Homestudies

Do you like strangers invading your home and making invasive question? Any "happy" memories in your childhood ready to bubble to the surface and make you miserable? Have I got good news for you!

After training comes home studies. Depending on the number of people in your home that are being interviewed there will be approximately three home studies each being no more than 3 hours.

Previously you would have filled out a SAFE questionnaire. That's fun questions asking about your relationship with your parents (good, improving, horrible, etc), with your significant other, and any potential traumas you would have had in the past (death of loved one, abuse, etc). Now your home study worker will dig into your answers and probably make you cry.

My Family Book

So here's some pictures of the family book I ended up creating. See my other post here.

I used Microsoft Word and a free digital scrapbook set for the papers. The book is a heavy-duty duotang and the pages are in plastic holders. To get a better quality photos/colours I printed on photo paper. I gave a copy to my homestudy worker and my social worker may take a copy as well.

Orientation for Caregivers: Day 3 & 4

Day 1
Day 2

Day 3

Session 5: Understanding and Parenting the New Child in Your Home

We did a trust exercise where we wrote out a secret we hadn't told anyone, placed it in an envelope and handed it to someone else. How did we feel? What kind of thoughts did we have? I said that I had given a "tester" secret and it was said that children often do this as well. It's a test to see how you react and to see if you can be trusted in a bigger secret later.

We wrote down things that you do or do differently when you have to deal with someone you don't trust.

Some we came up with were: watch the more or supervise, limit info and emotions, assume the worst, and remain in control.

Creating a Family Book: My First Challenging Steps

I've been given a brief (frustratingly brief?) outline of what I should do to create a family album. I have many questions! The internet isn't much help as Google brings up books for private newborn adoption meant for adults where I think my book is supposed to be meant for the child. Maybe it's for the child. I don't know, actually. Plus, my age range of children is pretty big so I'm not sure if I should make a younger book and a separate older book or just straddle the middle line...

My current mock-up is Disney themed and eight pages long. I used printer paper to sketch what I thought should be on the pages. When I get some answers I plan on buying Word and doing a printable version with digital scrapbook paper I've found for free. Doing a mock-up also allowed me to make a list of photos I need to take.

Here's what my sheet says:

Making a Photo/Family Album

A family album is a method of describing your home and family in pictures and words to others in the adoption process. In this way it will serve as an enhancement to your home assessment report and will facilitate the matching process.

Compiling a Memory Book / Life Book

The below is instructions/suggestions for a Memory Book or Life Book as per my OTC training handout. See my original post here. 

For foster care it was suggested that a book be given to the child when they leave the home and one kept in case the book is lost and the child relocates the family. I've read about some people that keep CDs of pictures and docs in case the child every needs info and finds them again.

Compiling a Memory Book

A memory book or life book is a tool that can encourage attachments and support a child sense of identity. It provides a child with a picture of their past connections to important people and events that contribute to their sense of self.

Why make a memory book?

A book will help give a child a sense of identity and will preserve important information for him and also make the information more easily accessible. A book can be a real treasure by making continuity of the life of a person visible.

Orientation for Caregivers: Day 2

Find Day 1 here.

Day 2

Sessions 3- The Child's Journey Begins

Table of Contents

• The Child's Journey
• The World of Abnormal Rearing
• The Intent of the Child, Youth, and Family Enhancement Act
• Status Flow Chart

We learned about steps that may be taken if complaints are made against a family and found to be justified. I thought the child would be automatically taken into care but depending on the case, people involved, circumstances, and other factors there are other options.

Popular Posts of 2017

I hope you all had wonderful holidays! 

Here are the most popular posts written this year!

1. Japan, Part 5: Tokyo Disney Resort
1. See all my Japan posts here.
2. Disneyland Rides for the Non-Adventurous
1. See all my DIsney posts here.
3. Japan, Part 3: Tokyo 
4. Popular Scams
5. Thinking Ahead to Christmas 

Posts from 2017 you might have missed:

• Jurassic Forest
• Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience
• Drinking Games for Movies: The Sequel
• Qatar & Sri Lanka 2010