Greetings from the College Success Foundation. I’m writing to let you know that the application for the Governors’ Scholarship for Foster Youth is now available. If you’re interested, or know of any students who may be eligible, please take a moment to read a little more about the scholarship below:

Washington State Governors’ Scholarship for Foster Youth:

· The Governors’ Scholarship provides $2,000 to $4,000 per year, for up to five years, for youth who are seniors in high school, and have or will emancipate from foster care in Washington State to attend college. Please take a moment to review the eligibility information on our website if you have students who may be eligible.

· The application can be printed from our website, andmust be postmarked by the deadline: Friday, November 18, 2011.

· Additional information about the Governors’ Scholarship is available on our jryan or 1.877.655.4097.

FOSTER PARENT TRAINING POLICY CHANGES

The information below is being released to foster parents in the October Caregiver Connection. The new training policy will take effect on October 15, 2011 (see attachment). Licensors should become familiar with the policy before implementation in October.

A Fact sheet is being developed that can be shared in Orientation and PRIDE. Licensors should begin talking with prospective foster parents about the policy.

Please contact me if you have questions.

TrainingPolicy10.15.11.docx

COMING SOON! There is still space available for free foster parent, relative caregiver and adoptive parent training: Parenting Plus!

Please pass along information about the 36 hour “Parenting Plus” training on October 5, 6, 11, 13, 17, & 18th at the Tacoma DSHS building in room 195. See the flyer for additional details. To register, please contact me. Thank you!

Lynne Welton, M.A., LMHC

Program Manager/Foster Parent Trainer

Resource Family Training Institute

(253) 983-6435

http://fosterparent.dshs.wa.gov

Here is some information regarding getting free bikes for foster children. Bob Laughlin has a place in Gig harbor and he can be reached email him at www.bicycles4kids.com. Foster parents just need to let him know they are foster parents and you heard about his bike program. thru Community and Family Services Foundation.

Community & Family Services Foundation

1502 Roland Ave.

PO Box 1459

Port Orchard, WA 98366

Main Office Ph: 360-895-7889 / Fax: 360-895-3495

Web: www.cfsf.net

FPAWS and its partners are putting together what may go down as the best Caregiver Conference ever! We have invited folks from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to join us at Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Water Park just south of Olympia for this family friendly conference. Register now for some or all programs January 16, 17, and 18, 2012. You will want to register as soon as possible because the rooms will fill fast. If you are like me and have attended many conferences or if this is you first; you won’t want to miss this one. While you are in a session your kids will be getting warn out in the water. Stay tuned for the Conference Brochure and more information, then get signed up. See you there! On Night One, the 16th, we will have our annual recognition celebration dinner, Night of 1000 Dreams. Be sure to nominate your favorites! See that story on the front page.
See more information at the FPAWS website: http://www.fpaws.org/ , or register at the link below:

http://www.fpaws.org/sites/default/files/PNW%20Caregivers%20Conference%202011%20REGISTRATION%20FORM.pdf

PNWCaregiversConference2011REGISTRATIONFORM.docx

ParentingPlus!-TacomaOct2011.doc

Thursday, October 6, 6-8 pm at Olympic ESD #114

The ABC’s of Including Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Early Childhood Environments

call Kathy Avery at 360-2536 to RSVP.

Kathy runs The Kitsap Interagency Coordinating Council, working with families and professionals to meet the special needs of young children birth to 6 years.

The Back to School Basics 2011-2012 webinar and PowerPoint are now available at:
http://destinationgraduation.ning.com/video/back-to-school-basics

This presentation provides both secondary and postsecondary professionals with tips and resources for
supporting the education of youth in care and alumni.

A special thanks to all of you who attended the live webinar and to the presenters.

Please note that the Governors’ Scholarship is now available!

Visit Treehouse’s Educational Advocacy Program to learn more about the wonderful work that they do to

support youth in care with their education.

The website link below provides some great details about how the Federal adoption tax credit works. It is a tiered system based on income and the year the adoption was finalized. Click on the link below for more details.

http://www.nacac.org/taxcredit/taxcredit.html