Community Blog Archives by Date Blog
Through your ministry you inspire and touch the lives of so many children and families. We are in need of leaders of faith based ministries throughout our local communities that will partner with Heartland for Children in implementing a faith-based initiative. This partnership will encompass both universal and targeted efforts to provide family and community supports that will build protective factors for the families within our communities.
We are fortunate to live in the tri-county area of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties where local businesses are not only a part of the decorative landscape but their business practices demonstrates they believe in giving back to support and strengthen children and families.
By the time a student finishes high school one third will experience some type of abuse in their relationships. Who does this happen to? Dating Violence can happen anywhere and to anyone. The only thing that victims of abusive relationships have in common is that they have nothing in common. Dating violence happens regardless of socio-economic status, geographic area, age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical size. Even men can be victims of dating violence.
My wife, Joy-Lynn and I became Foster Parent Mentors (FPM) through Heartland for Children in 2012. When we were approached with the opportunity to be an added support for incoming Foster Parents, we jumped at the opportunity because we saw the value in having someone who other Foster Parents could relate to as being an invaluable resource; especially, if the individual(s) were completely new to the fostering and/or parenting experience.
As FPMs through Heartland, we've had the chance to interact with incoming Foster Parents on many levels including assisting with respite, providing guidance or best practices with difficult behavioral issues, advocating for a child who had to be moved from one home to another, making recommendations on working with case management, providing another vantage point through the process of Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), and many other areas that Foster Parents can encounter during their first and continuing years of child advocates.
What we've gained as FPMs is a heightened level of understanding of how important it is to identify the needs of incoming Foster Parents. Being able to make recommendations on how the training component has and can continue to successfully equip incoming parents with the proper training and education; is a value add that Heartland has really welcomed input on.
Cebien Alty - HFC Foster Parent, Foster Parent Mentor