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Making sure every child living in foster care is cared for by a caregiver (foster, relative, fictive and/or adoptive) who provides skilled, nurturing parenting while helping the child maintain connections to his or her family. 
The QPI Nevada Brand
Foster parents nurture children who have experienced trauma and provide a safe, loving and healing environment in which the children can thrive. They are parenting partners who honor and support family relationships. Foster parents are dedicated, informed and committed advocates for children. They are instrumental and fully supported members of the child and family team. Great foster parents make a difference for children and families in our community.
  

QPI Calendar of Events & Foster Parent Support Meetings

Click here  for a listing of upcoming events, meetings and other activities of foster care support organizations throughout Clark County.

 

Enhance Your Skills

Various trainings are offered in the community to help enhance caregivers' capacity to parent. Please click on the links below to learn more about exciting training opportunities from which you can benefit.  

Just in Time

Nevada Partnership for Training

The Nevada Registry 

The Parenting Project

June 2015

Caregivers, DFS Staff
& Community Partners Come Together
for Passport to Partnership
 

Attendees gather information at Passport to Partnership.

 

DFS Assistant Director Michael Knight presents a proclamation to Kristen and Brad Mainor for their charitable work through Superheroes 4 Sully.

 

More than 300 caregivers, DFS staff members and community partners came together at Palace Station Hotel & Casino last month for Passport to Partnership, hosted by DFS. This Quality Parenting Initiative event fostered open dialogue and continued the partnership concept of addressing the issues and needs of children and families in care.

Caregivers and DFS staff members shared thoughts during the Passport to Partnership event.

 

Attendees were encouraged to discuss their partnership experiences within the foster care system. They shared perspectives on how the Partnership Agreement will help build stronger relationships and build a stronger foundation for children in care.

 

In addition, several community partner organizations were on hand, including Healthy Minds, Fostering Southern Nevada, Foster Connect and many more to serve as resources for caregivers and DFS staff.

 

Caregivers in attendance were the first to receive their official Foster Parent ID badges, provided by DFS. How can you get yours? Read below.

 

Click here to see more photos from the event.

"How Do I Get a
Foster Parent ID Badge?"

If you are currently a licensed DFS caregiver, whose annual home inspection is NOT scheduled to occur within the next two months, please call 702-455-0181 to make an appointment to get your foster parent ID badge. IDs will be produced by appointment only at the DFS Central offices at 121 S Martin Luther King Blvd.

Introducing Foster Friends!

An Exciting New Partnership
to Benefit All DFS Foster Parents

  

Last month at Passport to Partnership, we unveiled the Foster Friends program to licensed DFS caregivers, community partners and DFS staff. This exciting new program is a partnership with businesses and other community organizations to provide special discounts, services and offers EXCLUSIVELY to our licensed DFS caregivers. It is a way for businesses and organizations to say "thank you" to our foster parents and give them a little help to provide for their families.

 

Click here to learn more about the great deals available to you and how you can take advantage of them.

Spotlight on Quality
Perla: Quality Foster Youth
 
Each month the Foster Parent Champion Program highlights a caregiver, case manager, or other foster care team member who exemplifies the quality of care that we strive for as a community focused on the needs of children.

Perla's story is different than most kids her age. She came into DFS care after the arrest of her mother. The stress and anxiety of her mother's situation and being separated from her siblings led to Perla moving from one relative's home to another. 

Initially placed in a treatment level home through an agency, Perla was still experiencing emotional challenges. It was clear Perla needed special attention to help her deal with her issues. 
 
Enter, Ms. Thomas.


Do You Know a Quality Caregiver, Case Manager or Other Foster Care Team Member? 
To nominate a caregiver, case manager or other foster care team member that you believe demonstrates quality care, please email your nomination to DFSFPC@ClarkCountyNV.gov or call us at 702-455-1149. The Foster Parent Champion Program is available Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Caregiver Video of the Month:
Know Your Rights as a Foster Parent

The Clark County Family Court system can be very confusing to both new caregivers and experienced foster parents. There are many questions that caregivers have including who has permission to speak at court, what to expect and what is the goal of the different court hearings.

 

This video provides answers those questions and more by explaining what happens specifically in the Clark County Courts. The presenter is a current District Attorney representing the Department of Family Services and he offers practical information for all licensed and unlicensed caregivers.

 

Topic: Systems and Advocating for Children & Youth  

Length: 1 hour, 38 minutes

Training Hours: 1? credit

Rating: ?????

 

The objective of this training is to inform caregivers about the legal side of foster care. The training presents information on how the court system works in regards to foster care, including the time frames for processes. The audience learns about the foster parent's role.

 

This video is particularly important because it pertains specifically to the Clark County court system, and answers questions that foster parents often have. At the end of the training, the audience will be able to effectively navigate their role as a caregiver in the realm of the legal system.

School's Out!

Are You Ready for the Summer?

 

Starting today, your kids are on summer vacation. Are you prepared for them? Back by popular demand, the Caregiver Courier Summer Activities List! 

 

Click here to check out these great, family-friendly events and activities in and around the Vegas Valley. Summer camps, movies, water parks and much more! 

 

The "Stars" Came Out for 10th Annual Heart Gallery Opening
"Matthew McConaughey" keeps a watchful eye at the Heart Gallery opening at Madame Tussauds.
 
George Clooney was there. So were "Brangelina," Liberace, Muhammad Ali and many, many more for the 10th annual Heart Gallery opening, held at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas last month.
  
About 200 invited guests joined the wax figures at the event, presented by the Adoption Exchange. More than 80 children who are legally free for adoption are featured in this year's Heart Gallery, which will be showcased throughout the Valley for the next year.
  
Click here to learn more about the Heart Gallery and the featured children. Also, the Adoption Exchange is holding its annual MONOPOLY? Tournament on Saturday, June 27 at UNLV. Click here for more information.
 
Dave Courvoisier (the real thing...not a wax figure) of KLAS-TV served as emcee for the event.

 

Heart Gallery attendees have fun with "Jerry Springer."

  

Karaoke among statues of Lenny Kravitz, Prince and Lady Gaga was a popular attraction at the Heart Gallery opening.

 

Legendary daredevil Evel Knievel even let kids hop on his motorcycle! (No jumps over the Caesars Palace fountains were attempted at the Heart Gallery opening.)
Don't Miss the Food, Games & Fun
at This Saturday's "Meet Up, Eat Up"
at Paradise Park
  
Do you like fun, sun, food and helping kids find healthy meal options all summer long? Don't miss the Meet Up and Eat Up Summer Food Service Program kickoff.

This free event features great music, food, fun, family-oriented games and much, much more!

  
What: Meet Up and Eat Up Summer Food Service Program Kickoff

When: 10 a.m. - noon, Saturday, June 6, 2015

Where: Paradise Park, 4775 McLeod Dr., Las Vegas

 

Presented by Three Square, this event helps raise awareness for summer food options for kids while having a great time in the park! Click here to learn more about Three Square's Summer Food Service Program.
The Center:
A Community Resource for All

In recognition of June as LGBT Pride Month, DFS honors a great community resource and community partner: The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada. This community-based organization supports and promotes activities directed at furthering the well-being, positive image and human rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, its allies, and low-to-moderate income residents in Southern Nevada. Known to most as The Center, the organization fulfills its mission through several programs as well as providing meeting space for peer-led groups and numerous community organizations.

 

The Center's programs include:

  • QVolution, a program for youth, ages 13-24
  • Vegas Mpowerment Project for gay, bisexual and transgender men, ages 18-35
  • Identi-T* programs for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals
  • ACT III (Aging Communities Together) senior program

Additionally, the Center serves as a community resource:

  • The David Bohnett CyberCenter, provides complimentary Internet access to the public during normal business hours.
  • The David R. Parks Lending Library boasts a collection of more than 4,000 LGBTQ and mainstream books and DVDs.
  • The Southern Nevada Health District offers complimentary HIV and syphilis testing at The Center four days per week.

The Center is located at 401 S. Maryland Pkwy. and is open 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday - Friday and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturdays. A full list of services and schedule of events may be found online at www.TheCenterLV.org.

Clark County Department of Family Services | 702-455-5444 | http://tinyurl.com/my66nkm
121 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89106