Dear CFLE Colleagues,

We invite practicing CFLEs who have not published in Network before to submit a 500- to 750-word response to the following writing prompt relevant to the theme of the Summer 2022 issue, Foster Family Care, Kinship Care, and Adoption. CFLEs who submit a complete response will earn 3 continuing education hours. Responses published in Network will earn 5 professional education hours. These hours can be applied to the 100 hours required for recertification (https://www.ncfr.org/cfle-certification/maintain-your-certification/5-year-recertification).

Writing Prompt for Summer 2022— Foster Family Care, Kinship Care, and Adoption

Foster family care, kinship care, and adoption, three options for nurturing and keeping children safe, are interconnected and share similar goals: move children from situations deemed unsafe into safe settings (Bell & Romano, 2017); work toward permanency (i.e., “placement stability”; Brodzinsky & Smith, 2019, p. 185); and foster and/or maintain attachment and emotional connection to significant others (Brodzinsky & Smith, 2019).

In about 500 to 750 words, please describe your experience developing and/or implementing a FLE support program for foster families, kinship families, and/or adoptive families. Please incorporate answers to the following questions in your description.

• Which family type(s) participate(d) in your support program? Foster families, kinship families, adoptive families?
• Which family member(s) participate(d) in your support program? Children, teens, young adults, parents/caregivers, extended family members, siblings?
• How do families find out about your services? Word-of-mouth, referrals, presentations at pertinent agencies?
• What kinds of support services did or do you provide to your clients? Individual services, support group services, play therapy services, referrals to community agencies?
• With what other community agencies did or do you partner? Child welfare services, childcare centers, community health centers, legal services?
• What would be helpful for other CFLEs to know if they are interested in providing a similar support program?

References

Bell, T., & Romano, E. (2017). Permanency and safety among children in foster family and kinship care: A scoping review. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 18(3), 268–286. https://doi-org.libproxy.txstate.edu/10.1177/1524838015611673

Brodzinsky, D., & Smith, S. L. (2019). Commentary: Understanding research, policy, and practice issues in adoption instability. Research on Social Work Practice, 29(2), 185–194. https://doi-10.1177/1049731518782647

Please review the submission guidelines at https://www.ncfr.org/cfle-network

Notify Beth Morgan, CFLE Voices From the Field Editor, by email ([email protected]) of your intent to submit a response by June 1, 2022 (Intent to Submit Deadline) and include one or two sentences about the content of your response. Note: Your completed 500- to 750-word response is due by the submission deadline of June 15. You may also email Beth Morgan with questions or for more information. Thank you.