Someone once told me that no one can go back in time to change what has happened, so work on your present to make a wonderful future. It is with that sentiment that I’d like to invite everyone to celebrate last year’s accomplishments; to strive today to make each day meaningful and tomorrow bright, filled with promise.
In April of 2018, DFCS activated 1-833-SCCKIDS, an easy-to-remember toll-free phone number that assists the community in reporting suspected child abuse and neglect. This new number reaches the CANC 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round. By increasing access, as well as improving our response rates, the CANC continues to be dedicated to providing efficient and effective services to the community.
This past year we also continued to make progress in improving our use of evidence-based tools to guide our decision making processes, and using data to better inform our work. We have added staff to support not only the CANC but also implementation of the Child and Family Team (CFT) process to ensure that all children and families are well supported and that their perspectives are fully incorporated, to meet their individual needs and achieve the best possible outcome for safety, permanency and well-being.
Finally, thanks to the generosity and hard work of staff, partners and community, over 600 children and youth received holiday gifts last year during our Holiday Gift Giving drive. The South County Polar Express made deliveries to over 100 children; families participated in a special holiday story time visitation event with snacks, book and pajamas; and hundreds of more toys were distributed to community partner agencies for distribution to the families and children they serve.
Many people make resolutions during the new year and my resolution to DFCS is to continue to work with each of you to build a stable organization that is positioned to serve, empower and transform lives in the most positive ways. To be responsive, compassionate and innovative in order to put
Families First, build a
Circle of Support and lend a
Helping Hand.
Be well,
Francesca
Francesca LeRúe,Director
Department of Family and Children’s Services
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Partnerships Focused on Prevention
DFCS and Sacred Heart Community Service partners to offer FREE parent education program offered to parents and caregivers of children 0-to-3 years of age. The
Resilient Families-Safe, Secure and Loved
parent education program, developed by Santa Clara University Dr. Barbara Burns, is a mindfulness-based, trauma informed and community led education series.
The community partnership and parent education program are part of a larger prevention strategy by DFCS to strengthen family functioning and to support child safety, permanency, and well-being in the family and larger community.
For more information about the event or the community-based parent education program, call Maria Gallardo, Early Childhood Education Program Manager with Sacred Heart Community Service at (408) 278-2193 or email
mariag@sacredheartcs.org
.
This partnership would not be possible without the generous support of the Klarich Family, Bella Vista Foundation, Sacred Heart Church of Saratoga, Kaiser Permanente, St. Mary’s Church of Gilroy, Stanford University Pediatric Program, Ana Morante, Santa Clara County Library in Gilroy and Tully San Jose
Library
.
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Resource Families Commercial
DFCS is recruiting patient, caring individuals who want to help make a difference in the lives of children and families we serve by becoming “resource families.”
Take a sneak peak at our new
commercial to learn more or
contact
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H
ealthy Relationships Help Kids Thrive!
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DFCS is partnering with the Santa Clara County Child Abuse Prevention Council
in effort to promote their
Healthy Relationships Campaign.
Watch and forward our short public service announcement to help spread our prevention message. Learn more at
Healthy Relationships
.
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San Francisco 4
9er's Adrian Colbert
Adrian Colbert, 49ers’ defensive back,
partners with DFCS during the Holidays and give's back to local foster youth. The 49er provided a special behind the scenes tour of the stadium, gifted each foster youth with new Adidas gear as well as personalized autographs. He also engaged youth by sharing his own personal story of triumph.
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DFCS Director Francesca LeRue handing Adrian Colbert small token of appreciation.
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Foster youth receiving a behind the scenes tour with of the stadium.
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Starting the New Year Healthy!
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Check out the National Association of Social Work (NASW) podcast for an opportunity to explore topics for practitioners in helping professions!
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This month, hear from Kristen Lee, Ed.D., LICSW, a professor of Behavioral Science at Northeastern University and the author of "Mentalligence" and "Reset" speak about preventing and treating burnout. Check out the pod cast here
Avoid Burnou
t
.
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Helping the Helping Professional
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We are all experts in stress. We do social work. Stress comes from many different places, but we are strong. We handle it. We do what we do. We lend our strength to others. We juggle a hundred things on a daily basis. We move from one task to the next. We accommodate. We respond. We get it done.
But the effects of “handling it” can be complex and cumulative. It creeps up on us. The fatigue. The burnout. The loss of patience. We don’t see it. We don’t hear it. We don’t feel it. It takes longer to “bounce back”. One day we’re fine. Then one day we aren’t. Death by a thousand paper cuts. An accumulation of moments.
And a moment is about all the time we have left for self-care. But self-care moments can also be cumulative. In a good way.
Here are two quick things that only take a moment:
Psychological time-outs:
attending to positive
experiences like observing an act of kindness or consideration, watching a sunset, or watching a short comedy clip, can provide a momentary respite from on-going stress. Stop and notice.
Visual reminders of success:
a “wall of victories”, photos that trigger memories of positive outcomes, a picture drawn by a child on your caseload that depicts the family in a good place, thank you notes. Look up for a moment and remind yourself. Hang on to success stories. They help you through.
So take a moment.
Right after that form that needs to be filled out, between that challenging phone call and the next email that needs answer. Before going to yet another meeting, and right after that person stops you in the hall for a consultation on your way to the bathroom. You deserve it.
Then go ahead and tackle the next thing. Like you always do. Like a pro.
Ruth Larsen, MSW
The above tips were taken from: Self-Care in Social Work: A guide for practitioners, supervisors, and administrators by Kathleen Cox, PhD, LCSW and Sue Steiner, PhD, MSW: NASW Press 2013.
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Mandated Reporter Training
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The new Mandated Reporter Training has launched with a new look and updated content! Currently, the general module and the school personnel module are available. Coming soon will be additional profession-specific online modules. They will include a module for child care providers, medical professionals, mental health professionals and social workers, clergy and volunteers. This free training is available for mandated child abuse reporters to take at their leisure. To utilize the training, visit the OCAP’s
Online Mandated Reporter Training
or to schedule
an
in-person
training contact
jennifer.puthoff@ssa.sccgov.org.
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Can Small Businesses Bring Hope to Communities?
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DFCS was LIVE on the Radio with
KDOW Money 2.0 Radio
show host
Margaret Jackson
along with
Family Services Vanessa Russel of Love Never Fails
and
Elizabeth Stewart of Kingdom Family Resources
discussing the importance of how the Small Business Community and other individuals can support families to be strong and healthy!
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DFCS has a number of tools available for staff to enter data and track child and family outcomes.
SafeMeasures® is one, a state-of-the-art reporting service that helps human services agencies improve client outcomes by transforming case management data into actionable information.
SafeMeasures® offers social workers and the agency timelyaccess to data to help prioritize work, meet deadlines, and monitor trends. DFCS saw the highest usage for
SafeMeasures® in October 2018. To learn more about
SafeMeasures® check out
NCCD SafeMeasures.
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Legislative Updates
for 2019
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New state and federal laws in the coming year, check out a link to a brief descriptions and summary of statutory changes for 2019!
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37th Annual Child Abuse Prevention Council Symposium
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The
Child Abuse Prevention Council Symposium
will examine the patterns of child sexual abuse, explore promising prevention strategies, and seek best practices in both response and treatment.
Friday, April 12, 2019
Villa Ragusa, Downtown Campbell
Registration begins mid-February
For more information check out
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7th Annual Strong Girls, Strong Women Leadership Conference
The Strong Girls, Strong Women (SGSW) high school girls’ leadership conference empowers, inspires and enriches high school girls and their allies to be strong members and committed leaders of their communities.
Sat, March 9, 2019
9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza
1700 Alum Rock Avenue
San Jose, CA 95116
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January is Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month
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Did you know that California is home to 3 of the most problematic child trafficking regions? Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego. In 2017, there were 1,305 reported cases of human trafficking in California. Help us raise awareness to end human trafficking and help victims recover from their experiences. To learn more, visit
The National Center for Missing/Exploited Children
.
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Any child identified as sexually trafficked, as described in Penal Code §236.1, or who received compensation for performance of sexual acts and is unprotected or inadequately protected by caregiver(s), is eligible for CSEC services.
If you are working with a child/youth/NMD who you suspect is at risk or has been identified as being commercially sexually exploited, e-mail or call:
(408) 793-8930
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Families First.
Circle of Support.
Helping Hand.
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Santa Clara County Department of Family & Children's Services
373 W. Julian, San Jose, CA 95122
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