September is Kinship Care Month!
Kinship Care Month
The month of September is recognized by the State of Nevada as Kinship Care Month. This month, we recognize all of the kinship caregivers that step up to raise their relative's child. Right now, one in 20 children are living in a kinship home--that is over 30,000 children in Nevada. And one in eleven children will live within a kinship family during their childhood. We know kinship care provides the best opportunity to allow kids to maintain connections to their family, their culture, and so much more. 
This month is an opportunity to continue to honor kinship families and raise awareness of the challenges and complex needs of children, grandparents and other relatives, who are kinship families as they work to achieve support and resources to meet their needs. 
If you are a kinship caregiver, this month we honor you! Thank you for stepping up and raising these children while their parents are unable to. 
If you are a kinship family or know a kinship family--please reach out to Foster Kinship for information, support, and resources.

Foster Kinship 702-546-9988
3925 West Cheyenne Ave Suite 401
North Las Vegas, NV 89032

Foster Kinship Youth Support Groups
 
Foster kinship is offering four session youth support groups that are designed to provide meaningful strategies toward self-care and mindfulness. Each week will have a different focus with empowering messages supported by coping mechanisms for everyday life challenges. All log-in information for Online/Zoom Support Groups will be posted in *closed* Facebook group, search Nevada Kinship Caregivers.
September 1,14,21,23 - 2021
Foster Kinship's 3rd Annual Kinship Excellence Awards
 Nominations for Foster Kinship's 3rd Annual Kinship Excellence Awards are now open!
Do you know a caregiver who demonstrates excellence in caregiving? Or a professional who has gone above and beyond to support a kinship family?
Nominate a kinship caregiver or a professional.
A caregiver and a professional will be selected as the 2021 winners, and nominees and winners will be honored during Kinship Month in September.

There is Help, There is Hope:
Suicide Prevention in Nevada:
COVID-19 Impact, Risk & Protective Factors, and Recommendations
By Misty Vaughan Allen and Richard Egan Nevada Office of Suicide Prevention (NOSP)
Despite increased awareness, suicide continues to be a significant public health challenge in Nevada. While medical advances have improved both quality and length of life for many, we have not seen the same for mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nevada ranked 7th highest for rate of suicide in 2019, with suicide as the second leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24 years.  


Peggy's Attic


Is in need of donation. We are currently short of children's clothing sizes 3T to 10. Please call 702-455-5424 for an appointment to drop of your gently used children's clothing.
Independent Living Corner
The FAAYT leadership team has been meeting regularly and are planning various events for youth this 2021-2022 year. FAAYT meetings take place every 3rd Tuesday of the month from 4pm-6pm. Any youth ages 14+ who would like to know more about FAAYT are welcome to attend and participate. Youth who are interested in more information about FAAYT can ask their IL worker for more information. Their IL worker can add them on the RSVP list f they would like to attend.

The Big FAAYT formal meet and greet event scheduled for September 21, 2021 has been cancelled. We will update you with the new date once it is scheduled. Ongoing recruitment efforts will continue for FAAYT. If you have youth interested in joining please refer them to their IL worker to sign up!

The Independent Living has men’s suits available to provide to any youth that would like one for formal interviews! Any youth that is interested in obtaining a suit can request one from their IL worker. We have suits in limited number.

For youth attending college please be informed of the following deadlines for filing your FAFSA.

Academic year FAFSA open date Federal FAFSA deadline
2021-22 Oct. 1, 2020 June 30, 2022
2022-23 Oct. 1, 2021 June 30, 2023
Children's Service Guild!

The Children’s Service Guild’s 46th Annual Holiday Craft Boutique and Raffle is Nov. 6, 2021, 9am - 2pm, at The Elks Lodge, 4100 W. Charleston Blvd. Please come and support us in our helping the children touched by the Family and Juvenile Justice Courts of SO NV mission. We will have many handcrafted fall and holiday items plus yummy home made kitchen items made by our talented members and friends. We hope to see you, your family and your friends there! The drawing for our raffle is at 1pm that day. Here is a list of our raffle prizes so far with more to come. 
Click here to learn more of what we are doing.
FREE Fall Trainings
The Institute for Human Services is offering several fall free trainings: Self Harm in Children and Teens, Transforming Foster Care: A Support to Families NOT Replacement, Finding the "Right" Families: Data Driven Recruitment, Supporting Foster Parents, to name a few. These are available to all caregivers, all DFS employees and community partners. Denise Goodman will be the trainer for these trainings.
visit www.ihs-trainet.com/training
NORMALCY
RESPITE REIMBURSEMENT
We received funding to reimburse normalcy respite providers that are identified by foster parents. Funding will be available starting today and will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, until the funds are depleted. This funding will ONLY be offered for normalcy respite to strongly encourage the use of familiar caregivers or peer-to-peer support versus stranger care. 
Click HERE for more information.
What Do You Get Out of it?
Foster Parent Night Out -
Friday September 17,2021

Being a Foster Parent is a tremendous responsibility and help to our community. We understand that with the increased responsibility it is difficult to find regular respite care. In the third Friday of every month, from 6p - 9p. Canyon Ridge Christian Church would like to serve the foster parents of our community by providing free respite care. During that time, we will provide your children and your foster children a fun, safe and nurturing environment so that you can take some time to rest, catch a movie, go out with your spouse and more! Space is limited to a first come, first serve basis. Please drop off your children between 6:00p - 6:30p as the doors will closed after that time for safety purposes. Fill out the registration form to sign-up today!

Please note - feed your children before drop-off (we will provide snacks, but not dinner).

Open for children ages birth - 5th grade.
Canyon Ridge Supports Caregivers
Open to all foster caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, relative, fictive kin) Please make sure to register your register yourself and each child that will be participating. Registration closes once all slots are filled. Must register no later than Monday, September 13, 2021. Night out is Friday, September 17, 2021

Click here to register


Foster Kinship Respite
Raise the Future’s Family Support Program is excited to host another TBRI® Caregiver Training Series. If you have any questions, please contact us at
N

Click here for further details
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OMBUDSMAN SERVICES

The Mission of the Clark County Ombudsman for the Department of Family Services and Clark County Social Service is to review, resolve, track and report complaints in an effort to add increased accountability and facilitate systemic improvements to the local child welfare and Social Service systems.

For more information, call

702.455.1046.


$4 million in Funds Available to Support Foster Care Youth Impacted by COVID-19


Young people between 14 and 26 years old, who are currently or were previously in foster care in any state are eligible for time -limited COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.


Click here for the press release,
2021 Payment Calendars - Foster/Adoption
Family Support Groups

There are a variety of support groups available monthly for foster, kinship and adoptive families.

Foster Change has compiled all these wonderful resources into one useful guide.

You can view the list here.
What is Quality Parenting Initiative?
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