The Nurtured Heart Six-Week Experiential Parenting Workshop

• Postpartum Workshops

• Education Support

• Resources

• Online Yoga

Jasmine McCarthy, LMHCA, provides counseling for kids 5 to 18 years old plus young adults.

Jasmine offers her services in client homes in the greater Seattle area, or via telehealth throughout Washington state.

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Appointments available immediately!

Incredible Years Parenting Program

• Evidence-based parenting classes offered online in group settings or in family’s home

February 4–March 11 · 10:00–11:00 AM on Saturdays

Cost: $150 for public

Register: Call 425-882-4347 or Email slp@everhear.com

This six-week online workshop is offered as an in-depth experiential training on The Nurtured Heart Approach and is designed for any overwhelmed parent, educator or clinician who has found conventional methods have fallen short in helping children with intense behaviors thrive despite the best of intentions.

This workshop will help you:

• Deepen the connections and attachments with children in your world. Gain new perspectives for approaching intense behavior in children and see it as a gift rather than a deficit.

• Learn tools and strategies for building the Inner Wealth of all children and approaching intense behavior.

• Learn how to set clear boundaries and limits that empower you and your children.

NURTURED HEART APPROACH TO CONTINUING EDUCATION

For detailed information regarding these trainings, visit nurturedheartinstitute.com.

Facilitated by NHA-Advanced Trainer and Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic

Speech-Language Pathologist

Jennifer Dierenfeld M.A., CCC-SLP Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic

Becoming a foster parent means being part of a team, working with others to help support kids and their families. It means being open to uncertainty, being willing to build connections, and having a continued on page 13 thewfws.com

Foster Care Myths

Myth: Kids are in foster care because they are bad. Reality: Children enter foster care because they are in an unsafe situation that is outside of their control, not because of something they did. Youths experiencing foster care are exactly like any other child you’ll encounter. Some of them are dealing with different traumas, but they are just kids who need love, patience and support.

Myth: Birth parents are scary. Reality: Parents who have had their children removed from their care are likely struggling and dealing with complex challenges. But they are people and parents, just like you and me. We all have periods of struggle in our life, we all need empathy, and we are all capable of growth and change.

Myth: I can’t be a foster parent because it will be too hard to have a child leave my house. Reality: Yes, reunification can be painful for foster parents. But that’s okay — that’s part of the deal. Your job as a foster parent is to provide a safe, loving home for a child until they can go back to their parents. And while that transition can be painful in the short term, being involved in helping a family stay together is an experience that will stay with you forever.

Myth: I can’t be a foster parent because I’m single/LGBTQ/don’t make enough money/ don’t own a home, etc. Reality: There is a need for diverse foster parents to help meet the needs of diverse foster youths. The thing you think might hold you back from being a foster parent is probably actually an asset! You can rent an apartment or own a home, be married or single, be heterosexual, gay, pansexual, transgender, etc., and be a foster parent.

Myth: I will just adopt the first child placed in my home. Reality: Only 16 percent of kids who experience foster care are adopted by a nonfamily member. It does happen sometimes, but it is not the norm, and should not be your goal as a foster parent. If you are interested in adoption only, check out Northwest Adoption Exchange (nwae.org) or AdoptUSKids (adoptuskids.org). These organizations work to find adoptive families for kids who cannot reunify with their parents.

continued from page 10 desire to actively listen, empathize and engage with families.

Becoming a foster parent

There are several different ways you can go about becoming a foster parent in Washington state. You can become licensed directly though the State of Washington by applying through the DCYF website, where you will find more information, including the (many) forms you’ll need.

Another route to becoming a foster parent is to work with a private agency, known as a child placement agency (CPA). CPAs hold about 33 percent of the licensed foster homes in the state. People often choose to become licensed through a CPA because the agency is able to offer higher levels of support and guidance to foster parents. You can find a CPA that is a good match for you by filling out a quick form on the Washington Fosters website (foster.wachildrenandfamilies.org).

If you would like to learn more about becoming licensed with Amara, the first step is to attend an orientation meeting (Amara information meeting, or AIM). You can find a list of upcoming meeting dates and times, on the website; you can also register there.

Other avenues of support for kids experiencing foster care

If it’s not the right time for you to become a foster parent, there are other ways to support foster kids and families in your community. Organizations such as Treehouse (treehouseforkids.org) need donations and volunteers to support youths experiencing foster care with their education goals. The organization also provides items, such as clothing and toys, to foster families for children placed with them. Visit Fostering Family (fosteringfamilywa.org) for other ways to get involved — from volunteering to supporting foster youths or taking legislative action.

Foster care is a far from perfect system that impacts thousands of families in Washington. As a community, we all can play a role in supporting these families, whether that’s by becoming a foster parent, supporting a parent or family in your community, or volunteering with a local organization. ■

Kari Hanson is ParentMap’s digital content coordinator. She is the mom of two boys and when she isn’t writing, she can typically be found crocheting, sewing or being pulled around the block by her sweet and enthusiastic dog.

For ages 3–18