September E-Newsletter

Volume 5 Edition 9

In This Issue

AdoptUsKids

CT Heart Gallery

Suggested Reading

Open House Schedule

Support groups

News and Items of Interest

7 things kids need

College and Career fair

Youth Perspectives

Take care of yourself

Contact Us

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Stay connected and receive updates on issues important to you. Receive invitations to events, participate in fun contests, receive coupons for events and see photos from past events.

Adoptive Parents

Are you an adoptive parent?

Join the

CT Adoption Community Network on Facebook for news and information on trainings and adoption-related events.

Waiting Children
*Please click on the AdoptUSKids logo to view CT's children and youth waiting to be adopted who are registered with AdoptUSKids.*

CT Heart Gallery
*Please click on logo to view the write-ups and videos of CT's children and youth waiting to be adopted. (These children and youth may be different from the ones listed on the AdoptUSKids site.)*

Suggested Reading

Books on Foster Care And Adoption

Click here to download a PDF file containing an updated comprehensive list of books on foster care and adoption topics, including childrens' books.

Have we forgotten one of your favorite books? Please let us know and we will be happy to add it to the list.

Lending Library

Region 5 Lending Library

Please check out the titles available to families. Included in the list of 60 titles are a number of great books for young children as well as teens. If you would like any information regarding any of these books Amazon carries all of them and publishes synopses on them.
Families are welcome to borrow titles for up to one month.

Details are available by clicking here.

Open House Schedule

Want to learn more about foster/adoptive parenting?

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.

Our Support Groups

Foster Care Alumni Support Group
211 Schraffts Dr #A5

Waterbury 1st Thursday, 6-8 pm

Building Block Club
211 Schraffts Dr #A5

Waterbury
3rd Thursday, 4-5:30pm

Post-Adoption Support Group

211 Schraffts Dr # A5

3rd Wednesday, 7pm

No childcare.

Relative Caregiver Support Group

211 Schraffts Dr # A6

4th Monday, 10 a.m.
No childcare.

Relative Caregiver Support Group

Torrington Headstart

1st & 3rd Saturday

10 a.m.

Child care available with RSVP
860-489-8552

Quick Links

Adoption Assistance Program

Adoption Community Network

-official kids' portal for the U.S. government

NAMI-CT

Help with mental illness resources and support

Represent Magazine

-national magazine written by youth in foster care

Spoonful

Wrightslaw -
CT page for resource relating todisability resources

September 30, 2014

Chances are your kids are slowly adjusting to new school schedules and you are too. There is so much to remember - sign papers, check homework, school uniforms and lunch prep. And, these days parents have an additional worry - the internet. Necessary for many school assignments and a powerful resource if used wisely. Check out all the tools available for parents and youth on this back-to-school page regarding digital citizenship. Click here. For CT-specific information on special ed, early childhood education, school choice and many other topics of interest from the CT Department of Education, click here.

Region 5 families (reside in towns served by DCF offices in Waterbury,

Torrington or Danbury), please respond to the anonymous 3 question survey created to poll you about our annual regional Quassy Family Fun Day. This past August we saw a drop in families attending this usually very popular event. Our goal is to host an event that you all enjoy and are able to attend. Let us know your thoughts!

Do you have a high school student living in your home? Our college and career fair is coming up. Be sure to sign up to attend. There will be lots of information for career-minded youth. A former foster youth will be speaking, as well as a DCF supervisor.

Halloween is fast approaching. This link will help you prepare kids in foster care for the holiday. Click here.

Best wishes,

News and Items of Interest

Click on the calendar at right to see upcoming events.

Check out all the great information we've been posting on Facebook recently!

Do you love this story? Pittsburgh Detective thinks outside the box to help foster kids
It's time for Tuesday Trainings for foster, adoptive and relative caregivers. The Rudd Adoption Center talk on "Post-Institutionalized Children Become Teenagers: Early Deprivation and the Developing Teen Brain" is this week's focus.
Once a week we post a training that many agencies will approve for post-licensing credit. Check our "Notes" section for more information and to download a copy of the Resource Parent Training Credit Form. Once you have completed the training you will need to fill this form out in order to receive credit. "Post-Institutionalized Children Become Teenagers" by Megan Gunnar, PhD
Mary - we think you are totally awesome! Our kids need more folks like you!!! Meet the Incredible Woman Who Has Changed The Lives Of Nearly Two Dozen Foster Kids
A firsthand account of foster parent grief and loss as well as some helpful ideas of how others can help you when you experience the loss of a child (through placement change.) Comforting the Grieving Foster Parent
Enterovirus has been confirmed in CT. Those of you with medically complex kiddos, take care. Do not hesitate to contact your child's pediatrician if you are concerned. Protecting your kids from enterovirus D68 (This virus is now confirmed in CT.)

7 Things Kids Need to Hear

College and Career Fair Registration

Upcoming Events

College and Career Fair 2014

WHEN: Saturday October 18, 2014 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM

WHERE: Kaynor Technical High School

High School aged youth in foster care are invited to a college and career fair. Explore your options. Learn more from college representatives. Hear from local employers and professionals. Attend a workshop. Ask questions. Collect information.

Questions: Call 475-235-2184 and ask for Deb.

Click for PDF of brochure

Youth Perspectives

Taking care of ourselves

Parents - what are you doing for YOU today? Parenting children from hard places requires each of us to take care of ourselves - to show our children how important it is to care about ourselves as well as to prevent burn-out. So what are you doing for you today?

Contact Information
Northwestern CT Regional Coordinator: Deb Kelleher 203.706.0101 Email Greater New Haven Area Regional Coordinator: Laura Rainey Email Central/Southeastern CT Coordinator: Alana Jones 860.710.1593 Email