Raising Awareness for National Foster Care Month
May was National Foster Care Month and All Star focused on appreciating foster parents and raising awareness of the need for more foster parents throughout the month.
- A “Thank you, Foster Parents!” banner was proudly displayed in front of All Star’s pediatric mental health facility facing 17th Street.
- We coordinated with local libraries to arrange book displays with information about All Star and how to support foster parents and children in foster care.
- The month concluded with a wonderful story on Suncoast News Network (SNN) featuring our Chief DevelopmentOfficer, Stephen Fancher; Chief Program Officer, Dr. KristinHoffman; and Clinical Director, Chelsea Hernandez.
Support from the community makes a huge difference in building brighter futures for children in foster care. They say it takes a village to raise a child and we are grateful for the village we’re creating here at All Star!
Strengthening Parenting Skills with PCIT
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is one of the strongest evidence-based interventions known for young children between the ages of 2 and 6 with disruptive behaviors, such as aggression, noncompliance, inattention, hyperactivity, irritability, and rulebreaking behavior.
It has been used to successfully teach positive, appropriate parenting practices among caregivers at risk for harsh or abusive parenting. PCIT is used with children with trauma histories to improve the caregiver-child attachment relationship, enhance the child’s sense of psychological safety, and improve emotional
and behavioral regulation.
This intervention is conducted through “coaching sessions” that target improvement of caregiver-child relationships and caregivers’ ability to communicate clear and consistent expectations and consequences to their children. PCIT is used all over the world and has been adapted for use in a variety of cultures, languages, and settings.
PCIT In Action on Campus
All Star recently had a preschool-aged resident and baby brother transition from one of the on-campus foster homes to their grandparents’ home as a relative placement.
All Star has continued to support the family by providing PCIT services for the grandparents and Pre-K aged child. The grandparents are being provided with coaching while they are directly interacting with the child to verbally identify, specify, and encourage positive behaviors to reduce challenging behaviors. The goal is to build caregiver/child attachment by the caregivers being attuned to the child’s needs and the child responding in kind by increasing compliance as a result. The grandparents have even been observed using specific praises with the baby brother, as well.
All Star at the 2022 FloridaFAPA Conference
All Star had a great time at the Florida Foster/Adoptive Parent Association (FAPA) Annual Education Conference in Orlando this month! It was inspiring to meet so many dedicated foster parents and caregivers. There was great attendance for the presentation by our Clinical Director, Chelsea Hernandez: “Trauma-Informed Interaction Skills for Fostering Safe, Supportive Relationships with Children.” This presentation discussed the importance of quality caregiver-child relationships and psychological safety among children who have experienced trauma. Attendees participated in hands-on experiential activities to help them learn and practice a variety of skills designed to promote engagement and calm, positive interactions between children and adults.
“Participants were engaged, excited to practice applicable skills, and planned on implementing five minutes a day of trauma-informed, relationship-building skills with their children,” said Ms. Hernandez. “I spoke with one participant after the workshop who has been fostering for 30 years who said she was excited to practice her skills and was already planning what her ‘five minutes’ a day would look like!”