Resilience is important, especially for kids who have childhood trauma. It’s the key to being able to overcome their early life experiences and thrive. This support group looks at what resilience is and explores the two fundamental principles of resilience and the 7 C's model of resilience. We also provide some concrete tips on how to foster resilience in your children.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

BRP

This support group offers guidance on when tweens and teens will most welcome a parent's interventions, how to step into that process with them, and how to aid their building of intelligence and gaining experiences that will prepare them for adulthood. 

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

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Due to the interest in this event, registration is officially full! If you have registered, click here for event details.

Join us at the Museum of Life and Science for lunch, meet fellow foster parents in the Triangle, and stick around the museum for a day out with the kids! All attendees receive a free pass to the museum for the day.
Lunch and drinks will be provided, and stick around for the Nitrogen Ice Cream presentation for dessert!

You must be registered in order to attend this event.

With this support group, parents will learn how trauma impacts a child’s developing skills and thus how the child behaves. Parents will be introduced to the basics of the Collaborative Parenting model, including why kids engage in challenging behaviors. Parents will gain deeper understanding of the factors that get in the way of children succeeding. Shifting from a perspective of “this child won’t do well,” to a philosophy of “kids do well if they can” is foundational to understanding what children need from their parents to overcome challenging behavior. This curriculum also offers practical examples of the steps of the Collaborative Parenting Model to help them explore which skills a child might lack and how to build those skills.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

AW

Trauma is a hot topic in foster care and adoption, and for good reason. The vast majority of kids who were adopted at an older age or who have spent time in the foster care system have experienced some kind of trauma. However, trauma, and its impacts on children, isn’t always well understood by parents. This support group looks at what neglect is, how it can impact children and how parents can determine if a behavior is based in trauma. Most importantly, we look at ways parents can help their children start healing from that early trauma.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

BRP

In this support group, parents will learn why self-care is so important when parenting kids who have challenging behaviors or come to their homes with a history of trauma. Parents will learn about the realities of compassion fatigue and secondary trauma. In addition to learning how to identify the common barriers that parents face when seeking self-care, they will also learn how to form a plan for meaningful self-care. Parents who are in a significant partnership or marriage are encouraged to prioritize self-care for their relationship.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

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Have you ever wondered why a specific behavior by your child drives you crazy? In this support group, parents will learn general information about the four basic attachment styles, how those styles form, and how a parent’s attachment style impacts how they parent. Parents will also gain an understanding of their specific attachment style. They will be able to identify the strengths and challenges of that attachment style to develop a healthier, more secure attachment with a child who has experienced trauma. This curriculum also offers practical scenarios that parents commonly encounter and learn how to respond to triggers or frustrations they may experience in parenting, with the goal of moving forward in healthier patterns.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

AW

Prenatal exposure impacts a wide range of a child’s brain development. This support group will help parents learn important information about prenatal exposure and the impacts on a child’s development. Parents receive an overview of the short and long-term impacts on a child’s development, including learning challenges and behavior struggles. Understanding the common symptoms of prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs (both legal and illegal) will help parents identify their child’s potential risks for developmental impacts. Finally, this curriculum will offer parents and caregivers a variety of tips to help them raise a child with prenatal exposure.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

BRP

Parents will learn important information about brain development during the tween and teen years. Understanding the specific parts of tweens' and teens' brains that are growing most rapidly in these years will help parents learn how to communicate with their kids. This support group offers guidance on when tweens and teens will most welcome a parent's interventions, how to step into that process with them, and how to aid their building of intelligence and gaining experiences that will prepare them for adulthood.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Join us at Pump It Up to celebrate National Adoption Month! If you are a family who has adopted or are planning to adopt, bring the kids and meet other adoptive families in the area. Social workers are also welcome to drop in and say hello!

5pm - 6pm Bounce Time!
6pm-7pm Pizza Party
Pump It Up of Raleigh 10700 World Trade Blvd., Suite 112, Raleigh, NC 27617
Waiver Required Please fill out the Pump It Up waiver HERE before arriving.

Registration is now full for this event. See you soon!

This support group will help parents learn important information about helping children heal from sexual abuse. Parents will leave the support group with a better understanding of the following topics: What constitutes sexual abuse of a child; The signs or symptoms parents should know if they are concerned that a child may have experienced sexual abuse; The protective factors that parents can put into place when welcoming a child into their home if that child has a suspected history of sexual abuse; Action steps that parents can take when sexual abuse is disclosed or discovered, that will cultivate a safe space for the child to heal.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental issues adoptive parents face. ADHD is very common in the foster, kinship, and adoption communities. This support group looks at what exactly ADHD is and the different options for treatment. We also provide a list of tips to help parents raise a happy, successful child with ADHD.

REGISTER HERE

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

More and more foster care agencies are shifting to a co-parenting model, but for many foster parents, co-parenting seems counterintuitive, or even wrong. This support group looks at what co-parenting (or shared parenting) is and why it can be a beneficial tool for helping families heal and be reunited. We also provide some concrete tips on how to establish a healthy co-parenting relationship with your foster child’s birth parents.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Our marriages or relationships might be particularly challenged when we are parenting kids who have been exposed to trauma. This support group talks about how to prioritize and nurture our marriage or significant relationships, including typical stressors that parents might face while raising a child who has experienced trauma. We also unpack a couple of the more common behaviors from children that might be destructive to your marriage or relationships. Finally, we cover how to be proactive in strengthening your marriage or relationships to avoid neglect or burn out.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

May is National Foster Care Month and we want to celebrate YOU! Join us at the Museum of Life and Science for a delicious catered lunch from Indulge Catering, meet fellow foster parents in the Triangle, and stick around the museum for a day out with the kids! All attendees receive a free pass to the museum for May 22nd.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Celebrating Foster Care Day Party hosted by Fostering Families
May 22nd | 11am - 1pm at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham
*This event takes place in the outdoor events tent at the museum.*
All attendees receive a free pass to the Museum for May 22nd!
Catered lunch and grab-and-go snacks provided by Indulge Catering
And stick around for the Nitrogen Ice Cream presentation for dessert!

This support group will help parents gain an understanding of the 7 core issues in adoption and foster care and how they impact all members of the adoption/foster triad. Together, the group will identify each issue and learn more about which issue is at the heart of all the others, and why. Parents will also learn what they can do to help their children process the 7 Core Issues to be able to integrate and process their stories in healthy ways.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

We all process sensory input differently, but some people are especially sensitive. What might be a minor annoyance for you can be overwhelming and disruptive to someone who struggles with sensory processing issues. This support group looks at sensory processing issues and how they affect children. We take a look at some common behaviors of kids with sensory processing issues, and take a non-diagnostic quiz to determine if your child needs further evaluation. Finally, we provide tried and true techniques to help a child struggling with sensory processing issues.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

One of the biggest reasons placements fail is because of a mismatch between the parents’ expectations about fostering or adopting and the reality of it. This support group looks at how these unrealistic expectations can interfere with our ability to see and parent the child we actually have. We will take a quiz to determine our child’s actual age vs their physical age. Lastly, we will look at how parents can manage their expectations and what they can do to take care of themselves.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

NOTE: ** We had some Zoom difficulties with the previous registration - please re-register here to be able to attend the event. Apologies!! **

We know from extensive research that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect our emotional and physical health in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This support group looks at what we mean by ACEs and how they affect us and our kids.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Neglect is the most common form of abuse and it can cause developmental, cognitive, and social delays, among other issues. Despite this, many people downplay the impact of neglect and it’s often considered the "lesser" reason children enter foster care. This support group looks at what neglect actually is, how it impacts children and what parents can do to help their child start the healing process. We also look at parentification, a common form of neglect.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

This month parents will learn important information about brain development during the tween and teen years. Understanding the specific parts of tweens' and teens' brains that are growing most rapidly in these years will help parents learn how to communicate with their kids. This group will also offer guidance on when tweens and teens will most welcome a parent's interventions, how to step into that process with them, and how to aid their building of intelligence and gaining experiences that will prepare them for adulthood.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Trauma is a hot topic in foster care and adoption, and for good reason. The vast majority of kids who were adopted at an older age or who have spent time in the foster care system have experienced some kind of trauma. However, trauma, and its impacts on children, isn’t always well understood by parents. This month we will look at what neglect is, how it can impact children and how parents can determine if a behavior is based in trauma. Most importantly, we look at ways parents can help their children start healing from that early trauma.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Resilience is important, especially for kids who have experienced childhood trauma. It’s the key to being able to overcome their early life experiences and thrive. This month we will look at what resilience is and explore the two fundamental principles of resilience and the 7 C's model of resilience. We also provide some concrete tips on how to foster resilience in your children.

This series is created by the Creating A Family training and tool kits.
Each Support Group session can be counted toward 1.5 training hours in Durham, Wake and Orange counties.

Fostering Families is excited to announce six months of virtual support groups, facilitated by the incredible staff at the Center for Child & Family Health.

This will be a facilitated discussion led by Michelle Gilchrist at CCFH where foster parents can discuss pros and cons of using virtual platforms and share any lessons learned to successfully manage online visitations, education and therapy.

REGISTER HERE!

**This qualifies for continuing education credit in Durham, Orange and Wake Counties.**

Please Note: This Support Group is open to licensed foster parents and adoptive parents ONLY. If you have not begun the licensing process, please contact Fostering Families to be connected with foster parents who can answer any questions you may have. We would be happy to help!

Fostering Families is excited to announce six months of virtual support groups, facilitated by the incredible staff at the Center for Child & Family Health.

A facilitated discussion led by Kelly Sullivan, PhD where foster parents can discuss with each other the uniqueness of being a foster parent and explore ways to interact and advocate with non-foster parents and/or relatives in healthy and trauma-informed ways.

**This qualifies for continuing education credit in Durham, Orange and Wake Counties.**

Please Note: This Support Group is open to licensed foster parents and adoptive parents ONLY. If you have not begun the licensing process, please contact Fostering Families to be connected with foster parents who can answer any questions you may have. We would be happy to help!

This is the fourth in a six month Virtual Support Group Series sponsored by Fostering Families and facilitated by the Center for Child and Family Health, and can be credited for licensing training hours in Durham, Orange and Wake Counties.

A facilitated discussion led by Kelly Sullivan, PhD with the intent to learn from each other about how to be open, honest, age appropriate and respectful of biological parents when discussing with children about their pasts and the reasons for their being away from their biological parents.

Register for this meeting:
https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvduGqrDwoH9MHopzXXi7xe60kJGsSy0dl

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is the third in a six month Virtual Support Group Series sponsored by Fostering Families and facilitated by the Center for Child and Family Health, and can be credited for licensing training hours in Durham, Orange and Wake Counties.

Birth Family Connections
Thursday, March 25th from 7 to 8:30 pm
A facilitated discussion led by Jessica Burch
Parenting with an open heart can mean finding ways to help foster and adoptive children maintain connections to their birth families, traditions, routines, and culture. Need help navigating these relationships or even answering questions about birth family? What if you know very little about their birth families or feel it is not possible or unsafe? This support group will highlight concrete ways to honor children’s complex identities and facilitate healthy birth family connections whenever possible.

REGISTER HERE:
https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0vfuquqjgqE9V4aWE_TOoH0s1hQ5Y1KdXq
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is the second in a six month Support Group Series sponsored by Fostering Families and facilitated by the Center for Child and Family Health, and can be credited for licensing training hours in Durham, Orange and Wake Counties.

Mental Health During Physically Distanced Times
Wednesday, February 24th from 7 to 8:30 pm
A facilitated discussion led by Donna Potter, LCSW with the intent to learn from each other about how to support mental health needs of youth during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some questions that can be explored: How can you support your child’s mental health when going to therapy is no longer an option? How can you support your child’s mental health if virtual therapy is an option? What are tips and resources other parents have been using to navigate this challenging time?

REGISTER HERE:
https://duke.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0rcuisqD0sHtxZN-bkNgVmocU-iT9T3Eog
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Fostering Families is excited to announce six months of virtual support groups, facilitated by the incredible staff at the Center for Child & Family Health.

A facilitated discussion led by Dina Gerber, MS LCSW with the intent to learn from each other about how to process and thrive during holidays. Some questions that can be explored: How to minimize the stress of holidays for kids in care? What can we do to better balance the good with the sad? How can we prepare as holidays approach? What can we do when our kids are having big feelings, and when our family and friends don't understand their behaviors?

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

*This qualifies for continuing education credits in Durham and Orange Counties.*

Bio: Dina has worked with children and families since 2008 and joined CCFH in 2015. Ms. Gerber improves trauma-informed care in the NC child welfare system by training others in the NCTSN Resource Parent Curriculum (RPC), Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), and the Trauma Informed Leadership Training (TILT). Before working at CCFH, Ms. Gerber provided therapeutic services in homes and at schools. Ms. Gerber’s main area of interest and clinical expertise is with families with young children, and she has been trained in many evidenced based models including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS), Positive Parenting Program (Levels II, III, IV), and Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC).

This Support Group is open to foster and adoptive parents only. If you have not begun the licensing process, please contact Fostering Families to be connected with foster parents who can answer any questions you may have! We would be happy to help!