DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAINING

The Domestic Violence training on Saturday was excellent! Rosie Holmes (left) and Connie May (right), part of the DCFS Domestic Violence team, presented some very helpful and interesting information that made us all think about this huge (and growing) problem. The effects of DV on our society is staggering. As peer parents, we deal with this issue often and need to know how to recognize the problem, realize the impact on children, and know where to send our clients for help. Remember - we are not DV councilors or therapists! When a client is involved with the State because of Domestic Violence issues, the caseworker will recommend appropriate DV treatment. The role of the peer parent is to teach parenting skills, one of which is making parents aware of what constitutes abuse and neglect. Within the context of teaching the abuse and neglect skill, we should pass on to our clients helpful information about DV just as we would pass on information about the different forms of abuse and neglect.

Did you know that, as citizens, we can be part of the Domestic Violence Coalition? Each area in our region meets once a month to discuss DV. If you are interested in joining (or if you have any questions or concerns about DV and your clients), please contact the member of the DCFS DV

team nearest you:

Rosie Holmes (Davis County) 801-776-7488

Connie May (Logan) 435-787-3412

Maria Sandoval (Ogden) 801-395-5946

Dixie Yoder (Brigham City) 435-734-4043

Nancy Sloper (Regional Supervisor) 801-629-5848

Don't forget to wear your purple ribbons throughout the rest of October to spread awareness about Domestic Violence.

October Advanced Peer Parent Training

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In recognition of this wide-spread problem, we will have Rosie Holmes from the region DCFS Domestic Violence team train us about DV, the effects it has on victims and families, and how peer parents can help. I hope to see many of you there...Saturday, October 23rd from 9:00 until 11:00 in the Clearfield DCFS office.



I also want to thank all of you who attended the Peer Parent Employee Evaluation interviews. It is a privilege to work with so many dedicated, knowledgable, empathetic peer parents!

Peer Parent Teaching Tip

Congratulations to Julie Trujillo for winning the "Peer Parent Teaching Tip" contest! She will receive a gift card to Target. Julie is from West Haven, has been a peer parent for almost two years and has been very successful with all the clients she has worked with.

Julie's tip... "Working with parents who are hard to engage can be challenging, so when this is the case I have created a "Skill Review Quiz" after each of our meetings I give the parent a review. We do it together, but I only help when they get stuck. This encourages communication and questions. It also lets me know if they are understanding the skill and if we need to continue discussing the topic. Good Luck All!'

This is a great suggestion - it helps reinforce the topic to the parents and gives the peer parent good information about where to go from there. Thanks, Julie!

IMPORTANT TRAINING INFORMATION:

When I was scheduling the advanced trainings for this year, I didn't think about UEA (Fall Recess) falling on October 14-15. I had planned to hold a training on Sat., Oct. 16 but now realize this is probably a bad day because a lot of people go out of town over this weekend. Our next advanced training will now be held on Saturday, Oct. 23rd so mark your calendars - more information to come.

CONGRATULATIONS, KERRI!

Kerri Miller is the lucky winner of a $15.00 gift card to Target for being the first peer parent to comment on this blog. Thanks, Kerri! Now I know at least one person is reading it...

Kerri lives in Clinton. She is a fairly new peer parent and is working on her first case. Kerry commented to me in an email, "I'd like to see other's ideas and tips on teaching the different subjects. Maybe the more experienced parents could blog about how they teach? Give us ideas and "teaching aids"?"

That is exactly what I hope this blog becomes - an interactive message board for all peer parents to share ideas and tips. Peer parents can do this one of two ways:

1) Respond in a "comment".

2) Email me the information you would like posted in the blog and I will put it in for you. The State has requested that only coordinators be able to actually post on the blog since blogs are open to anyone and we wouldn't want unauthorized people to post inappropriate or unrelated stuff on our blog.

So...I am offering another $15.00 gift card to Target for the first person (other than Kerri - I want to see if anyone else is reading this!) who emails me some peer parenting ideas or tips that I can post here. I know for a fact that we have some really great peer parents in our region who have lots of experience and a wealth of knowledge to share with others so let's hear from you!

Gotta Love Fall!

Last October we were able to enjoy beautiful New England in all its autumn splendor. Our daughter lives in Boston. This is a picture of our son, Christopher and daughter, Tristan (and me...the big orange pumpkin!) when we visited Ben and Jerry's Ice cream Factory - yummmm!

Is Anybody Out There?

I haven't posted on this blog for awhile because just when life was already crazy with my mom's death, my mother-in-law passed away too! Needless to say, it has been a trying summer. But now we are into my favorite time of year... fall. There is just something about the cooler days, vibrant colors and crisp air that makes me feel energized and hopeful. I hope you all feel the same.

We've had this blog going for awhile but I haven't gotten much response (maybe because I have written so inconsistently!) I've decided to have a little contest to see if anyone is actually reading this, so... the first person to post a comment to this blog will get a $15.00 gift card to Target!

Soon I'll be posting information about our next advanced training so tune in!

I'd like to share one of my favorite thoughts with you. It's by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

SUCCESS

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation

of honest critics,

And endure the betrayal

Of false friends;

To appreciate beauty,

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch,

Or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life

Has breathed easier,

Because you have lived,

That is to have succeeded.

Wishing you all true success -

Pam

I've Missed You!

I'm sorry that I haven't written on this blog for awhile. July was a crazy month. I was frantically trying to get everyone's final fiscal year billings in on time and in the middle of it, my mom passed away. Being the only daughter and the only one of my mom's 3 kids who live in Utah, everything fell on me. I was so busy that I was numb until it was all over. Then the reality hit that she is gone. To say it is hard is an understatement. She was an incredible lady. I just try to take it each day at a time.



Luckily, there were no trainings set for July but now it is back to work! Our next advanced training is scheduled for Saturday, August 14. I've decided to do something different for this training. As I mentioned to you several months ago, it has been recommended that area coordinators have periodic one-on-one evaluation meetings with all peer parents. I would like to do this in place of a regular training. On August 13th and 14th, I've reserved the Clearfield DCFS building for these short visits. I'm scheduling 20 minute blocks of time for each peer parent...the good news is that you can count your interview as a 2 hour advanced training - what a deal! I'll be emailing you the schedule so be looking for it.



Also, business is picking up as it usually does about the time school starts. Please let me know if you can take on more cases.



One final note... I don't see anyone adding comments to these blogs. It is very easy to do - just click "comments" and it will tell you what to do. I would really love to see this blog become more interactive.