Free Kinship Care Provider Relationship Workshop
sponsored by
Michigan State University Extension and Family & Children Services.

Saturday, October 18, 2008
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
1747 West Milham Road, Portage

~Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 16~
Information or to Register Call: Joyce Stout, 384-8054

FREE—Includes childcare, materials, light breakfast and lunch

Kinship Care Providers are adults other than the parents who provide full-time nurturing and protection of children and who have a family relationship bond with the children (Child Welfare League of America, 1994). When families assume responsibility for relative children, their adult relationships can be significantly impacted.

If you and your spouse or another adult are co-parenting relative children, the stress and strain of assuming this responsibility may create tension and conflict in your relationship. This stress may have an immediate and long-term impact not only the adult relationship but on the children and the extended family relationships.

This relationship workshop is designed to offer participants:

• Positive and effective ways to communicate;
• Methods for addressing problems in a non-confrontational manner;
• Approaches to rediscover and strengthen positive coping skills;
• Suggestions to sustain healthy relationships.

Ann Ackerson, a Licensed Master Social Worker and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from Family and Children Services will facilitate this four-hour workshop. Ann has worked to strengthen couples and families in the Kalamazoo area for 15 years.

For more information about the Kinship Care Education Program, call Joyce Stout at the MSU Extension office in Kalamazoo at (269) 384-8054. Arrangements to accommodate persons with disabilities at an event may be made by calling Joyce Stout at (269) 384-8054 two weeks prior to the event. Requests received after this date will be met when possible. E-mail us at msue39@msu.edu or to stoutjo@msu.edu

Back to News Releases