The Caregiver Courier
October 2018
Angel Tree Registration Opens 10/3!
Registration for the 2018 Angel Tree Celebration will open on Wednesday, October 3. You will be able to use this link starting on Wednesday.There will also be an email sent on Wednesday with a registration link.

Remember, only children with an open DFS case are eligible to receive gifts. Registration deadline is Friday, December 7, 2018.
windy-tree-leaves.jpg
October Community Events
Fall is officially upon us! With that comes plenty of activities around the Las Vegas valley for the whole family to enjoy. From pumpkin patches to a balloon festival, there is something for everyone.

See a list of events here.
5 Ways to Support Children During the Holiday Season!
As we approach the holiday season, it is important to consider ways to support children in care, along with those who care for them. Here are five suggestions for ways you can help during the holiday season.
Register Now!
Annual Halloween Carnival!
Looking for a great, safe trick-or-treat experience for your children? Through the Eyes of a Child Foundation will once again be hosting its annual Halloween Carnival.

There will be games, prizes and an event full of fun. This event is co-sponsored by Foster Change. 

What: Through the Eyes of a Child Foundation Halloween Carnival 
When: Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018
11 am - 1 pm
Where: Juvenile Justice Gym
601 N. Pecos Rd
Las Vegas, NV, 89101

This event is open to all children in DFS care. Don't miss out on the fun. Register now!
Foster Kinship Recognition!
Congratulations to Ali Caliendo and Foster Kinship on the recent recognition by the Clark County Board of Commissioners. Foster Kinship does amazing work supporting kinship families here in Clark County.

Learn more about Foster Kinship: fosterkinship.org
DFS Training Calendar
Foster parents are required to complete 12 hours of training in 2018. There are many trainings each month you can attend to satisfy this requirement.
You can view the October training calendar with dates/times/locations here.
Training Highlight: Car Seat Training*

C ar Seat Safety Course Description:
This training is designed to maximize safety for the children transported by DFS Staff and Caregivers by familiarizing participants with the different types of child restraint systems and their appropriate use, dependent on the weight and size of the child. In addition, participants will learn and practice how to install car seats in compliance with Nevada law and identify resources for more information and assistance with the safe installation of child passenger safety seats. *For Caregivers only.
OCTOBER 2018

10/10/18, 5:30pm – 9:30pm  
Location: 
DFS Pecos - Red Rock Room 
701 N. Pecos 
Las Vegas, NV 89101 

10/27/18, 8am-12pm    
Location:
DFS Central – Carson City Room 
121 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. 
Las Vegas, NV 89106 
October is National Bullying Prevention Month

Is it possible your child is being bullied? Or, that your child is being a bully?

More than one in five children report being bullied.

Click here  to learn about local resources to help prevent and stop bullying.  
October is also PRIDE Month in Las Vegas
October is PRIDE month in Las Vegas! Here are some tools and resources for our foster parents in supporting our LGBTQ youth!

Foster Parents' Night Out!
Grace Point Church and Canyon Ridge Christian Church are both hosting a  FREE  respite program so foster parents can get an occasional night out! 

Grace Point offers respite care from 6 - 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.
Canyon Ridge offers respite care from 6 - 9 p.m. on the third Friday of each month.
Grace Point Church Foster Parents' Night Out
 
What: Foster Parents' Night Out

When: 6 - 9 p.m., First Friday of each month.

Next date: Friday, October 5, 2018

Where: Grace Point Church
3794 W. Ann Rd., North Las Vegas

Who: All foster caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, relative, fictive kin)

How to register:   Click here .(Registration closes two days before the event and opens the Saturday after each event for the following month's event.)

Upcoming 2018 Dates: November 2, December 7.
Canyon Ridge Christian Church
Foster Parents' Night Out

What: Foster Parents' Night Out

When: 6-9 p.m., Third Friday of each month.

Next date: Friday, October 19, 2018

Where: Canyon Ridge Christian Church
Lone Mountain Campus – Base Camp
6200 West Lone Mountain Road
Las Vegas, NV 89130

Who: All foster caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, relative, fictive kin)
How to register: Click here . (registration closed the second Friday of each month opens the Monday after each event for the following month).

Upcoming 2018 Dates: November 16, December 21
To My Foster Parents With Love
-Author Unknown
I came into your lives a lost and lonely child,
Full of anger and resentment,
Overwhelmed with fear and confusion.
Yet you took me into your home, your lives, and your hearts.
From the very beginning you tried to make me feel welcome and wanted.
Though I fought you each step of the way you never gave up on me.
Instead you patiently and lovingly took me under your wings,
protecting, guiding and shaping me.
Showing me love and understanding.
Giving freely and openly the praise and affection I so desperately needed.
All the while expecting nothing in return.
As days turned into months you were still there
Making me feel safe and secure,
treating me with respect and fairness,
pushing me to be the best I could be.
And still, there I was fighting you.
Oh, the pain and heartaches you endured at my hands.
Yet there you stood, firm and unwavering.
Never walking away, never giving up.
Always loving me no matter what the cost.
All these years later as I look at my own children
I realize just what you saw and still see when you look at me.
Your Daughter!
I love you.
Important Payment Changes!!
Effective January 1, 2019, the Department of Family Services will no longer issue paper payment checks to foster/adoptive parents for their placement services and will instead offer direct deposit or a prepaid Visa debit card. All those affected by this change will have until December 3, 2018 to select a new payment method. Read more about the changes here and check out this FAQ for the differences between choosing direct deposit or a prepaid Visa debit card. You can also download the following documents: Prepaid card enrollment form/ Direct deposit enrollment form/ W-9/ 2018 payment calendar.
Foster One Recruit One

The greatest tool to recruit new foster parents...are current foster parents.

Clark County DFS wants to help you host a recruitment party. We will provide the information and refreshments, all we need from you is a location and a minimum of five (5) potential foster parents confirmed to attend.

Do you want to be next!? See this flyer for more information.
Foster Care Information Sessions!

There is always a need for more foster families in Clark County. The first step is to attend one of the many information sessions offered all across Clark County.

If you know someone who has been thinking of becoming a foster resource, click on the picture to see the full schedule of information sessions and help them take that first step.
Join Foster Change
Caring for a child is one of the most important things a person can do. Caring for a child who is not your own requires a special kind of dedication. There are many children in Southern Nevada who are unable to remain in their homes. Families who open their homes and hearts to these children are committed to improving their lives and their futures. Foster Change is committed to those families. 

We are proud to be the foster and adoptive family association in Southern Nevada. For just $20/year, we offer monthly community connection groups, parents' nights out, family events, educational opportunities, play dates, and free car seat and CPR/first aid training. Many of our events include free childcare and meals. We also work together to advocate for support for all foster and adoptive families in Nevada. We look forward to meeting your family! 

For more information, please contact Foster Change program manager Sandy Vargas at (702) 970-4546 or by email at [email protected] . Visit us at www.FosterChangeCC.org or  https://www.facebook.com/FosterChangeVegas
10 Ways to Support Foster Children in Clark County

We are so appreciative of all the amazing people who have opened their homes to become foster parents.

However, becoming a foster parent is not the only way to help a child in need.

We have compiled a list of 10 ways you can support foster children in Clark County. Check out the full list: English/ Spanish
Entrenamiento en Español

There's a new feature on the QPI Nevada Just in Time training website! There is now a button (Entrenamiento en Español) on the homepage. This button directs caregivers to a new page that features a link to the "Trainings in Spanish" topic in the video library and the Spanish version of the FAQ document.

Click here  to see the new button or go directly to the following website here:  http://www.qpinevada.org/pages/enEspanol.html

Para entrenamientos en español,  haga clic aquí .
What is QPI?

Building quality relationships through support and partnership for the well-being and support of our children.

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. 

The QPI Clark County Values
  • Children do best in families
  • Engaging our community
  • Supporting & strengthening families
702-455-5444 |   http://tinyurl.com/my66nkm
121 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89106