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 rteran@ifapa.org.

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