7
Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques to Promote Positive Group and Individual Experiences

Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Grandparents as Parents….Sharing a Lifetime of Love

Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group

Education and Kincare Training vs. Support

Techniques to Promote Positive Group and Individual Experiences

Page 2: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Sharing Practical Ideas

Research the existing resource materials (such as Kinship Care Resource Kit, census data) and how it relates to the realities of your own community-You will be surprised!Talk with key community stakeholders such as school counselors, principals and/or administrators, health care professionals, attorneys, county judges, bank personnel,etc.

Page 3: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Find that special person…a Dorothy

Find an advocate-someone who “has been there and done that!”… to educate and guide your staff…But more importantly, to establish a foundation of credibility and trust with grandparents seeking help by connecting them with someone who has already walked in their shoes.

Page 4: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Create Collaborative Partnerships

Seek out leaders from the entities who are involved with (or should be involved with) issues relating to kin care such as State agencies TDFPS and TDHS, Schools, Non Profits (such as those offering information on substance abuse, counseling , parenting skills), Health care providers, Legal advocates, attorneys, judges, 2-1-1 and other information and referral services, legislative staff and other elected officials.WHO are others that should be informed stakeholders?

Page 5: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Involving Community Partners

Invite partners to serve on an advisory task force to enhance awareness and promote community support. Partners can also make referrals to support group.Ask partners to offer pro bono services for unmet needs of grandparents raising grandchildren such as counseling for caregiver or child, or providing legal consultation, or developing promotional materials.Include community partners on training and educational presentations.

Page 6: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Education and Kincare Training vs. Support

Survey grandparents referred to program to identify unmet needs or information needs.Offer opportunities for group meetings and access to timely information.Understand the critical difference between an educational program and a support group.Provide all opportunities to grandparents raising grandchildren so that they can decide which option is most appropriate to meet their personal preferences.

Page 7: Grandparents as Parents…. Sharing a Lifetime of Love Sharing Practical Ideas on Starting a Support Group Education and Kincare Training vs. Support Techniques

Techniques to Promote Positive Group and Individual Experiences

Never say…Oh I know what you are going through as I have my grandchild everyday while my daughter works…HOW WONDERFUL….you get to have your grandchild all of the time!!!Sensitize all personnel, advisory council members, and community partners of the very unique and often complex issues confronting grandparents raising grandchildren relating to financial, emotional, social, legal, medical, educational, and so on.