Beyond Consequences offering a two day training for families with out of control, aggressive, and violent children

This seminar is being offered by Beyond Consequences and looks like it will be really good for anyone who is dealing with a child who is exceptionally hard to handle. You can Check it out, register, see a simple questionnaire to see if this is for you and learn about Beyond Consequences by clicking this link.

A Two Day Intensive Training for Families with
Out-of-Control, Aggressive, and Violent Children

This specialized training will equip you and empower you
to re-establish safety, peace, and order back into your home.


Saturday & Sunday
July 23 & 24, 2011
Denver, CO

Topics will include:

• Verbal and Physical Aggression
  
  
• Certification for Violence Containment
  
  
• Defiant and Unmanagable Behaviors
  
  
• Threatening Behaviors to Self and Others
  
  
• Destructive Behaviors to the Home
  
  
• Significant Mood and Regulatory Disorders
  
  
• Complete Disregard to the Word "No"
  
  
• Reactive and Massive Meltdowns
  
  
• Chronic Disrespectful at All Levels
  
  
• Impulsive Hitting and Kicking
  
  
• Unsafe Sibling Interactions
  
  
• Intentional and Targeted Malicious Acts
  
  
• Reactive Parenting That Develops From Constant Conflict
  
  
• Parents Who Are Tired of Being Abused
  
  
• Restoring the Desire to Parent Again

Two of the top experts in the field of Childhood Trauma, recognized around the world, will be leading this training and giving you tools and solutions that work.
	Dr. Ronald S. Federici and Heather T. Forbes, LCSW Both of these experts have not only worked in the mental health field with aggressive and violent children but they both have, more importantly, raised children of their own with these types of unnerving behaviors. They know your situation from a personal experiential level. They "GET" it!

MOWA/MOWCYA court news

USCIS announcement. This really just confirms what we already know................ Still waiting for news from parents who are there and in process to see what is really happening. I know without an official MOWYCA statement things are sort of up in the air feeling...... and they may not give one, or soon anyway. It may just work itself into some sort of new normal. Will will all wait some more and see.

Christian Alliance for Orphans 7th Orphan summit

The Christian Alliance for Orphans will hold their seventh orphan summit, SUMMIT VII, on May 12-13, 2011 in Louisville, KY.
Tom DiFilipo along with Kathleen Strottman, Executive Director of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and Chuck Johnson of the National Council For Adoption, are the scheduled luncheon presenters on the state of intercountry adoption. While we have attended six of the seven Summits, this is the first year that we will support the SUMMIT by presenting. We greatly appreciate the work of the Christian Alliance for Orphans and value our growing collaborations.
Details on SUMMIT VII including registration, can be found at any of the following links: Summit Events, Special Features, and Sessions.
We look forward to seeing you at the Joint Council Conference and Medical Institute on April 11-13 (click here for details or to register) and at SUMMIT VII.

MOWA/MOWCYA court news

Here is the latest on the Ethiopian court changes.

* This is what has come through today from Ethica.
Notice of phone conference to learn about the latest found by a visit from USCIS to MOWCYA: here

* The following is directly from USCIS. For the direct publication please click on the following link.
From USCIS Q&A

Q&A: Adoption Processing in Ethiopia

Q.  Is the U.S. Government planning to close the Ethiopian adoption program?

A.  The U.S. Government supports the intercountry adoption program in Ethiopia.  We will work closely with the Government of Ethiopia and other stakeholders to preserve and protect this valuable program, while also seeking to improve safeguards and ensure the program’s integrity.

Q.  Is it true that the Government of Ethiopia is planning to reduce the number of adoptions that it processes?

A. On March 9, 2011, the Department of State reported that Ethiopia's Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs announced that it intends to decrease its current processing rate from approximately 50 cases per day to five cases per day, effective March 10, 2011. If this decision is implemented, prospective adoptive parents who have begun the process to adopt from Ethiopia could experience significant delays. Please check the Department of State (DOS) website at www.adoption.state.gov for the most recent updates.

Q.  If I have a case pending in Ethiopia now, how will the new procedures announced by the Government of Ethiopia affect my case?

A.  If you have already been matched with a child but have not yet finalized your adoption in the Ethiopian courts, this new procedure could lead to significant delays.

Q.  Will the U.S. Government take any action in light of the Ethiopian Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs’ recent announcement?

A. The U.S. Government will continue to work closely with the Government of Ethiopia to preserve the adoption program while also seeking to improve the program’s integrity and transparency.

Q.  Have any cases been denied in Ethiopia based on findings of fraud?

A. No cases from Ethiopia have been denied based on findings of fraud, and in fact, the vast majority of cases are approved. However, both USCIS and DOS have significant concerns about certain fraud indicators and patterns that suggest possible malfeasance or unethical behavior in some cases.

Q.  What was the result of the January 2011 trip conducted by officials from USCIS and DOS to review adoption processing in Ethiopia?

A.  The interagency site visit yielded the following observations and conclusions about adoption processing in Ethiopia:

• In general, the children presented in Ethiopia meet the definition of orphan under U.S. law and meet the evidentiary burden required to approve the Form I-600 orphan petition
• Various fraud indicators identified through case review suggest that there may be inappropriate activity in terms of how children are identified as available for adoption. More detailed and targeted analysis is ongoing

Q.  How many cases have been transferred to USCIS Field Office Nairobi from Embassy Addis Ababa as not clearly approvable in the past year?

A. USCIS Field Office Nairobi has received fewer than 10 cases transferred from Embassy Addis Ababa in the past year. Most were private adoptions of family members.

Q.  Why will more cases be sent to the USCIS Field Office in Nairobi now?

A. Due to concerns about the number of cases presented that contain inconsistent or conflicting information, USCIS anticipates that more cases will likely be transferred to USCIS Field Office Nairobi going forward. USCIS and DOS have agreed that cases submitted to Embassy Addis Ababa containing substantive inconsistencies or discrepancies should be transferred as not clearly approvable to USCIS Field Office Nairobi for appropriate action.

Q.  How will I know if my case is transferred to USCIS Nairobi and what do I need to do?

A.  If your case is transferred, please see the following general steps for what to expect and what may be expected of you:

Step 1	Embassy Addis Ababa will inform you if your case is transferred to USCIS Nairobi.
Step 2	USCIS Nairobi will confirm that your case has been received.
Step 3	USCIS Nairobi will review your case and all supporting documentation and evidence to identify any potential issues, discrepancies, or concerns with such documentation or evidence and then take appropriate action.
Step 4	If deemed necessary, USCIS Nairobi will send a Request for Evidence (RFE) or take other appropriate action.
Step 5	You will have an opportunity to respond to such RFE or other action by working with your adoption service providers and/or orphanage director to provide the requested documentation or evidence.
Step 6	USCIS Nairobi will review the information you provide, and ultimately, make a determination on your adoption petition.
Step 7	USCIS Nairobi will inform you of the decision, and if your petition is approved, will return it to Embassy Addis Ababa for visa processing.

Q.  If I receive a Request for Evidence, do I need a lawyer to respond?

A. You are not required to retain a lawyer to respond to a Request for Evidence. We anticipate that in a majority of these Ethiopian cases, the issues cited in the RFE can be satisfied through further investigation, clarification or correction of evidence, or gathering of additional evidence. Your adoption service providers, both on the ground in Ethiopia and in the United States, and/or orphanage representatives, should be able to help you to resolve such issues in most cases.  

Q.  I already began the process of adoption from Ethiopia, can I adopt from a different country now?

A. Yes. If you have already filed or if you still have a valid approval of a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition, that specifies Ethiopia as the country from which you intend to adopt, you are permitted to request one no-fee change of country. Please click on the Change of Country link to the left for more information.

MOWA/MOWCYA court news

I am going to post here a few parts of a notice from yet another agency. It was a long notice and I am just going to post the parts pertaining to the issues in Ethiopia for general population not their specific clients or agency. I think it is good news to hear that others are getting news of progress. I am hearing this sort of thing from several agencies. Which usually means that they are closer to coming to a decision of what will work out to be the new normal. Still waiting for something official.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over the past week we have been working in collaboration with Joint Council, other licensed Adoption Service Providers in Ethiopia and the US Department of State to get clarity on the proposed changes instigated by the Ministry of Women's Affairs that would have drastically reduced the number of adoptions
processed by their office.

(..non pertinent section deleted )
What we know as facts are:
MOWA posted a notice indicating as of March 10th they would be reducing the number of adoptions processed through their office to 5 cases a day.

Within days of this announcement, the director of MOWA and several other staff members from the ministry have been terminated.

Today we want to update you on the feedback we received yesterday from our foreign staff in Ethiopia, which was confirmed in a discussion with our adoption colleagues in a Joint Council caucus call later in the day.

At this time, all Foreign Staff on the ground in Ethiopia are reporting that MOWA has completed their staffing changes and are now currently working at full capacity to complete those adoption cases currently re-scheduled or assigned a court appointment through the courts of Addis Ababa. Our staff believe this to
be around 800 cases they are working at full force to complete with no restrictions on the number of cases processed each day. This is great news! We are thrilled to hear these drastic changes do not seem to be going into full effect.

We are also pleased to report that for new cases moving forward; it appears the original changes proposed by MOWA will not be implemented to the degree of 5 cases a day. At this time it is unknown whether or not MOWA will issue a formal statement regarding how they will process cases in the future, but from all discussions it will not be a drastic decrease from before. Through the continued work, meetings, and advocacy of many Foreign Staff members in Ethiopia, it appears any future changes within the case processing for MOWA will avoid sweeping and disproportionate alterations to the number of cases processed each day. Rather, the hope is that MOWA, Joint Council, Adoption Service Providers, the US Department of State and other NGO organizations can come together to support the government of Ethiopia in strengthening the process for ethical adoptions to continue while also improving the general social structures to assist with family preservation in Ethiopia. This plan was acknowledged in the recent posting by the US State Department this morning at http://adoption. state.gov/ news/ethiopia. html.  We understand the US Department of State cannot issue a formal statement without MOWA issuing a retraction. Based on the information we are receiving, MOWA is concentrating on processing the current adoptions and the new staff is not focused on numbers, but doing their jobs.

We and our trusted colleagues look forward to collaborating to ensure adoptions move forward with the highest level of transparency possible. It is our commitment to carefully, ethically, and mindfully complete the adoption process on every level for orphaned children. Our hope is that as we do this in collaboration with other licensed agencies, we can also help to eliminate future concerns by MOWA and continue to build trust between their office and the adoption community at large.
....(non pertinent section deleted ).

news on the recent MOWA happenings

Nothing new at the end of the day.............
Thanks for the tips on new info. I know we all appreciate the pooling of resources.

Paper for parents from WACAP can be read here. 

One Day Without Shoes | www.onedaywithoutshoes.com

One Day Without Shoes | www.onedaywithoutshoes.com

Check out this event. April 5th. Go without shoes.
There are two great videos on their site about this and what it does. 

Tom's will also donate a pair of shoes for every pair of shoes you buy. Good time to get those shoes you have had your eye on and do a good thing at the same time.

Helping the Difficult Child

There are a ton of different theories on attachment parenting and things to do to help the hurting child. You can make up your own mind on what you think is right for your family. I am just posting options here. I have enjoyed two of the books by Nancy Thomas and know people who have had great results with her programs and books with their kids. I know other programs and people who have had great results with them too. So.....

I just got this in the mail and thought I would let you know that this resource is out there and you can check it out!

Helping the Difficult child
How to help children with challenging behaviors and overcome their childhood trauma
Friday March 18 and Saturday March 19, 2011
Salt Lake City Utah
Columbus Community Center
For more information you can check out the web site.
Or you can conteact the organization sponsoring the seminar at finding hope for trauma@gmail.com or
http://findinghopefortrauma.blogspot.com/
you can get a $15 discount at this blog and sign up.

If this location does not work for you check out the web site and see where others are scheduled for in 2011.
Some of the locations are in AZ, GA, MO, FL, WA, Romania, England.

Attachment Disorder:
Understanding this disorder and the required parenting is vital to provide the unique balance of nurturing and structure that these children must have to heal. I have attempted to pull together resources to help each of you. I hope you can attend a seminar so we can share face to face. Hearing the way things are said to the children has helped many parents to avoid becoming "cold enforcers" and to become warm empowerers! The WAY you do the techniques is important. Remember to keep your eyes filled with love and be a parent they feel safe enough to bond to. Yes, there will be times when you would rather strangle them then hug them. No, they will not feel safe enough to trust and bond to you if they see that in your eyes! We can’t heal their wounded hearts with anger and pain! We must be powerful and loving in a balance to help them heal. They can heal. I have lived with them and watched them blossom into loving, caring human beings.
Keep learning and reaching for more tools to help your child and your family. It is worth the fight for them!

Nancy is a Therapeutic Parenting specialist, has shared her life and home for over 30 years with severely emotionally disturbed children, with RAD, ADD, ADHD, Tourette’s and bipolar. An internationally known presenter, and author, Nancy has trained over twenty five thousand parents and professionals in her powerful parenting methods. Her books, videos and workshops share methods that are helping children to learn to be respectful, responsible and fun to be with in homes across the world.

Webinar on secure parent- child attachments March 8, 2011

Connecting Your Family Inside and Out:

Helpful advice on how to develop a stronger connection with your child.
 
Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 7:00-8:00PM Central Time
Question and Answer Session: 8:00-8:30 PM Central Time  
Cost: $15 Click here to register

Secure parent-child attachments are essential to healthy child development, but often adoption can present challenges to the process.

Join world renowned attachment expert Dr. Dan Hughes as he shares family centered strategies on how parents can connect to their child as a toddler, tween and teen.  Dr. Hughes will be joined by Lynn Wetterberg, Executive Director of ATTACh.  Lynn will discuss finding attachment related resources and provide information on finding adoption competent professional support.

• Advice on connecting with your child throughout their development
• Expert insights into attachment and attunement
• Information on finding professional support and resources
• Question and Answer session  

Registrants will be contacted and asked to submit questions prior to the event.  We will address as many questions as time will allow.

Speakers:

 
Dr. Dan Hughes, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of children who have experienced attachment disorganization, abuse, neglect and childhood trauma.  Dr. Hughes developed Attachment-Focused Family Therapy (AFFT), a treatment model used frequently in attachment therapy. He is the author of Facilitating Developmental Attachment (1997), Building the Bonds of Attachment (2006) and Attachment-Focused Family Therapy (2007).



Lynn Wetterberg, M.S., C.P.A.  is the Executive Director of the Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children (ATTACh), a national organization of clinicians, advocates and parents of attachment disordered children.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011
7:00-8:00 PM Central Time
Q & A: 8:00 - 8:30 PM Central Time
Cost $15
Register Now: click here

Sponsored by:
 

Questions?  Please drop us a line:  
webinars@adoptionlearningpartners.org

World Aids Day 2010

Today there is a focus on how AIDS has effected the world, what can be done to help and how severe is the situation. Many of us who have adopted children from Africa have had to face the AIDS epidemic first hand. Some of our kids are AIDS orphans, some are HIV +. Anti viral drugs are available and help those who can access them lead a relatively normal life. Education and awareness help prevent the spread. In Africa it is largely a heterosexual disease, directly effecting the nuclear family.

Here are two great resources that talk about the issues and what is being done.
SIM Hope for AIDS
SIM newsletter 
Tom Davis' Red Letters blog World AIDS day
Compassion International Many lies one truth
World Aids Day site . Want to learn more?

Go check it out. If you are moved to DO something, each of these has options for you.

Today I thank God my sons are alive and healthy. I think of their birth parents who died of AIDS. I pray for those who still have their birth parents and pray for wisdom in life choices for the men and women, protection for the women and children who don't get a choice.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Nov 25

Today is Thanksgiving in the USA. Everywhere else it is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. OK, I love Thanksgiving and I think we could combine the two--yes. All the men watching football could be inundated by advertisements void of the maltreatment of women.......... and others promoting kindness and consideration to all, and the elimination of violence against women and children. Our homes could be places that are safe for us and for others who need a safe haven.  I am in Australia and if I can find the poster again I am going to photograph it. It is awesome! Basically it states that it is time for men and boys to come together in support of their mothers and sisters and wives, It is great, It takes us all, start now with those around you, promote in your sphere and do something with your resources to eliminate violence against women, in your home town and in your country and in the countries that hold your heart across the seas. Wear your white ribbon  and tell others what it is for, Start the trend! Nov, 25th Thanksgiving AND the international day for the elimination of violence against women.
Good Day,
Jill

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Written by Anthea Basson, NIO

Thursday, 25 November 2010

Editor, As we observe the 2010 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, let us acknowledge the widespread and growing efforts to address this important issue. No longer are women’s organizations alone. From Latin America to the United States, from Asia to Africa, men and boys, young and old, musicians, celebrities and sports personalities, the media, public and private organizations, and ordinary citizens are doing more to protect women and girls and promote their empowerment and rights. The social mobilization platform “Say NO-UNiTE” has recorded almost 1 million activities implemented by civil society and individuals worldwide.  In August this year at the fifth World Youth Conference in Mexico, young activists from around the world were clear in their message:  “It’s time to end violence against women and girls!”  Member States, too, are engaged.  As of November 2010, my database on the extent, nature and consequences of violence against women, which also logs policies and programmes for combating the pandemic, has registered more than 100 reports from governments. This year’s observance highlights the role the business community can play – from developing projects to providing direct financial support to organizations working to end violence and embracing the principles of corporate social responsibility.  The “Women’s Empowerment Principles”, an initiative of the UN Global Compact and UNIFEM, recognise the costs to business of violence against women and are now supported by more 120 leading companies.  A growing number of media outlets are bringing light to bear on so-called “honour-killings”, trafficking of girls and sexual violence in conflict, and are raising awareness about the benefits to society of empowering women.  Yet much more needs to be done.  In homes, schools and the office, in refugee camps and conflict situations, the corporate sector can help us to prevent the many forms of violence that women and girls continue to face. My UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, and the Network of Men Leaders I launched last year, have generated welcome momentum and engagement.  The word is spreading: violence against women and girls has no place in any society, and impunity for perpetrators must no longer be tolerated.  On this International Day, I urge all – Governments, civil society, the corporate sector, individuals – to take responsibility for eradicating violence against women and girls.

National Adoption Day and Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month and celebrations are happening in every state. It is likely there is one near you. Or you can make one up yourself with some friends and family. Go here to find out about events near you and how to get involved.
All the information about National Adoption Day can be found on the web site by that name. Here.

About.com has some great articles about National Adoption Day.
Go here to read about it.
Day by Day activities to celebrate can be found here.
Some ideas include:
share your families story on line or in an article somewhere.
celebrate families created through adoption with a gathering.
share in your child's classroom about the gift of adoption.
buy a book about adoption for your school library or child's classroom library.
work on your life books together
work on a project to raise money and awareness for an orphan care project and adoption.
celebrate your child's birth culture.
watch an adoption themed movie.

How did this all get started?

In 1976, the governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, announced an Adoption Week for his state. Later that same year President Gerald Ford proclaimed that Adoption Week would be celebrated nationally. President Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week in 1984. In 1995, President Clinton, proclaimed November as National Adoption Month.
The celebration usually includes National Adoption Day with courthouses throughout the nation participating and hundreds of adoptions being finalized simultaneously.
National Adoption Month is a time to celebrate family and to make others aware of the need for adoption here in the US through the foster care system. Many families also adopt internationally and this is a good time to also highlight that need, however the official focus is domestic adoptions. States, communities, and agencies hold events during the month to bring the need for families into public view.

For information on celebrating see Celebrating National Adoption Month with day by day activities for ideas.

More About National Adoption Month

• All About National Adoption Month
• When Is National Adoption Day?

This information was gathered from About.com

National Adoption Day

2010 National Adoption Day
National Adoption Day is a collective effort to raise awareness for the 123,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families. An unprecedented number of courts and communities across the nation will come together to finalize thousands of adoptions of children and to celebrate all families who adopt. Their website, has been updated for 2010 and is ready for you to register your events. Applicable events to register are: a day of finalizing adoptions in family court; a press conference for local media; a party or picnic celebrating families who have adopted children from foster care; an adoption fair with information about adoption and local community resources.

Please take a moment to register your event at: http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/get-involved

Wait No More
Focus On The Family is hosting its 3rd “Wait No More” conference in Colorado on September 18, 2010 at Grace Chapel, 8505 S. Valley Highway, Englewood, CO 80112. You'll hear more about the children who are waiting, the process of adoption from foster care and ways to support adoptive families. In addition, agency and county representatives will be on site to answer questions and help you get started.

For more information about this event, please visit their website I care about Orphans.

This is a great web resource and has a lot of information on it and helpful post by parents.

Autism Awareness Day

Posted By: NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION INC

To: Members in Think Autism.

World Autism Awareness Day For the many of us who see our loved ones with autism struggle to speak, eat, sleep, communicate, make friends, stay safe, have a conversation, be comfortable, or struggle because they're bullied or mistreated, we want to make sure they have no such struggles throughout their lives, especially when we're gone. Blue has been assigned as the color that symbolizes their struggle, their hope, their state of being--happy or sad. It has also been assigned as the color to make the world stop and ask, "What is autism?" Chances are that years ago we would have wanted to see the color blue light up the Empire State Building, or see blue shirts on anyone who recognizes a day like today. Being surrounded by that color may have given us the opportunity to ask "What is autism" instead of simply hearing the diagnosis, ironically, out of the blue. Better awareness could have led to earlier intervention, which is key. For many, understanding the research could make all the difference. For those who know very little about autism, the color blue could mean a diagnosis at age two rather than age three, or even two-and-a-half. Every second counts. On this World Autism Awareness Day, the recognition of the diagnosis that now affects 1 in 110 will hopefully lead to an earlier diagnosis and even more days of progress, resources, funding and action. It can only serve to keep the issue at the top of the minds of everyone who can make a difference. Many of us are fully aware of autism since we live it and breathe it each day. But for those who do not, today is a day for them to get to know autism, and to understand what our loved ones need so eventually one day they may finally have it. On this day and throughout this month, consider doing one of the following: - Support autism legislation or forward an autism action alert. - Volunteer for one of the many great autism nonprofits or local autism groups. - Do something kind for a family affected by autism. Take them a gift card for groceries, pay for a therapy session, offer to mow a lawn or to babysit, encourage neighbors to lend a helping hand. - Donate to one of the many great autism nonprofits. - Change your profile picture to support autism throughout April. - Tell someone about autism. Seeing the many requests from struggling families, and knowing how low on resources our community truly is, it is our hope that no matter what color you wear today or how you support autism, the world will become more aware and our community will become better equipped. May lots of differences be made today and every day. Keep fighting for it - With continued hope, The NAA Team