 May 17, 2024 Vol 4, Issue 5
 May is Foster Care Month
May is Foster Care Month. It is a time to stop and reflect on the many foster parents who partner with the Children’s Division to provide a safe and loving home to a foster child. We simply could not do it without you. Many circuits are holding Foster Parent appreciation events. Check in with your Licensing Worker to see what is happening in your area! If you do not know who your licensing worker is email FosterCare@dss.mo.gov and we will get you connected.
 Children's Division Caregiver Portal
The Children’s Division now has a Children’s Division Caregiver Portal for foster, relative, respite, legal guardianship and adoptive families! This portal is the first phase of a multi-year project. This phase allows caregivers to see their demographics, what placements they have, and their financial information. To visit this portal please log into https://my.mo.gov/gsp?id=childrens_division_caregiver_portal.
If you have any trouble, please email FosterCare@dss.mo.gov and we will assist you.
The Call to Foster Podcast: S2E5
“101 Considerations for Foster Parents"
In this episode, our hosts speak with author, youth pastor, and foster parent, David Wermuth. David has over 11 years of experience as a foster parent to older teen boys with a goal of independence. He used his experience as a foster parent to share stories of encouragement and helpful tips in his book, "101 Considerations for Foster Parents." A licensed therapist in Missouri, David specializes in working with children and families. You won't want to miss this episode!
Pick up your own copy of David's book or share it with a foster parent you know.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a foster parent, learn how to get started on our website: https://dss.mo.gov/cd/foster-care/becoming-a-foster-parent.htm
Please subscribe to and share this podcast with anyone you know who might be considering fostering! You can listen to the podcast on most popular podcast platforms.
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Resource Parent's Rights
You have the right:
- To have full access to the child’s medical, psychological, and psychiatric records in its possession, including reports prior to the child coming into care.
- To have continued full access to all records that come into the possession of the division or of which the division becomes aware.
- The access shall include providing information and authorization for relative provider to review or to obtain the records directly from the medical, psychological, or psychiatric services provider.
- The Resource Parent may decline access to any or all of the child’s records.
- To be provided prior to placement, all pertinent information, including but not limited to full disclosure of all medical, psychological, and psychiatric conditions of the child, as well as information from previous placements that would indicate the child(ren) may have a propensity to cause violence to any member of the foster family home.
If you have difficulty in obtaining these materials please email FosterCare@dss.mo.gov and we will assist you.
 Adoption and Foster Care Events
Looking for training opportunities? Interested in adoption? Know someone who is interested in becoming a foster parent and wants to learn more? Find events online or near you on the new calendar on the Missouri Heart Gallery website.
Hosting an event? Send us an event request!
Constituent Services Email
If you are not receiving callbacks, having trouble getting a hold of someone, have a question about policy or just have a general complaint or accomplishment to share you may use this email to communicate to the Children’s Division:
Trainings & Events
Right Time Trainings
You now have access to what is called National Training Development Curriculum (NTDC) Right Time Trainings. There are 15 trainings and they are all 1 hour long. There is a different topic for each training. Some of the examples include Building Children’s Resilience, Building Parental Resilience, Family Dynamics, Managing Placement Transitions, Responding to Children in Crisis, and Sexual Trauma. We will highlight each of these trainings in this newsletter.
This month we are highlighting the training called Family Dynamics. This theme provides an overview of the impact fostering or adopting can have on family dynamics including the impact on marital relationships, biological children, foster or adoptive children already living in the home and extended family members. The theme helps parents who are fostering or adopting gain insight and increased understanding of how their family may need to adjust, as well as strategies that they can use to support healthy family dynamics. You may find these trainings through the Training page for Foster Parents.
Hope for the Journey Conference
June 7 & 8 | Columbia, MO | $25 for one day, $40 for both days, $55 at the door
Hope for the Journey will dive into Trust-Based Relational Intervention® Connecting, Empowering, and Correcting Principles to help parents, teachers, social workers, educators, and pastors who work with children. We will have four general sessions and three workshops with experts from community organizations.
Meals, snacks, and drinks will be provided.
CEUs available for professionals.
If you have questions, contact Paige Douce.
 Family Forward Trainings
For registration and course information, visit the Family Forward training calendar page.
The following links will take you to a multitude of training opportunities that are available for in-service hours:
Parent Cafe Training Institute (missouri.edu)
Foster Parent College - Online Training for Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Parents and Caregivers
Training | Child Welfare Information Gateway
All Courses - FosterAdopt Connect Training (thinkific.com)
Family Development Training - Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association
 Mo Kin-4-Kid Kinship Navigator Program
Parents, be sure you're using and referring to the Kinship Navigator Program! This program is a partnership between ParentLink, the Missouri Family Resource Centers, and other public and private community partners to assist formal and informal relative caregivers in identifying, locating, and accessing programs and services for the child(ren) they are raising. Additionally, the program strives to provide quality information, and outreach activities to help meet the physical and emotional needs of the child(ren) being cared for, as well as the needs of the relative/kinship caregiver.
Learn more: https://cehd.missouri.edu/navigators/
Family Support Team Meetings
Did you know that as a Foster Parent you have a right to attend the Family Support Team meetings (FSTs)? FSTs are held for a variety of reasons that include the following:
- The safety of the child,
- Comprehensive visitation plan,
- Service and treatment needs,
- The need for placement and developing a plan for reunification or other permanency options,
- The appropriate placement of the child
- The child’s access and opportunities for normalcy activities based on the reasonable and prudent parenting standard
- Educational Plan for the child, and,
- Establishing and revising the case plan.
If you are not being invited to FST meetings please contact the Case Manager and ask them for an invite. Your Licensing worker may be able to assist as well. If you do not know who your Licensing worker is please email FosterCare@dss.mo.gov and we will get you that information.
 Did you know that the Children's Division has a Foster Care Ambassador program?
Foster Care Ambassadors have valuable insight and/or experience into foster care and are passionate and willing to help recruit, support, and advocate for the cause. They have thorough knowledge of Children’s Division policies as well as the state statutes and are able to answer questions from potential foster parents or interested individuals in the community. Foster Care Ambassadors are available to speak at or host their own recruitment events. Foster Care Ambassadors also serve as mentors to new or struggling foster parents. Foster Care Ambassadors meet virtually monthly to network, share ideas and receive updates from the Children’s Division. They are asked for input into new and upcoming initiatives and attend conferences sharing about the Ambassador program. Ambassadors also work on projects such as designing and creating Welcome Packets for new Foster Parents. If you are interested in becoming a Foster Care Ambassador, please email FosterCare@dss.mo.gov.
Visit the "I am a Foster Parent" Webpage
This is a web page just for Foster Parents to use to find forms, trainings, and general tools about being a Foster Parent. The Resource Parent Handbook is located on that page as well and can answer many questions. Visit the link above and take a look around. If you know of anyone who would like to sign up for this newsletter ask them to visit the page as well. There will be a pop up asking for their email address if they want to stay informed.
Foster Parent Identification Cards
All Foster Parents should have a Foster Parent ID card. This is provided to you after you are licensed. If you do not have an ID card please email FosterCare@dss.mo.gov and we will get you the application.
We want to hear from you! If there is information you would like covered in the next Foster Parent Connections Newsletters email, Melissa.J.Selsor@dss.mo.gov.
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