1. family and parenting
2. children

The Ohio Family Care Association
Annual Family Conference
June 19-20, 2015
Embassy Suites Dublin
5100 Upper Metro Place
Dublin, OH 43017
614-790-9000
OFCA giving a Voice to Families
caring for children & youth
touched by child welfare
The Changing Roles of Ohio’s Resource Families Schedule Friday, June 19, 2015 8:00 Registration & Coffee 9:00 Keynote: Crystal Allen, Casey Family Programs 10:30 Workshop Session 12:00 Lunch for participants 12:30 Group Learning 1:45 Film: Tough Love 3:30 Film Panel Discussion 5:00 Program Day Ends Dinner on Your Own 7:00 Social Opportunity Saturday, June 20, 2015 8:30 Registration & Coffee 9:00 Workshop Session 10:45 Workshop Session 12: 15 Lunch & OFCA Annual Report 1:15 Workshop Session 3:00 Workshop Session 4:30 Conference Ends SAFE Travel Home Conference Facility Participants are responsible for their own room arrangements. To receive the reduced rate, please identify yourself with the Ohio Family Care Association. Consider sharing a
suite with a friend!
Take this Early Summer Get A way Relax & Enjoy Your stay at the
Embassy Suites Dublin 5200 Upper Metro Place Dublin, OH 43017 614-­‐790-­‐9000 or 800-­‐220-­‐9219 Participants will meet others through conversation in the Atrium and the evening open specials. Conference Room Rate: $129. (close to $152 with hotel fees & taxes) (suites with 2 rooms – no limit to occupancy) Rooms have microwave, refrigerator and coffeemaker, Television and internet. Free cooked to Order Breakfast with Room for all occupants. Indoor Swimming Pool, Whirlpool, Fitness Center , Pool Table Check In @ 4:00 pm. Check Out @ 12:00 noon.
Consider bringing the kids for a fun weekend and sharing days of the conference attendance with 2 adults (one gets training on Friday and other on Saturday). Or bring a sitter to accompany the kids on excursions. Reservations for Conference Rate at the Suites Must be reserved by: May 28, 2015
Columbus Zoo and the Water Park are Near By
The Embassy is located in the Northwest sector of the greater Columbus area. Take Interstate 270 to Exit #17A Dublin/Rt. 161. Exit east toward town. Turn right at the first intersection (Frantz Rd.). Turn right at the first opportunity onto Upper Metro Place. The Hotel is on the right. Friday AM
2A. Parenting Children Who Have Friday PM
A special afternoon: Experienced Trauma. Dave Paxton, The Village Network This session will highlight ways to most effectively care for children who have experienced loss, maltreatment or other forms of trauma. 2B. The Parent Partner Program – Nationwide Children’s Hospital -­‐ Temple Taylor Ellis The Parent Partner Program supports parents whose children or teens are experiencing behavioral health problems by matching them with other parents who can share the coping strategies they have developed while living through similar concerns with their own children. 2C. Update on Ohio’s New Open Adoption Record Law – Betsie Norris, Adoption Network Cleveland Ohio recently opened access to their original birth certificates to adults who were adopted between 1964 and 1996, the “donut hole” years that had remained closed while the years before and after were open. Learn about the effort to change the law and what’s been happening since the birth records became available. 2D. Respite Care – Betsy Johnson, NAMIOhio Respite Care is a program service that is not always available in Ohio to adoptive, foster, kinship, primary families or all families raising children with unusual needs. The need, where it is available, and how to assist in the development of these services will be addressed. Ohio’s Premiere of the Film: Tough Love From Emmy®-­‐nominated filmmaker Stephanie Wang-­‐
Breal comes a film about second chances. Offering a rare look at the inner workings of the American child welfare system, Tough Love chronicles the lives of two parents—one in Seattle and one in New York City—as each fights to be reunited with children taken out of their custody. Through intimate, verité footage of both families, we witness first-­‐hand the complex and daunting bureaucracy of America’s family courts. Moreover, we come to understand the powerful role poverty and prejudice play in keeping parents and children apart⎯and the challenges parents must overcome in order to put their families back together. Followed by A panel of Ohio Child Welfare Involved Parents and Professionals with insights into the growth areas and barriers in Ohio’s Child Welfare System. Our thanks to the Ohio Association of Child Care Agencies and the Public Children Services Association of Ohio for their support in funding to show this film. Staff of PCSAO & OACCA agencies may attend the conference at the membership rate. Our thanks to the Institute for Human Services for helping with scholarships. Saturday 10:45 am
Saturday 9:00 am
5A. Difficult Conversations with Adults. Pt 1 Susanna Warren, Compassionate Communication Center of Ohio. Difficult conversations can lead to hurt feelings or crises situations where no one comes out a winner. This session works on learning skills to turn a conversation into a way that allows everyone to get their needs met on their own terms without coercion, fear of retribution, or loss of self-­‐esteem. 5B. Parenting the Hurt Child – 6A. Difficult Conversations with Adults. Pt 2 Continuation Session of 5A 6B . Parenting the Hurt Child. Pt 2 Regina Kupecky, The Attachment and Bonding Center of Ohio Regina Kupecky, The Attachment and Bonding Center of Ohio Concrete and useful tips and techniques to help you tap into your resources and creativity to most effectively parent the children and teens in your life. Continuation Session of 6A 6C. A Family’s Journey Through Child Welfare Karen Ezirim, Primary 5C -­‐ Working Through Issues in Kinship Parent and adult children, Dajaun Kennedy, Rayshawn Parnell, Denzell Williams. Families -­‐ Denise St. Clair, Family and Youth Law Center & Renay Sanders, SynergyForce This session will explore some of the unique challenges experienced by kinship caregivers and suggest ways to respond to stresses while maintaining family ties. 5D -­‐ Normalizing Foster Care: Ohio’s Prudent A mother and her young adult children tell the very personal story of their lives and relationships before, during and after the children entered the foster care and adoption system in Ohio. 6D. Adopting Older Children and Teens – Zoe Breen Wood, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University Parent Standard – Kelley Gruber, The Institute for Human Services & Maureen Heffernan, Child Welfare Consultant Background on the national effort to “normalize” the experience of foster care for children and teens, and an opportunity to consider parenting scenarios that relate to Ohio’s new “Prudent Parent Standard”. Susanna Warren, , Compassionate Communication Center of Ohio. This workshop will look at the issues of permanency beyond the age of minor children. What are the developmental and emotional needs that must be met for children and youth who join our families at an older age. We will explore how we sustain this family relationship into the role of us as parents of adult children. Saturday 3:00 pm
Saturday 1:15 pm
7A. Difficult Conversations with Children Pt. 1 Susanna Warren, Compassionate Communication Center of Ohio While difficult conversations with adults may overwhelm us, discussion of difficult issues with children may often be ignored because we don’t know how to make it a positive experience for the child. Learn and practice the skills we need to make this happen 7B. Parenting Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused – Jim Miller, Design with Vision Build your understanding of the needs of children and teens with sex abuse histories and learn effective strategies to help them heal and maintain safety for everyone. 7C -­‐ Self Care for Resource Parents – Betsy Smalley, Consultant and Trainer Information to help you recognize the signs and symptoms of personal stress and develop healthy personal coping skills. 7D. Effects of Fostering on Children in the Home. Bobbi Pedersen & Carolyn Arny, foster and adoptive parents The impact of fostering on the lives of the children of foster caregivers has largely been overlooked. This workshop will discuss the many changes in family relations and family life in general that families who enter into fostering may experience that effect the lives of the permanent children in the home. It will also look at effective ways to help prepare our permanent children for those who come and go. 7E. Film: Tough Love Another opportunity to see the film From Emmy®-­‐
nominated filmmaker Stephanie Wang-­‐Breal about second chances. 8A. Difficult Conversations with Children Pt.2 Susanna Warren, Compassionate Communication Center of Ohio Continuation of 7A 8B. Parenting Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused – Jim Miller, Design with Vision Continuation of 8A 8C: Foster Parents as Coaches for Older Teens and Young Adults: Renay Sanders, SynergyForce Fostering young people in their later teens and very early 20’s calls for some different skills than those needed to care for younger children. This session will offer ideas on how to serve as a coach and guide for young people as they make their way to adulthood. 8D: Roundtable Discussion: Where do We Go From Here? Facilitator-­‐Maureen Heffernan This facilitated discussion is intended to follow up to the ideas sparked by the Tough Love film. The group will consider whether and how ideas from the film can be used to strengthen the Ohio’s child welfare system. Conference Registration Form Deadline for Meal Confirmation: June 11, 2015 Each Participant will fill in an individual registration form. Please duplicate form or register on-­‐line at www.ofcaonline.org. Attendance Options and Fees Name:_____________________________________________ Please check the option that applies to you. You may join OFCA at this time and receive the membership rate. Membership is on a calendar year basis for $25 and is prorated for the conference to $15. Street _____________________________________________ City _______________________________________________ √ Option Friday & Saturday Member Friday & Sat. Non Member Friday only: Member Rate Friday only: Non Member Saturday only: Member Rate Saturday only: Non Member Friday Lunch & Film Only Friday Movie Only Saturday Lunch & Film Only Saturday Movie Only OFCA Membership Prorated County____________________________________________ Agency Affiliation _______________________________ Phone ____________________________________________ Email _____________________________________________ Role: Check all that apply ☐ Adoptive Parent ☐ Foster Parent
☐ Kinship Provider ☐ Primary Parent
☐ Respite Provider ☐ Agency Staff
☐ Professional Partner/Stakeholder
Workshop Selection Selection One for Each Time Slot Friday am: ☐ Session 2A ☐ Session 2B ☐ Session 2C
☐ Session 2D
Friday PM ☐ Award Winning Documentary: Tough Love
Saturday 9:00 AM Session 5 ☐ Session 5A ☐ Session 5B ☐ Session 5C
☐ Session 5D
Saturday 10:45 AM Session 6 ☐ Session 6A ☐ Session 6B ☐ Session 6C
☐ Session 6D
Saturday 1:15 PM Session 7 ☐ Session 7A ☐ Session 7B ☐ Session 7C
☐ Session 7D ☐ Session 7E
Saturday 3:00 PM Session 8 ☐ Session 8A ☐ Session 8B ☐ Session 8C
☐ Session 8D Lunch Preference ☐ Meat Based
☐ Vegetarian ☐ Other
$160 $190 $80 $95 $80 $95 $40 $15 $40 $15 $15 Agency Purchase Orders accepted. Agencies may request to be invoiced for Registration. Registration must be approved by the agency being billed. Agency Name & Contact Person Email Who Approves this Payment: ☐ I am applying for a scholarship. A limited number of scholarships are available to individuals not working with an agency. ☐ I am sending a check with registration costs to
OFCA, 1151 Bethel Rd., Ste 104B, Columbus, OH
43220
Question: Call 614-222-2712
☐
I will apply Social Worker CEU . We anticipate 6 hours of credit for each day offered with the assistance of FYLaw. A $10 processing fee is charged at the conference