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Family Living

Jessica Dutton

2012-08-02 11:33:06

Q- I have heard it could be a difficult process to license my home for foster care. What are the items needed to do so?

A- The items needed for licensing a home are very similar to what a daycare would be required of. Carbon Monoxide Detector Smoke Detector Adequate space Door on room used for fostering for privacy If room used for fostering is in the basement there are window requirements No trampolines Keep chemicals stored up and out of reach Guns must be kept in a gun safe, unloaded, and ammo kept stored separate All sharps are to be stored locked All medications, prescription and non-have to be kept in a locked container or cabinet. Emergency plan must be posted for fire, tornado, flood, and serious storm or serious injury Pets must be vaccinated and provide up to date record of Anyone 16 and older must have a current physical and TB test Vehicles must be insured and have up to date maintenance documented KBI and Canis background checks to include fingerprinting Drivers License After PSMAPP (training course) is taken, you are required to take 3 hrs of basic 1st Aid and CPR Medication Administration on line course Universal Precautions also available on line So after seeing this, it is clear that it is not so difficult. It would be what any parent would want in place to care for their own child.

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Family Living

Jessica Dutton

2012-08-02 08:23:16

Q- "My husband and are considering fostering kids with severe health, mental, or emotional issues. What kinds of things should we consider before taking the plunge? What should we expect? "

A- Contemplating time management will be key. When caring for foster children with disabilities, (physical or mental) there is much one on one time that is needed. Children with disabilities, continues to be one of the largest needs, when identifying the need for foster homes. Often children with these disabilities need lots of attention and many times the child comes from neglect or abuse, some come with physical disabilities. The needs truly are going to be different, case by case. If you have a child that has a severe mental illness, they may have many disruptive days at school. In this case, being available to assist the child during the school day may be required. In a case where the child has physical disabilities, the child may require care at home. This is where stay at home parents are the perfect match. That being said, the foster parent is never alone. There are plenty of services available, ensuring that the child has these services in place to aide as well. There are mental health professionals, that agencies work closely with to ensure the proper care. There are also medical agencies that the agency partners with, that can provide in home care when needed. In addition, all foster children in state custody are covered by and provided care by Medicaid. There is never any expense to the foster family for medical and mental health coverage. Staff support is also provided to the foster family and family crisis workers are available and on call 24 hours a day. There is also a Resource Family Worker that makes home visits, twice a month. Beyond that there is a team consisting of the Case Manager and Family Support Worker that aides in and oversees the case. The Family Support Worker would visit the home, and visit with the child once a month. To conclude, caring for these children can be rewarding. These children are looking for caring families, that are going to provide that stable loving environment they need.

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Family Living

Shelly Bayer

2006-11-01 08:33:00

My child has multiple disabilities. Often times I’m dealing with a number of disability related issues at once. Where can I go for support in sorting through the issues?

ANSWER: Fortunately, each state has a place you can call for help. They are Parent Training and Information Centers or “PTIs”. PTIs are established by the Federal Department of Education to serve families of children and young adults from birth through age 21 with all disabilities: physical, cognitive, emotional, and learning. They help families obtain appropriate education and services for their children with disabilities; work to improve education results for all children; train and inform parents and professionals on a variety of topics; and connect children with disabilities to community resources that address their needs. A special focus of PTIs is to offer families the security of belonging to a group of caring individuals with similar goals, challenges, and needs. Parents are informed of available resources and services throughout the state. PTIs provide training and information to parents of infants, toddlers, school-aged children, and young adults with disabilities and the professionals who work with their families. This assistance helps parents participate more effectively with professionals in meeting the educational needs of children and youth with disabilities. PTIs also offer a variety of activities for parents to network and learn with other parents who have children with special needs. Parent Training and Information Centers are run by well-trained and knowledgeable staff. Most have children with disabilities themselves. They answer the phone prepared to hear your concerns. Staff members can help you sort through the issues and put them into perspective. Together, you can brainstorm strategies and solutions. If you would like to learn more about the PTI serving Kansas and the services they offer to families, that include a son or daughter with a disability, please see the bio below.

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Family Living

Gloria Rader

2006-10-01 11:02:00

QUESTION: My twelve year old son has Down Syndrome. Since he has limited communication skills, how can I reinforce what he is learning in school?

ANSWER: Just as successful realtors say, "Location ... location ...location", top notch teachers would answer your question by saying, "Communicate ... communicate ... communicate." Building and maintaining a positive, constructive working relationship with teachers is important for any student; however, the success of a student with disabilities often depends on an open and trusting partnership between parents and teachers. Although everyone has very busy schedules, the best way to really focus on your child's progress is in a face-to-face meeting. Parent-teacher conferences are certainly important but your communication should be ongoing throughout the school year. Develop a plan with the teachers to ensure that everyone stays in the loop. Some ways to keep communication flowing are: Post-It notes on homework assignments which provide extra information, such as, "Jason had a tough time on this - 2 seizures last night."; weekly activity logs; daily planners often have a space for note writing by the teacher and/or parents; telephone calls or E-mail notes; and, volunteering at the school. It's important for teachers and parents to be flexible. If a method of staying in touch isn't working, try a different one. Keep it going both ways. The more information you have from the teacher and vice-versa, the greater the likelihood of your child having a productive and rewarding school year. For more ideas on supporting your child with special needs, visit our website at www. familiestogetherinc. org

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Family Living

Terri Norgren

2006-09-01 15:33:00

Question:  My toddler has been recently diagnosed with a disability and I feel so overwhelmed and alone.  Where can I find another parent who understands what I am going through?

ANSWER: Challenges, emotions and support are all a part of the experience of acceptance and adjustment to parenting a child with special needs.  As a person weaves the trail throughout their life with the child with special needs, they encounter a variety of situations and opportunities where one may seek the helpful advice and support of another who has been there before… How do we handle this new situation?...Where do we go from here?...Who do we turn to?...What do we do now?...Is there anyone else out there who has been through this?Parenting any child is a challenge.  Exploring the unknown can take time, and the support provided through others who truly know and understand can be valuable to another.  Many parents experiencing the adjustment to a new diagnosis or who are navigating their way through a period of transition can be helped in a unique way by other supporting parents who have already weathered these same life experiences.  When parents share common feelings and experiences, they give each other emotional and informational support.Families Together, Inc. offers to Kansas families a statewide program called Parent-to-Parent.  The Parent-to-Parent program provides one on one support to parents of children with special needs.  Parent-to-Parent matches a volunteer supporting parent of a child with special needs with another parent who also has a child with special needs.  Parent matches are established around similar family and disability issues.Supporting parents are trained volunteers who are personally well-adjusted and have successfully integrated a child who has special needs into their family.  Supporting parents offer encouragement, emotional support and information on any informal and personal basis.  Confidentiality is maintained at all times.  When a call comes in from a parent of a newly diagnosed child, it is answered by the Parent-to-Parent Coordinator who will then gather some basic information to help make an appropriate match for you.  The coordinator will contact your support parents who will make contact with you as soon as possible.  Contact is established only when a parent gives consent to participate.Regardless of a child’s condition, families generally have the same fundamental needs for support.  Sharing similar experiences with others can be very helpful.  There are many other parents out there like you.  If you would like to connect with another parent “who’s been there”, give Families Together, Inc. a call at 945-7747.      

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Family Living

Lori Burnshire

2006-08-01 11:46:00

QUESTION: My child with a disability will be going back to school soon.  I’m worried she may not have a chance to make friends or learn the things other kids her age are learning.  Any suggestions?

Many times when a child has a disability, it is difficult to see the child as a general education student.  We must remember as our children who have disabilities go to school; they are general education students who just happen to receive special education services.  School for all students is friends, recess, lunch, homework, academics, sports, clubs and other extracurricular activities.  The school year is the perfect time to foster friendships and build peer relationships, which will help enable children who have disabilities to succeed throughout life.
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), special education is “specially designed instruction” whose purpose is to address the unique needs of the child that result from the disability, and to “ensure access of the child to the general curriculum.”  The term “general curriculum” can be thought of as the overall plan for instruction adopted by a school or school system.  Its purpose is to guide instructional activities and provide consistency of expectations, content, methods and outcomes, according to the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. 
Your first step to helping your child succeed as a “general education” student is to ask for a copy of your child’s grade level general curriculum (available on some districts websites), a list of any special projects or activities such as science projects or school clubs and a copy of the student/parent handbook.  Next, have everyone who knows your child (including the child when appropriate) make a list of the child’s strengths and interests.  What is it that she really likes to do?  Don’t miss the little things such as giving hugs, smiling, watching a favorite TV show, caring for animals; everything is important.  Next, what do you see as your child’s needs?  Do they need assistance with writing, communication skills or even making friends?  This is where the specially designed instruction/special education supports and services are vital to insuring your child succeeds in the general curriculum.
IDEA 2004 states the Individual Education Program (IEP) must contain measurable annual goals ... to enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum.  Which brings us to our next step:  match the grade-level curriculum to the abilities and interests of your child.  By taking the focus off the disability and focusing on your child’s abilities, you enable a “special education student” to become a student who needs special education supports and services to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum.
For tips on accessing the general curriculum or to view “A Guide to the Kansas Curricular Standards” visit our website: http://www.familiestogetherinc.org/