We are writing to invite you (or the foster parent recruiter of your choice) to a free half day seminar focused on recruiting foster parents within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Connecticut. The seminar will be held on Friday, August 12th from 9:00 am to noon at the DCF Training Academy, 505 Hudson Street, Hartford, CT. The morning event will be followed by an optional (but also free) networking lunch from noon to 1:30 PM.

As you know, recruiting kinship and other families for children in care is a priority. Together DCF and its providers are tasked with creating hundreds of new homes for sometimes hard to place children and adolescents who need them.

It is estimated that there are over 100,000 LGBT adults over 18 in Connecticut, many of whom are interested and able to parent. Nationally, more than 15 million children are growing up in LGBT headed households.

This seminar is designed to help recruiters: 

• Dispel some of the myths and stereotypes about this population
• Determine what it means to be(or become)a welcoming agency
• Identify new recruitment strategies and collaborations targeting this untapped population of caring adults

The seminar is sponsored by True Colors, the Safe Harbor Project (a collaboration between DCF, True Colors and the CT Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents ) and by the Professional Parenting Program at the Institute for Professional Practice (IPPI. Both DCF and IPPI have nearly completed the HRC All Children, All Families certification process as welcoming and culturally competent organizations. 

SPACE IS LIMITED. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience by calling True Colors at 860.232.0050, Ext 302 or by emailing  Robin McHaelen 

Robin P. McHaelen, Executive Director, True Colors inc.

MSW Melodie Peet, MSWExecutive Director, IPPI