Setting Healthy Boundaries in Kinship Care

Presented by Heidi Blue, MSW & a former Kinship Caregiver

A new Kinship Specific Series of Classes – Open to all Resource Parents
Each Class will be held on the 3^rd & 4^th Thursday Morning of the Month, 10:00 am to 12:00 Noon, all held via Zoom

Via Zoom.  FOR ALL THE CLASSES there is one link; it will take you 3-4 minutes to register each time.

REGISTER

Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

CLASSES:

• The Benefits & Unique Challenges of Kinship Care
  Thursday, August 14^th   
  Participants are guided through a discussion how kinship care changes a family’s dynamics.  Often kinship caregivers make the decision to accept children into their homes during a crisis and may include elements of guilt and responsibility.  Through guided discussions, participants will consider the importance of putting the child’s needs first in the extended family and how to make solid decisions regarding the status of their family. There are many benefits of Kinship Care – When children cannot live safely with their parents it can minimize the trauma of removal; Improve a child’s well-being; Increases permanency for children; Improves behavioral and mental health outcomes; Promotes sibling ties; Provides a bridge for older youth; and Preserves children’s cultural identity and community connections.
• Permanency – Understanding the Options & Making the Decision
  Thursday, August 21^st   
  Kinship Care often creates a path for children to stay connected to family and other significant people in their lives.  However, it is important to recognize that children may have other connections that also promote healthy emotional development and more positive life outcomes.  This workshop reviews some of the important connections to help participants create strategies to maintain them.  Participants will also know more about the child welfare system and permanency options.
• Navigating the System for Kinship Caregivers
  Thursday, Sept. 18^th
  This is an opportunity to discuss the changing role of the kinship family, its challenges, and rewards.  Included will be the importance of providing support to children through transitions into care and back to home when reunification is the plan; along with a conversation making decisions for permanency.
• The Dynamics of Substance Abuse
  Thursday, Sept. 25^th
  A birth parent’s behavior with a substance abuse disorder is often all over the plan and has a multifaceted impact on a child.  Effects can be direct, such as physical or sexual abuse, and/or indirect including a chaotic environment and neglect.  Parental substance abuse can also impact prenatal, early childhood, and adolescent development.  This class will also look at the impact of a parent’s using on the extended family when a child is brought into care.
• Setting Healthy Boundaries in Kinship Care
  Thursday, Oct.  16^th
  Boundaries are the limits we set with other people, which indicate what we find acceptable and unacceptable in their behavior towards us. They help define who we are and help us maintain our mental and emotional health. They are not walls to keep others out; they are guidelines that help us express our needs and expectations clearly and assertively. Consistency is vital when it comes to setting boundaries. When we are inconsistent, it sends mixed signals to others about what we find acceptable.
• The Face of Kinship, Based on a Documentary
  Thursday, Oct.  23^rd   
  The documentary portrays the compelling stories of three unique kinship families and the love and devotion they show to their grandchildren, and everyone around them.  Each grandparent caregiver works every day, around the clock, with little recognition and support to achieve success at one of the most difficult, yet most important jobs in the world – parenting.  This is a specialty class that looks at the challenges and rewards of kinship caregiving.