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Accessing SAFF's Direct Services |
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New and Used Clothing Closet: SAFF maintains a selection of new and good condition used seasonal clothing for foster children at its Resource Center on Lakeside Court in Reno. Very often we receive generous donations of new clothing, socks, underwear, jackets and new shoes from private donors as well as corporate sponsors. These articles of clothing are available for all foster placements. Please feel free to stop by during regular office hours and take what you need. SAFF only accepts good, clean seasonal used clothing, or will take new items during any time of the year. SAFF Tutoring and Educational Advocacy: SAFF offers tutoring and other educational supports for children in foster care. SAFF’s Educational Liaison works closely with the Washoe County School District to advocate for support services for foster children and to assist with coordinating Individualized Education Plans when needed. SAFF’s provides professional tutoring and remedial education services, delivered by licensed and certified teachers from the Washoe County School District. Supports offered are more than help with homework, and include experiential learning and has a strong focus on developing a foundation of literacy and math skills. Call SAFF at 775 828-9977. Foster Parent-to-Parent Mentoring Program: Sierra Association of Foster Families offers a peer-based mentoring program matching newly licensed foster parents to experienced, trained foster parent mentors who have similar licensing parameters and family dynamics in the home, i.e. if you are licensed for teens, we’ll match you with a mentor who cares for teens; if you are a single parent, we’ll match you with a single foster parent. The mentors, required to have served as a foster parent for at least 5 years in good standing, have undergone extensive training in active listening skills, making referrals to community based resources and support providers and guiding the new foster parent through the social services system. All newly licensed families are autiomatically matched with a mentor for their 1st year, however the program is also available to experienced foster parents who may be dealing with a unique set of issues or special needs like diabetes, attachment issues, etc. SAFF Birthday Closet: The Sierra Association of Foster Families maintains a selection of new, donated toys and birthday gift items for foster families to choose from for every foster child in their home. SAFF usually has a selection of gift cards, movie passes or other appropriate items for teens in care in addition to games, sports related items, personal electronics and clothing items they may choose from. Training and Resource Library: Over 300 titles of books related to foster care, adoption, child development, abuse and neglect, behavioral issues, special needs and foster families make of SAFF’s Training and Resource Library maintained in the Foster Adoption Training and Resource Center in Reno. Numerous training videos and DVDs, including a series produced by Foster care College are also available for check out and may in some cases be accepted for licensing renewal. Activity Funds Reimbursements: SAFF offers reimbursements of up to $200 per foster child per year to participate in self-esteem and skill building activities such as team and individual sports, music lessons, scouting, camping, skiing, language classes and others. Activities such as concerts, amusement park passes and foster family vacations are not reimbursable. Original receipts need to be turned in with the reimbursement form available on the SAFF website at www.saffnn.org. Allow approximately 2 weeks for reimbursement. Handmade Quilts: The ladies of The Children’s Cabinet Quilters meet at the SAFF office every Tuesday morning to make beautiful homemade quilts for children coming into foster care. They have produced more than 10,000 quilts for our Washoe County children over the past 10 years. If you want to help stop in on Tuesdays, or come by any time to get a blanket for new children entering your home. Support Groups and Advanced Trainings; Foster Parent Support Groups meet every month in Reno, Carson City, Yerington, Winnemucca, Las Vegas, Pahrump and other communities throughout Nevada. Support groups are facilitated by SAFF staff members or local foster parent leadership in each area and include the opportunity to receive 1 hour of advanced training credit towards re-licensing. The chance to meet and socialize with other foster and adoptive parents within your community reduces the sense of isolation many foster parents experience and increases peer based supports such as exchanging respite, offering support during transitions and sharing resources. “A Lifebook For Every Child” Project: Sponsored and supplied by local scapbooking stores, SAFF’s “Lifebooks For Every Child” Project maintains all the books, stickers, pages and art supplies for foster families to prepare a “lifebook” for every child in their home. These scrapbooks offer a history of the child’s birth family, foster family, activities and interests and are particularly important when a child may be moving into an adoptive home. Studies indicate that preserving a child’s history is one of the single most impactful projects on a child’s sense of well-being and self-esteem. Classes are offered regularly at the SAFF office, a family friendly space is available to work on lifebooks, or supplies may be taken home. A call ahead to the SAFF office will guarantee a personalized binder is prepared for your child before you arrive. Advanced Trainings for Foster Parents and Professionals: As an accredited continuing education provider, SAFF offers training opportunities throughout the year for both foster parents and professionals. SAFF’s Annual Regional Child Welfare Conference hosts child welfare experts offering up to 16 hours of CEU credits to social workers, MFTs, psychologists, licensed behavioral therapists, child care professionals, and teachers in topical areas related to working with special needs children in the child welfare system, the foster or adoptive home and school setting. Be sure to watch the SAFF website www.saffnn.org for details on advanced training opportunities. Kinship and Relative Care Providers Supports: Sierra Association of Foster Families offers supports and services to licensed foster families caring for a relative or kinship child or children. SAFF recognized that relative providers face issues unique to their familial situation and often don’t have access to supports offered to other foster families. Social events including the entire family; access to clothing, toys, household items and other relative foster families; advocacy, and information and referral to community based resources and peer-based supports are among the services extended to these families. Independent Living and Supports for Teens in Foster Care: Sierra Association of Foster Families recognizes the unique challenges that face our teens in foster care and those preparing to “age out” of the system without permanency. Teen support groups, adult mentoring, financial management training, basic life skills development, information about housing, educational support opportunities, help in finding employment and making career choices, and information on how to access heath care, mental health services and other community based resources is provided to teens of all ages. |