days went on, the Gallaghers had only positive things to say. They took an immediate role in advocating for Jacob, their new foster child, and worked hard to make sure he felt as cared for and loved as he would be if he was a member of their family right from the beginning.
Over the past few months, Jacob has flourished in the Gallagher's home. He participates in activities that were brand new to him, like karate, and continues to do a wonderful job adjusting to his new life. Recently, he even participated in a triathlon and is currently attending sleep away Boy Scout camp with no issues! It has been so fulfilling to see how much of a difference the Gallaghers are making for Jacob and they have undoubtedly changed his life already. It takes strong willed people to take on a therapeutic level child and see beyond the issues they may have and we at Community Care Services want to truly thank the Gallaghers for all the hard work they've already done up until this point, and for the hard work they will undoubtedly put in, in the future.
Kristy Lacilla
Foster Parent Recruiter
Community Care Services
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Music Therapy Resource | | |
 Meet CT Music Therapy Services
FAM is pleased to provide information regarding this innovative service for kids with special needs or learning differences. Jennifer Sokira, MMT, LCAT, MT-BC will be making a presentation on the services her organization can provide to foster and adopted children at the October FAM NW meeting. If you would like to attend, please contact Deb Kelleher (info below).
Connecticut Music Therapy Services, LLC provides quality music therapy services throughout the state of CT. Their board certified music therapists provide nurturing and creative opportunities for children and family to assist them in meeting their social, emotional, communication, physical and creative needs.
We offer both home and community-based services to assist children and their families, using a collaborative approach. Connecticut Music Therapy has provided services to foster and adoptive families across the state, including medically complex children with various health issues, incuding autism.
Some of the goals areas that our clients work towards achieving include increased communication, increased emotional expression, development of sibling and family relationships and cooperation, improved sensory integration and processing. We help them achieve these goals through musical interventions like singing, songwriting, instrumental improvisation, drumming and creative movement. You don't have to have any music experience in order to participate in music therapy, and the musical interventions are tailored towards the preferences and needs of the client.
We are always happy to answer any questions that you might have. You can learn more about us and contact us at our website, www.ctmusictherapy.com.
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 Integrated Aesthetics
Star of the Month Gift Certificates are made possible by the generosity of our partner, Integrated Aesthetics, a skin care studio in Woodbridge, CT.
Please visit their website to check out the range of organic & clinical facials as well as therapeutic massage & body treatments, makeup lessons & application. The studio serves all ages, including teens.
Contact the studio at 203.687.7923 to schedule an appointment. |
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