Formed Families Forward

Raising high school or college students? Don't miss our January 10 webinar with Annie Tulkin from Accessible College. https://bit.ly/3XbXo3R

Attention FCPS families of students with 504 plans and IEPs, Fairfax Co Public Schools has just entered into a Resolution Agreement with the US Office of Civil Rights around their obligation to provide compensatory education services during the pandemic period. Learn more about what OCR found and how FCPS will respond at http://bit.ly/3ubOq9w and https://www.fcps.edu/news/fcps-statement-regarding-office-civil-rights-resolution-agreement.

Registrations for this Friday evening's foster, adoptive and kinship family party close at 8 PM TONIGHT! A few tickets left, get yours now! https://fff-winter-holiday-party-2022.eventbrite.com

Concerned about opioid abuse in your family, in your professional work, in our area? Learn more and provide your input at these state listening sessions, including one in person Saturday in Fairfax.https://www.oaa.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/oaa/pdf/OAA-VACSB-Listening-Session-One-Pager.pdf

From our friends at , register now for December 3's IEP Palooza event at Annandale HS. Stop by and see FFF's table at the resource fair! https://www.facebook.com/events/5536797486376110?ref=newsfeed

Thank you for your generosity to Formed Families Forward thus far.

And to our friends who have not yet contributed, consider contributing to Formed Families Forward this year as part of Giving Tuesday, November 29, 2022. All year round, FFF offers critical training, educational consultations, peer support groups, youth classes, family events, video and print resources, parenting classes and much more.

This past year, we reached over 2000 families formed through foster care, adoption and kinship care, as well as professional partners. Your financial contribution helps us serve even more families, including those impacted by disabilities and other special needs.

To donate visit: https://formedfamiliesforward.org/donate/

Join the movement & giveback this Giving Tuesday!

Thank you for assisting foster, kinship, and adoptive families in need through your contribution today!

Visit https://formedfamiliesforward.org/donate/ to contribute now.

Today is the day! During the next 24 hours, people around the world will come together to participate in a global day of giving – Giving Tuesday

No matter how large or small your donation, we will ensure that your contribution helps foster, kinship, and adoptive families in need.

Visit https://formedfamiliesforward.org/donate/ to contribute now.

Parenting Through The Holidays

Great thoughts on how to prepare for a less stressed holiday, from a FASD-experienced mom and consultant.

Parenting Through The Holidays Parenting kids with brain-based differences can be especially challenging during the holiday season. Changes in routine and increased anticipation of what the holidays bring can be a recipe for overwhelm, leading to incr...

Have you registered for Friday's family bash? RSVP deadline is Wednesday. https://fff-winter-holiday-party-2022.eventbrite.com

We are feeling JOLLY this season. Thankful to be connected to you ✨

Mark your calendars now for our annual winter webinar series on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). We will host three webinars on Tuesday evenings, January 17, 24 and 31, 7-8 PM. Registration will open in Dec. In meantime, find great FASD resources at https://formedfamiliesforward.org/resource_category/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders/.

We are so grateful to be in community with foster, adoptive and kinship families. Giving Tuesday is a time we can all give back. Remember Formed Families Forward this Tuesday.

As you plan your Giving Tuesday contributions, please consider sustaining Formed Families Forward's work to support foster, adoptive and kinship families, https://formedfamiliesforward.org/donate/. We thank you!

On Giving Tuesday, remember Formed Families Forward.

ONE week from tonight, our in-person Family Holiday Party for foster, adoptive and kinship families. RSVP by Nov 30! https://fff-winter-holiday-party-2022.eventbrite.com

We at FFF want to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving. 🍁

As families prepare for the holiday, be it by cooking, traveling, building and rebuilding relationships or finding connection through gratitude, FFF wishes all who celebrate a safe and joyful Thanksgiving.

Last week, our in-person Formed Families Together peer support group celebrated families and practiced gratitude with a pre-Thanksgiving meal! FFT groups are open enrollment so consider joining the virtual or in-person group. https://fftogether.eventbrite.com

Only 10 days away from our back-in-person FFF Family Holiday Party. Food, fun, prizes and Santa await, but your family must register by Nov 30. https://fff-winter-holiday-party-2022.eventbrite.com

November is Family Engagement Month. In our work with VTSS, Formed Families Forward supports schools in empowering families to be true engaged in their multitiered systems of supports efforts. Check out these important messages from the VTSS Family Engagement workgroup! https://drive.google.com/file/d/11yr8TRzYYebHGTuob5j43Z7F0Awm5ju7/view

In honor of Adoption month, we remind families and professional partners of the great new video and other training resources from new National Training and Development Curriculum for Foster and Adoptive Parents (NTDC). It's free to access! https://ntdcportal.org/

A great evening with at the Xiti with the Xis pasta dinner! FFF is the beneficiary of this delicious fundraiser.

From our friends at Fairfax County Special Education PTA - SEPTA register now for December 3's IEP Palooza event at Annandale HS. FFF will be exhibiting at the resource fair! https://www.facebook.com/events/5536797486376110?ref=newsfeed

At FFF, we are THANKFUL we are able to assist families and caregivers. What are you thankful for?

Only two more weeks until our annual adoptive, foster and kinship family holiday party! Back in person this year on Dec 2 at Providence Community Center, with food, games and prizes, and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus! Families and professional friends MUST REGISTER in advance. https://fff-winter-holiday-party-2022.eventbrite.com

This Saturday 11/19, treat your family to a pasta dinner, on the GMU campus, hosted by the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. They have chosen Formed Families Forward as their philanthropy partner this year. Register for the dinner at https://bit.ly/3hiQLw8

From our friends at , register now for December 3's IEP Palooza event at Annandale HS. FFF will be there at the resource fair! https://www.facebook.com/events/5536797486376110?ref=newsfeed

A great tool for families to think through upcoming holiday stressors, from Understood.org. https://formedfamiliesforward.org/family_resource/holiday-stress-worksheets/

Remember FFF during Giving Tuesday 💚

Our final IN PERSON Formed Families Together peer support group for foster, adoptive and kinship parents and caregivers for 2022 is tonight in Fairfax. Register and join others who walk similar paths! The in person group will continue in January. Our virtual group does meet in December! https://fftogether.eventbrite.com

Registration for fall access to Learning Your Way online course modules ends this week. Special ed, trauma, collaboration and more! https://ffflywfall2022.eventbrite.com

From our Friends at Fairfax County DFS! Virtual Parent Café from Parenting Education Programs will be held Wednesday, Nov. 16, 7-8:30 p.m. to discuss Learning Your Child's Love Language.

Our friends at the Virginia Family Network are hosting a November Caregiver Challenge for all parents/caregivers!

Opportunities to win amazon gift cards and a $50 gas card! Please check out our page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/as VirginiaFamilyNetwork

Brand new video resources from our friends at I'm Determined
to support student involvement in their IEPs! Check them out. https://www.imdetermined.org/resource/student-involvement-in-the-iep-modules/

In honor of World Kindness Day, we want to encourage youth to apply for a mini-grant.

Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) is offering its annual mini-grants for youth-led projects to reduce stigma among their peers, with support from the Su***de Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia (SPAN), which is funded by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

These mini-grants will fund youth-planned, youth-led projects within Fairfax County, Fairfax City, and Falls Church City, to be completed by June 9, 2023. A total of $6,000 is available, for requests not to exceed $1,000 each.

Visit https://tinyurl.com/FFFfriendminigrant for more information.

From our friends at Va Family Network at NAMI Virginia
Please visit https://tinyurl.com/Fffsurveyfriends to take the Parent Access Survey for all Virginia families.

Thanks to FCPS Parent Resource Center for inviting FFF to present webinar Modern Families: Fostering Resilience and Inclusivity while Welcoming and Affirming All Families last week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOLld4E2wkA

We would like to share an upcoming free virtual LGBTQ+ Youth Town Hall November 15, 2022 from 6:30-8 pm. Use the QR code in the flyer to register.