Helene LaBrecque Ellis has over
30 years experience in Child Abuse Prevention, Kinship Care, and collaboration with community agencies. She has been a technical
advisor for the Michigan Children’s Trust Fund, on the state board for Michigan Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention,
and on the Michigan Strong Families Safe Children collaborative consortium. She was twice nominated for the Blue Cross Blue
Shield Angel Award recognizing service to children.
In addition to her work for families and children, Helene
has published articles in a variety of journals and newspapers on teaching, parenting, and rural living. She is the mother
of three and grandmother of seven. She and her husband, Joel, live in mid Michigan where Helene maintains updates on kinship
care issues through a newsletter, Kinship Care Notes, published monthly on this website,
see page two. She also presents to grandparenting groups, bookstores, and continuing education programs for university social
work and legal education curriculums.
A statement from the author:
"After years of working with families
who have just taken on beloved children in their extended family, I have learned that there are few resources guiding these
courageous adults through the maze of public systems. The book, A Kinship Guide to Rescuing Children, defines
some of the many decisions caregivers may face with public systems after taking on the task of relative care. Many experts
in their fields of law, social work, finances and therapy contributed their support to the book. Be sure to check the blog
for comments on the issue of kinship care, www.kincare.blogspot.com , and regular monthly newsletter, Kinship Care Notes on page two of this website. Also check
continuing articles on 50 PlusPrime at: http://www.50plusprime.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/TNP.showArticle/TNPTopicPK/DF46A03B-19B9-EB12-B0C5F96A80B57CB2/TNPArticlePK/1B7D1FA1-19B9-EB12-B0DD670941C023AC.cfm. I have a deep appreciation for the task kin in families have taken on and for the thousands of workers in
social service offices, aging resources, family programs, who have recognized the need to support kinship families in this
noble task by becoming leaders in establishing quality kinship programs in their communities. Thank you all for the good work
you are doing." - Helene Ellis
10 ways to use A Kinship Guide to Rescuing Children
1. Give as a gift or prize to members at the local Kinship group.
2. Use as a reference to launch a discussion
on important issues to Kinship families.
3. Follow the guidelines for establishing a local kinship care group, p. 157.
4. Make a program calendar using suggestions for speakers, p.172.
5. Give the book to professionals who will come
to speak with your group.
6.
Leave the book in Medical offices with a sticker - Compliments of (the name of your organization).
7. Give a copy to the schools in your area - 1 in 12 children
in classrooms are raised by non-parent relatives. Be sure to include a letter expressing the importance of working with kinship
families.
8. Give complimentary
copies to legal sources that work in family law and especially with kinship families.
9. Donate the book to libraries in the area including other family
libraries such as Head Start.
10.
Visit local government representatives to express importance of kinship issues, leave a book for them with contact numbers.
