Greetings Permanency Champions,
Current Permanency related articles:
AB 2886 Offers Financial and Emotional Support for Growing Population of Parenting Foster Youth – According to a 2013 report, over 1 in 3 young women in foster care will give birth by age 21. This explosive growth in the number of “parenting dependents” highlights the importance of adapting California’s continuum of placements to better accommodate the needs of parenting foster youth and their children. Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva has introduced Assembly Bill 2668, which would do this by modifying the Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILP).
States moving to ban private re-homing of adopted children – Several states are working on legislation to ban the private transfer of adopted children after reports surfaced of families “re-homing” adopted children through social media, often into the homes of pedophiles and other abusers.
Sibling Visitation Law Introduced – A state bill backed by a youth-led advocacy group to strengthen requirements on sibling visitation rights for foster youth will be introduced in California. Senate Bill 1099 would toughen the reporting requirements related to the suspension of sibling visitation rights; create more consistent visitation of reasons behind suspension and stricter guidelines to maintain suspension; and provide a pathway to facilitate sibling visitation when one sibling is in the foster care system, and another isn’t.
“This bill looks to increase accountability and really define the rules on suspending visitation rights,” said Kyle Sporleder, statewide legislative coordinator at the California Youth Connection, “which was a big problem addressed by a number of people we talked to.” Sporleder said the bill only patches a bigger problem in California’s foster care system: the separation of siblings in the first place.
Using Orphan Train to Teach History and Tolerance – Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (2013) is a woven story of two protagonists, 17-year-old Molly who is a Penobscot Indian in foster care, and Vivian, a 91-year-old widow who was orphaned at age 9 and sent to the Midwest through the Children’s Aid Society via an “orphan train.” It’s also a story about the things we take with us, the things we leave behind and the ghosts that walk along beside us-the way the memories of people who’ve gone from our lives remain etched in who we are.
We are abandoning children in foster care (Guest opinion) – In 2012 in the United States, 23,439 children in foster care turned 18 and were “emancipated” or “aged out.” In simple terms, most of them were put out into the world on their own without housing, financial assistance or emotional support. Rita Soronen is the president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
Celia’ Center’s monthly newsletter – Support Group info – 2 New Groups. – (1) Social Worker Adopt Salon starts May 13th in Mid-Wilshire District; (2) Adopt Salon Book Club starts April 27th in Hermosa Beach. Next Adopt Salon WEST LA, Thursday, April 3rd @7pm, we have a special guest, Vanessa McGrady, Adoptive Parent and Freelance Writer. Her story is shocking and unique! Click here and read for yourself “The Birth Parents Move In!” Social Workers and Mental Health Therapists invited this month too!!!! Watch the webisode from the OWN TV Show, Raising Whitley, filmed at a Celia Center, Single Parent Adopt Salon Support Group click here!!!
California Youth Connection – ACA Outreach – As of January 1st, 2014, due to the Affordable Care Act, former foster youth who were in care on their 18th birthday and are under the age of 26, are eligable for FREE Medi-Cal no matter their income level. Thanks to the support of ChildrenNow and The California Wellness Foundation, CYC has produced 6 PSAsexplaining the benefits and importance of having health care. Please click this link to watch one of the videos written, directed and produced by CYC’s Youth PSA Team.
To learn more about ACA for former foster youth, please go to: www.coveredtil26.org.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month: CWLA will be taking to social media to share #PositiveParenting tips. These #KidTips are intended to help all caregivers successfully nurture children in ways that are consistent with their developmental abilities. Follow CWLA on Facebook and Twitter and share our #CAPMonth content widely. Parenting is a tough, high stress job and frustration can sneak up on the best of us. Make it your responsibility to prevent child maltreatment and promote child well-being by helping us share knowledge about normal child development and effective parenting skills.