IFAPA I 6864 NE 14th St., Suite 5 - Ankeny, IA 50023 I 800.277.8145 I 515.289.4567 I www.ifapa.org I OFFICE HOURS 8AM - 4:30PM
Day of S ILENCE
On April 3, 2015 I had the opportunity to attend the
10th Annual Governors Conference on LGBTQ
Youth. Educators, students, human service
professionals and anyone interested in bettering the
lives of Iowa’s children is invited to attend this day-
long conference which showcases speakers from
around the world who are addressing ways to
continue to improve the lives of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ)
youth in schools and in society as a whole. It is a
powerful conference that reminded me once again
that all children, no matter their sexual orientation,
are in search of safety, love and acceptance.
While numbers are difficult to come by due to a lack
of collected data, it is estimated that 1,000 children
in Iowa’s foster care system identify as LGBTQ or
gender non-conforming. For a variety of reasons,
children in care often choose to remain silent about
their sexual orientation and it is highly likely that you
have parented or will parent a child who identifies
as LGBTQ or gender non-conforming. It is important
that you take the time to learn more about the
needs of LGBTQ youth in care as well as ways you
can foster the healthy growth and development of
all children.
One organization working toward this goal is the
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
(GLSEN). On April 17th they will be holding their Day of Silence which is a national day of action in which
students across the country vow to take a form of
silence to call attention to the silencing effect of
anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. The
four truths of the Day of Silence are:
GLSEN’s Day of Silence brings attention to anti-
LGBTQ name-calling, bullying and harassment
and effective responses.
Hundreds of thousands of students of all beliefs,
backgrounds and sexual orientations participate
in the Day of Silence.
GLSEN’s Day of Silence
participants encourage
schools to implement
provide solutions to
address anti-LGBT name-
calling, bullying and
harassment.
The day is a positive
educational experience.
Many students at schools across Iowa are planning
on participating in the Day of Silence and it is likely
that your child may have questions. Even if your
child does not identify as LGBTQ or has not yet
disclosed they are LGBTQ, they may feel a
connection to the movement’s goals of ending
harassment and bullying based on their experiences
as a child in care. I encourage you to use this as an
opportunity to educate yourself and have an open
dialogue with all members of your family as to why
inclusion and acceptance of all people, regardless
of their race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation
is an important and valuable life skill.
I highly recommend the following resources to learn
more about LGBTQ issues and to assist you as you
work to create a loving and accepting home for all
children:
www.glsen.org
www.thetrevorproject.org
https://community.pflag.org
www.oneiowa.org
www.gladd.org
www.itgetsbetter.org
H IL IARY BURNS Training Coordinator
MORE RESOURES Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for
Foster Parents
Getting Down to Basics: Tools to Support LGBTQ
Youth in Care
IFAPA I 6864 NE 14th St., Suite 5 - Ankeny, IA 50023 I 800.277.8145 I 515.289.4567 I www.ifapa.org I OFFICE HOURS 8AM - 4:30PM
INTRODUCING REYNA
IFAPA’S NEW PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Reyna Teran has joined IFAPA as our
Program Assistant. She has twelve years
of experience working in direct care
including mental health, substance
abuse and juvenile probation and has a
B.A. in Criminal Justice. Reyna is
responsible for registering parents for
upcoming trainings, conferences and
events. Reyna can be reached at
515-289-4567 ext. 1 or [email protected].
Para ayuda en español, llame al 1.800.277.8145 ext. 1.
TRAININGS
CONNECT THE DOTS: EMOTIONS TO BEHAVIORS The children who enter your home
may have experienced serious
trauma. While their behavior will often
give you clues about what has
happened sometimes this is difficult to
understand and more difficult to
manage. Connect the Dots is a class
to help parents understand the
connections between the behaviors
you see and the emotions your child
may be feeling. Using audio visuals,
audience participation, real life
vignettes and personal experiences,
Christy helps the audience develop
an understanding of how our
experiences frame our choices and
how our emotions affect our
behavior. (Trainer: Christy Meyer)
WATERLOO - Apr. 25 (9am-12:15pm)
BURLINGTON - Aug. 22 (9am-12:15pm)
HOW TO TALK SO KIDS WILL LISTEN AND LISTEN SO KIDS WILL TALK When parents can help children
identify and express their feelings; the
child is more likely to learn to manage
his/her feelings effectively. When a
child develops the skills to express
him/herself appropriately all
communication even difficult
communication becomes easier.
Talking, listening and setting effective
boundaries are essential skills for
parents. This type of communication
becomes even more valuable when
the parent is dealing with individuals
who have experienced significant
emotional trauma.
(Trainer: Christy Meyer)
WATERLOO - Apr. 25 (1:30pm-4:45pm)
BURLINGTON - Aug. 22 (1:30pm-4:45pm)
TO REGISTER - Call 800.277.8145 or REGISTER ONLINE
Promoting Sibling Connections in Foster Care Recognizing that sibling relationships are critical for the
healthy development of a child, child welfare agencies
make efforts to keep siblings together in foster care
whenever possible. Sometimes, however, not all siblings
can remain together. The Coalition for Children, Youth
and Families, in collaboration with the Wisconsin
Department of Children and Families, developed a tip
sheet for foster parents regarding ways to support sibling
connections for the children and youth they are fostering
who have been separated from their siblings. The tip sheet
also addresses challenges resulting from these separations. VIEW SIBLINGS TIP SHEET
10 Tips for Foster Parents
to Help Their Foster Youth Avoid Teen Pregnancy
Foster youth say they want to discuss sex, love, and
relationships with their foster parents, but some are
embarrassed or feel uncomfortable starting the
conversation. The same holds true for foster parents. They
often don’t know what to say, how to say it, or when to
start. This guide offers some ideas to help foster parents
strengthen their relationships with foster youth. It also offers
some ideas on how best to communicate about sex, love,
and relationships. VIEW THESE TIPS FOR FOSTER PARENTS