the OTHER S I D E Youth in Care feature cam Age 8
If you had to describe yourself in 2 words, what would they be? Happy and good
What is your favorite memory or favorite thing about the family you are living with? We all get along and Grandma is good to me. Who is the most influential or positive person in your life? Grandma, sometimes my parents What do you want to be/do/accomplish when you “grow up”? Be a better parents than my own, and be a teacher. What are your favorite interests or hobbies? Play sports
What is something you have accomplished that made you proud of yourself? Getting good grades
If you would like to be featured in February’s edition of The Other Side, please reach out to us via our email address and we will be in touch!
let’s make aanew new tradition! Talk to your family about trying out one of our ideas or come up with one of your own! We’d love to see pictures!! Send them to theotherside@cyfsolutions.org • Pick out matching pajamas & take a photo • Watch a seasonal movie! (Check out some CYFS staff favorites in the next section!) • Create a holiday music playlist to put on during your festivities • Take a trip to the library & pick out/read Holiday books! • Deliver homemade treats to friends & neighbors • Make paper snowflakes • Take a walk or drive to check out Christmas lights • Have a gingerbread house or cookie decorating day • Host a game night complete with snacks & hot chocolate
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In September’s issue we touched on your Youth Bill of Rights as a Youth in Foster Care. This issue we will dive a bit deeper into your right to “be and feel safe”. This means you have the right: • To be protected from physical, mental, sexual or emotional abuse. You should not experience physical, mental, sexual, or emotional abuse while in foster care. • To have my physical boundaries respected and honored within safe, appropriate standards (i.e.: no forcing of hugs, hand holding). Open communication with your caregiver, worker, and other adults in your life can ensure your physical boundaries are respected and honored. Shared Living Agreements between all household members help everyone living together have the opportunity to discuss what the rules and consequences for breaking the rules should be. The household members negotiate to come up with their home’s Shared Living Agreement. • To have a safe and appropriate sleeping arrangement. You will have your own bed, appropriate bedding and pillow, and share room only with those of the same gender as your identified gender. • To never be locked in a room, building, or facility premises unless placed in a secure child care facility. You should have access to exit any room, building, or facility on your own unless, on the rare occasion, it is deemed that you pose a threat of harm to yourself or others thus requiring you to be in a locked facility such a secured psychiatric ward. • To tell my caseworker, therapist, attorney, judge or the Department Advocacy Office when contact with someone is hurtful to me or inappropriate so that I can be protected without fear of retaliation. You should be given the contact information of your family worker, their supervisor, your therapist, GAL, judge and the DCFS Advocacy Office Youth Hotline: 800-232-3798 so you can tell them if you have had hurtful or inappropriate contact with someone. • To be placed in out-of-home care according to my gender identity, regardless of the gender or sex listed in their court or child welfare records. You will be placed with the gender you identify. • To be placed in the least restrictive and most family-like setting available and in close proximity to my parent’s home consistent with my health, safety, best interests, and special needs. CYFS will do everything in their power to find a home that best meets your physical and emotional health needs.
When you are involved in the Child Welfare system, you see lots of faces and hear lots of names and titles. It can be very confusing! During each issue, we will be providing information about who is who and just what exactly they do. This edition, we have another Guardian Ad Litem or GAL. The best way to learn more about GALs is to hear from them! Here are a few CYFS works with, sharing important information they want you to know.
anne bartolo Peoria & Tazewell Counties
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The Guardian ad Litem, commonly referred to as “the GAL,” is an attorney whose role is to make recommendations for case handling that are “in the best interest” of children and youth under age 18 (and sometimes continuing past an 18th birthday if there is still court involvement).
I like to hear from youth about their experiences, anything you feel you need to help you be successful and I ask you to help me to identify what are the most important issues facing your family. What do you need help with? What questions do you have? Are you interested in knowing “what Court’s about?” When we meet, I ask that you be as open as you possibly can about the issues facing your family. It is the only way we can help solve problems effectively and, when returning home is the goal, getting that accomplished as soon as possible!
I often tell young people I work with that I want you to focus on you - get your education, be a kid, and don’t let your family’s court case be something you are thinking about all the time. Easier said than done, but this is my goal for you.
You are an important part of your family’s case - the most important part in my opinion! Give your GAL a call if you have questions or concerns to share. While there may be some things we can’t help with, we will try to point you and the caseworker or your foster parent in the right direction.
christmas craft
Celebrate the holiday season by creating a popsicle stick Christmas tree ornament.
You will need: • Popsicle sticks (about a dozen for 1 ornament) • Green Paintbrush • Buttons, sequins, glitter or other items • Twine • Hot glue gun (and an adult to help use this) • Scissors
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Use one stick as a trunk. Glue it vertically and leave the end poking out at the bottom. Glue the buttons, sequins or other decorations to the tree & let dry.
Paint the popsicle sticks and let them dry. Cut the sticks in varying lengths (long, medium, short) Layer them together horizontally in a triangle shape. Each one should be just a bit longer then the one before it. The last stick (bottom of the tree) should be a full sized Popsicle Stick.
Please send photos of your trees to our email box! We would love to be able to share photos on our Facebook & our next newsletter.
Self-care tips for you! Self-care is making time to recenter and calm ourselves and creating healthy habits for our minds, feelings and bodies! It is so important to create and practice these habits no matter what your age is. Self-care helps us to deal with stress and stay healthy & happy.
younger kids take belly breaths!
• Breath in through your nose like your smelling a really yummy pizza. • Now blow through your mouth like you’re cooling the pizza off drink more water! • Juice and soda are tasty but being hydrated is important to self-care & health • Pick out a favorite water bottle to use every day get the wiggles out! • Sometimes we need to just move our bodies. It gets our blood pumping and is good for our mood too! • Have a one-minute dance break or do 15 jumping jacks.
older kids and teens try square breathing (also known as box breathing)
Square Breathing
1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 Sit comfortably in a chair, with your feet on the floor and hands in Hold your breath your lap. • Inhale slowly through the nose for a count of four, allowing the air to fill your belly. • Hold the breath in for a count of four. • Exhale slowly through the mouth for a count of four. • As you breathe, visualize a healing blue or white light washing over your body. Finally, hold the breath for a count of four. • Repeat the sequence for four minutes. • Ideally, repeat the exercise for four minutes, four times a day. drink more water! • Juice, soda and coffee are tasty but being hydrated is important to self-care & health • Pick out a favorite water bottle to use every day and set a goal for how many ounces to drink. ½ of your body weight is a common recommendation (IE- if you weigh 150 lbs, 75 ounces of water would be your goal) get moving! • Fresh air and physical activity are great for the mind and body. • Walk the dog, take a hike or go for a run. Get your blood pumping while balancing out your mood.
1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 Breath out
1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 Breath in
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1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 Hold your breath
If you have ideas, questions or topics you would like to see covered in our upcoming editions, please submit them to our email box at TheOtherSide@cyfsolutions.org.
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for getting through
the Holiday Season stay connected
Send cards (handmade or purchased), letters or photos to family and friends. Be sure to check with your caregiver about sharing a return address. Your Family Worker and Foster Parent can help find contact information for those you may want to send something to. Ask about phone calls and video chats to see the faces of those you love. Set up a time to chat or participate in holiday activities (if okayed by your Family Worker and Foster Parent).
speak up for visits
Don’t be afraid to let your Foster Parent and your CYFS team know how important it is for you to have contact with your parents & siblings for the holidays. Are there important traditions you’d like to include in your visits? Tell us! We will try our best to make them happen.
write it out
Try writing as a way to vent feelings, work through anxiety, worry or stress and reflect on the holiday season and what it means for you. Some find it helpful to write letters, even if they will never be sent. Write poems or stories as a creative outlet or a fun hobby. Need a place to write? Ask your Foster Parent or your CYFS team for a journal!
cold noses, warm hearts
If you are feeling a little lonesome and are an animal lover, snuggle a pet! Cats and dogs have an amazing ability to help us feel better. Cuddle up with a cat, walk a dog or teach them a new trick. Does this sound like something you want to do but you don’t have a pet? Talk to your Foster Parent or CYFS team about visiting a local rescue or shelter to volunteer or visit animals who need the comfort as much as you do!
share your story
How do you feel about the holidays? What are traditions or activities you enjoy or want to try? Let your Foster Parent and your CYFS team know. We can help you talk about and plan for the holidays and how to make them happier for you.
lend a hand
Volunteering is a great opportunity. You can help others, meet new people, stay busy and it can make you feel really good too! Volunteer to serve a holiday meal, read to children at your local library or make a visit to a nursing home. Not sure where to start? Talk to your Foster Parent or CYFS team to get started!
connect at fosterclub.com
Be sure to visit www.fosterclub.com and connect with youth who may be feeling the winter blues or struggling with the holidays. Share ideas on how to spend the holidays and support other young people.
ask for help when you need it
If you need to talk things out with a member of your CYFS team, let us know. Is an extra meeting with your counselor a good idea to get ready for the holidays and all of those feelings? Let us know! We are here to help but sometimes we need to hear from YOU about what we need to do.