Making sure every child living in foster care is cared for by a caregiver (foster, relative, fictive and adoptive) who provides skilled, nurturing parenting while helping the child maintain connections to his or her family.
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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.
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QPI Calendar of Events
Click here for a listing of upcoming events and meetings.
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Foster Parent Support Organizations
Looking to connect with other foster parents or find other resources? Check out the activities of foster care support organizations through-out Clark County.
Go here for more information. |
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The Month of May:
Foster Care Awareness Month
"Nobody prepares you for waking up five times a night throughout the night with a baby...Being a foster (parent) is not 9 to 5. It's 24/7."
Those are the words of foster parent Sam Diaz. He and his wife, Vanessa, have been caregivers for nearly a year. They attended last month's Spring Celebration and Foster Connection event to spread the word about what it means to be a foster parent. The event was sponsored by the City of Las Vegas, Foster Connect and the Clark County Department of Family Services.
As May is Foster Care Awareness Month, we bring you this video (above) honoring all the dedicated caregivers and community partners who give their time and their love to children in foster care. |
Clark County Family Honored as Part of County Commission Proclamation
On May 6, Rabbi Craig and Audrey Rosenstein were joined by their children as Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly and Department of Family Services Director Lisa Ruiz-Lee present them with a plaque proclaiming May as Foster Care Awareness Month in Clark County.
Rabbi Craig and Audrey Rosenstein have dedicated their lives to providing a happy, loving home for many children in Clark County. On Tuesday, May 6, the Board of County Commissioners of Clark County presented them with an official proclamation for their efforts to officially commemorate May as Foster Care Awareness Month. Read more about the Rosensteins. |
Plugging into the Internet for Foster & Adoptive Advice, Resources
 There's more than cat photos and selfies on the Internet. It also provides a great way to access helpful resources for any foster and/or adoptive parent. Clark County foster and adoptive parent Larry Bowen shares his advice on plugging into the Internet for a little parenting advice.
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Hanging Out with Google and
Michael Knight of DFS
Assistant Director Michael Knight appeared in a Google Hangout session with LV City Councilman Steve Ross about National Foster Care Awareness Month. Read more about it here. |
Caregiver Spotlight:
Shad and Kristen Fox
"Seeing a family restored is incredibly satisfying," said Kristen Fox. "It's never easy and takes a lot of effort, but it's a good kind of work that we feel is really making a difference."
Kristen and her husband Shad work with the birth families of their foster kids to ensure successful transitions back into their homes. Their dedication to providing stable and nurturing environments for kids has earned them the Caregiver Spotlight for the month of May. Read their story here.
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Family Events and Activities This Summer Throughout the Valley  |
Your Voice Deserves to be Heard!
The Caregiver Survey is coming soon from the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) in cooperation with Clark County Department of Family Services (DFS) and community partners.
Learn more about it. |
The Clark County Department of Family Services Parenting Project is offering several parenting courses for caregivers throughout May and June. Sessions include:
- Increasing parenting skills to manage difficult child behaviors
- A six-week BabyCare course for expecting parents
- Programs designed for parents of children, ages six months - five years old
- And much more
Click here for more information and a full list of courses and times. |
DFS Offering Summer
Training Seminars
The Clark County Department of Family Services, in cooperation with the Kyer Group, is presenting a serie s of training sessions throughout the summer covering a wide range of topics, including child sexual abuse, foster parenting issues and child development issues. These seminars were made possible by a grant from The Children's Bureau.
Click here for details about each training session.
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While similar to foster parenting, raising your relative comes with additional challenges and opportunities that require specialized support.