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Family Teamwork Builds Trust and Opens Lines of Communication

What is STEP? SUPPORT, TOOLS & EDUCATION FOR PARENTS

Strengthen Families

The Children’s Advocacy Center supports families through parenting education that builds on family strengths and promotes healthy family relationships. In addition, we offer family support through a variety of opportunities for social connections. Our services are provided at no cost and we offer limited childcare for some classes.

BOOK CLUB: “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? CONVERSATIONS ON TRAUMA, RESILIENCE & HEALING”

What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience & Healing by Oprah
Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry explore how what happens to us in early childhood
influences the people we become. They challenge us to shift from focusing on “What’s
wrong with you?” or asking, “Why are you behaving this way?” to asking, “What
happened to you?” This 11-week series of two-hour sessions delves into ways to take
the teachings of neuroscience and apply them to parenting practices. We look at ways
to apply the five Protective Factors to build resiliency and promote healing.

TO ENROLL, CONTACT: Sarah Reed: sreed@soazadvocacy.org / 520-724-2193

GUIDING GOOD CHOICES (GGC)

Guiding Good Choices (GGC) is a five-week; two-hour, class series, virtual or in-person, for caregivers of children ages 9-14. GGC teaches parenting skills needed to reduce children’s risk of engaging in risky behaviors. Families learn ways to build or maintain lasting relationships. At the end of each session, caregivers learn how to hold a family meeting to share lessons learned. The following topics are covered:

  • How to promote health and wellbeing during the teen years.
  • Setting guidelines, developing health benefits and clear standards.
  • Managing conflict and anger through prosocial means.
  • Avoiding trouble, how to say no, keeping your friends and still have fun.
  • Strengthening family bonds, especially during teen years.

TO ENROLL, CONTACT: Jackie Ballesteros: jballesteros@soazadvocacy.org / 520-724-2148

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS OPPORTUNITIES

Parent Cafés are physically and emotionally safe spaces where people talk and listen to each other on topics that matter to them, such as the challenges and victories of raising a family, navigating landscapes of inequality, enhancing well-being, or being involved in the recovery process of someone they love. Through individual deep self-reflection and peer-to-peer learning, participants explore their strengths, learn about the Protective Factors, and create strategies from their own wisdom and experiences to strengthen their families. Below are the five Protective Factors:

  • Parental Resilience

  • Positive Social Connections
  • Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
  • Concrete Support in Times of Need
  • Social and Emotional Competence of Children

TO ENROLL, CONTACT: Jackie Ballesteros: jballesteros@soazadvocacy.org / 520-724-2148

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PROGRAM (SFP)
ADAPTED FOR PARENTS RAISING CHILDREN WITH TRAUMA

Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is a 12-week, one hour and a half, class series, virtual or in-person, for parents and caregivers of children who have experienced trauma. The sessions address the following topics with considerations for parenting children with trauma:

  • Healthy Brain Connection
  • Notice and Compliment the Good Daily
  • Great Communication Skills and Fun Family Meetings
  • Rules, Rewards, Responsibility, Routines, and Happy Family Rituals
  • Limits and Consequences
  • Problem Solving and Win-Win Negotiation
  • Stress and Anger Management Skills
  • Using Goals and Contracts to Change Behavior
  • Alcohol and Drugs Damages the Teen Brain
  • Choosing Good Friends and Monitoring Kid’s Activities 
  • Values, Traditions, and Service
  • Child Abuse Prevention – talking to your children about child abuse

TO ENROLL, CONTACT: Anna Loebe, Ed. D.: aloebe@soazadvocacy.org / 520-724-5448

TRAUMA-INFORMED PARENT EDUCATION

The following trauma-informed classes are primarily for parents raising other people’s children, typically, foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. Biological parents whose children have experienced trauma may also attend.

BECOMING TRAUMA-INFORMED WHILE DOING THE LAUNDRY:
RESEARCH-BASED RESOURCES FOR KINSHIP, FOSTER, & ADOPTIVE PARENTS
(2 hours)

If you are raising a child with trauma, do you find yourself challenged even though you chose and love the child? Can’t figure out why your child is calm and loving one moment and escalated all of a sudden? Reward and punishment parenting and logic parenting models not working for you? This presentation will introduce four prominent researchers and practitioners who can help you understand how trauma affects children’s development, learning, and behavior. Get started on your road to being a TRAUMA-INFORMED parent… while you sort and fold the laundry!

BIRTHDAYS, MOTHER’S DAY, & HOLIDAYS-
LIONS, & TIGERS, & BEARS, OH MY!
… Impact on Children Separated from Mothers (2 hours)

Remember the movie “The Wizard of Oz”? Like Dorothy, who was abruptly transported from her home by a tornado, children separated from mothers and birth family will experience disorientation, fear, and trepidation as they find their footing in a new environment. Beyond losing birth parents and familiar surroundings, they have left behind family celebrations, as well. This presentation addresses the effect of trauma on the affect and behavior of children around significant days of celebration, as these are reminders of the missing people, traditions, and rituals in their lives. Learn how to help your children through these times.

GOLD FROM THE CRUCIBLE-
THE HARD-EARNED GIFTS OF CARING FOR OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN (2 hours)

Give yourself time to reflect on your role as a parent of children born to others. What are the crucible moments – the tests and challenges – that have the power to draw out the gold in our character? What do heat and fires we walk through with our children teach us? If we are open to change, if we can live with unanswered questions, and hold onto hope, we become stronger, more resilient people. In doing so, we model these gifts of gold to our children.

PRIMAL WOUND:
IMPACT OF LOSS ON CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM MOTHERS (4.5 hours)

PART 1: WHY children separated from mothers have challenging behaviors and how
one adoptive mother began to understand the impact of loss, abandonment, and grief
on behavior.
PART 2: HOW to respond to behaviors rooted in trauma.

TO ENROLL, CONTACT: Anna Loebe, Ed. D.: aloebe@soazadvocacy.org / 520-724-5448

Pre-register for STEP series or classes: 

All programs are offered at no cost and need your support to continue.