Welcome to the November edition of the KKRC Newsletter! 

Featured in this newsletter...

We are interested in your feedback about the KKRC Newsletter and what you want to see in future issues! Please fill out the form below (just four questions) and let us know how we can best support you as a kinship caregiver.

With the holidays approaching, support for caregivers raising kinship children becomes even more important. Having someone you can relate to, find resources for the holidays, and gain hope as a kinship caregiver can help you navigate caring for your new family in the midst of all the holiday traditions and family celebrations. KY-KINS is an opportunity to find that support by connecting with someone who has lived experience as a kinship caregiver and is certified to help you in this journey. 

You can also check out our new KKRC website to learn more about KY-KINS and our other KKRC programs.

Fall groups are underway, but we would love for you to join us! Come find a community of support.

Pilot Groups offer a weekly way to connect with others working through many of the same challenges and struggles. There is still time for you to join!

Ongoing Groups are open and would love to have you a part of our community. Check out our group schedule for an opportunity to find people who can help you in your journey!

Want to join now but not sure which group is for you? Just call Sheila Rentfrow at 859-257-4785 or email sheila.rentfrow@uky.edu for assistance in getting connected.

The KINSHIP Catalogue is an online resource page where you can find an array of resources to help you in your kinship journey. From LIVE webinars, to On-Demand Webinars, and Training Modules, the Catalogue continues to expand with new resources, and offers participants a library of information that can be accessed at anytime.

Check out what’s coming this month:

Trauma Series Part II: Parenting with Purpose, November 12, 12 pm – 1:30 pm ET with Dr. Brittany Gentry

In Part II of our Trauma Series, we’ll learn practical techniques that will teach you how to effectively parent children with trauma by focusing on positive discipline strategies that teach children how to respond to difficult situations. We’ll also consider trauma “triggers” that can influence how your child behaves.

On-Demand webinars are a library of our previously aired LIVE webinars that have been recorded for viewing at anytime. Check out these webinars that have been added to the Kinship Catalogue!

Check out our interactive, self-paced, Training Module Library! These 10-15 minute modules are lots of fun and offer a lot of great information. From discipline with teens, to communicating with your child, to understanding your child’s behaviors, these modules offer you an opportunity to learn on your schedule!

Did you know that November is National Homelessness Awareness month and National Homeless Youth Awareness month? According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, on any given night in Kentucky, 3,688 people are homeless (data as of 2018). Of these 3,688 people, 953 are people in families, 193 are individual youth, 369 are veterans, and 369 are chronically homeless; however, since 2014, the rate of homelessness is down 28%, which means efforts to reduce homelessness are working. Kentucky - National Alliance to End Homelessness

Also, check out our Kinship Webinar from November 2023 provided by the Kentucky Housing Corporation entitled, “From Homelessness to Home” for a broader discussion of housing programs in Kentucky!

It’s time for the November Poll Question! Remember, click the link below, read the question and click your answer, and then check back to see the percentage of responses from everyone who has answered so far. 

In honor of Thanksgiving, let’s hear your answer to the following question!

What do you do with your Thanksgiving leftovers?

I cannot believe that it is November and we are edging into the holiday season! It seems like it was only yesterday, kids were starting school and we were excited to start our fall programming. I hope that you have found time to be a part of all that we are doing here at the KKRC.

As we begin the holiday season, I want to take a moment to encourage each of you to make a point to spend some extra time with your kinship children to talk with them as they navigate a holiday away from home, without “mom or dad." While the holidays can be a fun time for families, it can be a stressful time for children and caregivers alike. For many children in kinship care, spending a holiday without their mom or dad can be difficult to navigate when faced with new traditions, new people, even new foods that don’t taste the same. All of these changes can cause a child to feel out of place, even causing sadness and depression. 

As caregivers, we often get wrapped up in holiday activities, food preparations, and family traditions and forget to notice that our children may be struggling with how to navigate these new experiences. Remember to be patient with your child, talking with them, checking in on them, maybe even asking what some of their favorite traditions or foods have been when growing up and trying to replicate some of them for your child so that something feels familiar.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year.  As you gather around your table to give thanks, know that at the Kentucky Kinship Resource Center, we are very thankful for the opportunity to connect and work with you and consider it our honor to walk along this journey with you. Have a Happy Thanksgiving from our Kinship Family to yours!

 

Sheila Rentfrow

 

Kinship Program Coordinator

University of Kentucky College of Social Work

Centers & Labs Training Resource Center

 

1648 McGrathiana Pkwy, Suite 400

Lexington, KY 40511

859-257-4785

sheila.rentfrow@uky.edu