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KINSHIP CARE NOTES SUMMER, 2010
Summer is in a fierce forward roll these days. Many activities have been announced which we will update as they come in for
the summer. Please be sure to check the website and particularly this page for upcoming news. In this issue some items are
especially of value and interest to grandfamilies.
In the mean time, we had a very successful
3-hour workshop for Michigan State University’s continuing education resource in the school of social work. Thanks to
all who attended and gave such kind feedback. I have been asked to present two more workshops for the Kinship Care Resource
Center in August and September. I will keep those of you in Michigan posted as we move forward.
For those families new to kinship care or about to become providers please note that summer is a critical time to get the
necessary paperwork for school registration. Those papers may include:
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documented authorization of the caregiver – such as guardianship papers
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health records of the children – families may have to get new immunizations
-
previous school records arranged.
That said, let's get on to the kinship news of the day. IMPORTANT NEWS
FROM GENERATIONS UNITED
Family Medical Leave Act interpretation
On June
22, the U.S Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division issued an Administrator's Interpretation clarifying that the definition
of "son or daughter" in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) includes grandparents and other relatives raising
childrern without any type of legal relationship to the children - both same-sex partners raising children and other non-traditional
families.
Since its passage in 1993, the FMLA allows eligible employees in businesses of a certain
size to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period due to:
-the birth of a son or daughter
-the placement
of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care
-or to care for a son or daughter with a serious health
condition.
This Interpretation clarifies that the status of in loco parentis, or action "in
the place of a parent," includes grandparents and other relatives raising children. It also clarifies that the FMLA does
not restrict the number of parents a child may have. A child may even have biological or adoptive parents living in the same
home, and a grandparent, aunt or uncle may be acting "in loco parentis" and take unpaid leave.
The Interpretation states that employees do not have to establish that they provide both day-to-day care AND financial support
to be considered "in loc parentis." An employee only has to give a "simple statement" that they are acting
"in loco parentis" by providing either day-to-day care OR financial support of the child.
This alert was created by Ana Beltran of Generations United Special Advisor. For further information contact Jaia Lent at
jlent@gu.org. Also be sure to check the Generations United website for a great deal of other
information supporting intergenerational families at www.gu.org. FLORIDA
Kids Central Inc is now taking registration from professionals for the 4th Annual Kinship Care Conference, "One child,
One Chance" in Ocala, Florida. The conference is Friday September 17 for professionals, 8:15 to 5 p.m. includes lunch,
$60 with discount for 5 or more attendees on the same registration. Saturday September 18 for kinship families, free, teen
program, child care, lunch provided. Door prizes both days. For more information contact www.kiscentralinc.org or 352-387-3526 or 352-873-6332. This is a great program. Professionals around
the country might consider attending to exprience an excellent support for kinship families and professionals. ILLINOIS Both State and National grant opportunities
are regular notices from Barb Schwartz. This information is so valuable you may want to request being on the e-mail list:
barb.schwartz@illinois.gov. The latest information from Barb includes state intergenerational grands for GRG programs due August 20! Grandparent Raisin
Grandchildren and Other Relative Kinship programs who are unaware of this funding opportunity should contact Barb at 217.524.5327. A number of other grants are noted in the Partnership Center Newsletter. Organizations that serve communities
collaboratively or in specific human service areas affecting families should be on this mailing list. Check out the website
at: http://www.hhs.gov/fbci/. Sales Tax Holiday
From August 6 to August
15 families in Illinois will be able to purchase school supply essentials without the added sales tax. Every year families
in Illinois spend between 800 million and 2.5 billion on school essentials. This year purchases of pens, paper, notebooks,
even clothing that is under $100 such as shoes, sports wear, etc all will be eligible for the sales tax holiday during those
9 days. For more information contact Barb.Schwartz@Illinois.gov . State
ID fee waived for homeless
Illinois will waive the State ID $20 fee for homeless persons. This will assist greatly
for homeless teens and others who are in need of services requiring a State ID. For more information contact the Illinois
Secretary of State at 800-252-8980. MICHIGAN Two
good resources
From Luanne Beaudry of Parenting Awareness Michigan, pamcampaign@preventionnetwork.org , keeps us in touch with so many resources. Here are two more:
A Kindergarten readiness report from Child Trends
covering all states. A valuable resource to share with decision makers on early childhood readiness and how it affects all
families including grandfamilies. www.childtrends.org . coming up are trainings focusing on the needs of formerlyincarcerated
women, August 25-26 at Westin Southfield Detroit. Register with Partners for Peace Training. Contact Sarah Jarous: 517.347.7000
ext.30 or sarah.jarous@mcadsv.org Early registration deadline, August 12. Great speakers. Michigan Kinship Care Resource Center
Now publishing an e-mail newsletter, E-Kinnections, which promises to be an excellent continuing
resource for Michigan kinship families. To share information and to get on the mailing list contact the staff at kinship@msu.edu .
Families can download temporary Power of Attorney
forms at www.kinship.msu.edu/links.html or access other information at www.kinship.msu.edu . CWLA CONFERENCE The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is seeking presentation
proposals for the 2011 conference, The State of Children and Families: Building an Effective National Voice. This is very
timely, August 2, 2010. Contact state2011@cwla.org . We hope this information will be helpful to you. Keep checking the site www.chicagoroadpublishing.com page two for updated information on the newsletter this summer. We will not
be sending out notices for all updates. Also remember to check the blog for Helene's musings on kinship care, www.kincare.blogspot.com . Best wishes to you all for a safe and enjoyable summer.
Affectionately,
Helene
Author of A Kinship
Guide to Rescuing Children for Grandparents and Other Relatives As Parents. IMPORTANT
NEWS FROM THE AUTHOR
Thanks to all who took advantage of the recent special price for multiple orders of A
Kinship Guide to Rescuing Children for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children. At a recent staff
meeting of Chicago Road Publishing, the publisher of the Kinship Guide, we decided that offering the book directly to helping
organizations at the distributor price was the right thing to do. So any orders over 10 copies will continue to be at
the distributor price of $7.60 per book. Those orders can be made with a credit card through Pay Pal
or using a Purchase Order (click the Please Click Here button below to copy of the information form needed for purchase orders.
How to Order A Kinship
Guide to Rescuing Children:
* Return to the home page of this website and use a
credit card through the Add-to-Cart button, or
* Order by check or
Purchase Order – Don't be afraid to Click the Order Form button below (Click Here button), copy, print and fill
out the form (or copy the information from the form onto your letterhead). Send the form information and
your organization check or Purchase Order to Chicago Road Publishing, P.O. Box 1073, Okemos, MI 48805. We will ship the books within two business days of receiving the order. We will bill
Purchase Orders after shipping.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact us at info@chicagoroadpublishing.com or hellis7@msn.com or call 517-256-3277.
Books can also be ordered through www.Amazon.com and www.Abebooks.com (but you won't get that great special for 10 or more).
You are all such special resources for families.
Thank you for the good work you do.
Best wishes,
Helene Author of A Kinship Guide to Rescuing Childrenfor Grandparents and Other Relatives
As Parents
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