Kidsave Training 2

 Housekeeping  Review calendar  Preparing for your child’s arrival  When you arrive home  The Transition - first days…settling in  Importance of routine, schedule, predictability  Honeymoon period  Chaperone  Translators  Camp and camp behavior  Support sessions  Weekend events  Utilizing Kidsave support Topics to Cover

Paperwork status Items missing per family Financial Hosting fees/application fees owed Money raised to date/money left to raise Fundraising – how balance of funds will be raised Housekeeping

Dates for Calendar Arrival & departure dates – Arrival early July (3?) Departure early August (2?) Support session dates July - TBD Weekend event dates Saturday, July Sunday, July Saturday, July Sunday, July Chaperone dates in your home Review with each family

Tell your friends, family, co-workers that you are hosting Identify camp for your child if you have not yet done so Get to know other host families – contact information provided by Kidsave Have your host child’s room ready Don’t forget a nightlight, Spanish books/magazines Purchase a lice treatment and/or familiarize yourself with businesses who do professional lice treatments Have a calendar with events ready for your host child to see (template available) Review the safety plan document with your children Have chaperone accommodations prepared regardless of schedule

Learn some Spanish phrases and words – make flash cards in English and Spanish and put around the house Familiarize yourself with Colombian restaurants, foods and recipes Kids love soup, chicken, rice and lots of fresh fruit Bigger meals at lunch (usually hot), smaller for dinner Watch the soda…they rarely have in Colombia Watch the sugar Have your house routines ready to review with your host child If you can have them translated that would be very beneficial

Come 30 minutes earlier than arrival time Don’t forget your welcome sign Bring a backpack with small welcome gifts Have snack ready for your child Have something in your car if your host child gets sick Chaperone schedule subject to change at this time Wear your Kidsave t-shirt Bring your camera!

Dogs – keep them in a separate room upon arrival – kids may be scared Show your host child around your home – where they will be sleeping, bathroom If not too late review house routines/rules Be sure your host child knows where you will be sleeping Be prepared that sleep may be difficult the first night due to excitement/over stimulation

Adjustment Issues Kids may have a hard time falling asleep Kids may have a hard time falling asleep Not used to sleeping alone Not used to sleeping alone Have a nightlight in the room Have a nightlight in the room Some prefer the door open, others prefer closed Some prefer the door open, others prefer closed Food Food Kids dislike spicy foods Kids dislike spicy foods Need comfort foods (chicken, rice, Colombian food) Need comfort foods (chicken, rice, Colombian food) Love Hawaiian pizza! Love Hawaiian pizza! Kids may have difficulties if families have little or no Spanish Kids may have difficulties if families have little or no Spanish Make use of translation services – app on smart phones! – Google Translator Make use of translation services – app on smart phones! – Google Translator The Transition

Limit Choices/Don’t Over Indulge Overwhelmed with too many choices Overwhelmed with too many choices Avoid supermarkets, Target and malls Avoid supermarkets, Target and malls early on early on Remember…when you give Remember…when you give them choices they may not know them choices they may not know what the choices are what the choices are (especially food in the pantry) (especially food in the pantry) Don’t encourage the child to Don’t encourage the child to eat seconds and thirds eat seconds and thirds Keep sweets as a special treat Keep sweets as a special treat Limit sodas Limit sodas Don’t overdo activities – give kids Don’t overdo activities – give kids down time down time Limit TV, computer and video game time Limit TV, computer and video game time The Transition

 Have your calendar posted with all activities and be sure your host child understands the schedule for each day  Review the next day’s schedule at dinner the night before  Keep a routine for waking up, dinner, time for bed, TV time, computer time

 Usually lasts 1-2 weeks  After the first couple of weeks more likely to test the rules, boundaries  Contact your social worker with any challenges that present for tools to deal with the situation  Keep your coordinator informed  The coordinator and social worker will be checking in to be sure you are supported.

 Coordinators will assign a buddy family to each host family  Weekly reports – MANDATORY – access on Kidsave website - provide information for ongoing advocacy  Departure…all kids must go back  If you have children – be sure to talk to your child about welcoming the child into your home – let them know they might get jealous…it is normal and that they must come to you when they are having these feelings  Don’t forget to give your own children some one on one time during the visit.

Inappropriate use of computer or television Money or special items stolen or in your host child’s bag Your host child may dislike camp

Translators  Translate only what is said  Translator NOT there to build a relationship with the child but to help build the hosts’ relationship with the child  Schedule of translators /contact info/time availability will be provided by coordinator Chaperone  Will stay with you approximately one week  May not speak English  Will write two reports – after 2 weeks and one final  Is NOT to take the lead but to assist host families as needed

 Talk to the director about advocacy (i.e. child specific advocacy flyer, camp newsletters, media)  Pack enough food for snacks and lunch  Be sure your contact information is inside your host child’s backpack  First day of camp – stay with your host child until they are comfortable  Be sure to talk to the camp director and counselor BEFORE the child arrives (no personal history to be shared, does not know how to swim, does not speak English, may be shy )  Visit the camp with your host child prior to camp starting…trial run!  Ideally the child will have 2 or 3 days to settle in before starting camp  Send your host child with a backpack and all items needed

Mandatory Session 1: Purpose to discuss how kids are doing Share stories Provide support around issues that are presenting Input from chaperone (translator must be available) Session 2: Review departure info How to say goodbye Ongoing communication and adoption decisions

 Attendance required  Don’t be late!  Can miss one event – Week 2  Where visiting families will come to meet the kids  Where chaperone can see all the kids at one time  Where kids can see each other and check in  Invite media  Advocacy, advocacy, advocacy

Utilize Support Contact sheet provides and phone information for host families, social worker and Kidsave LA Keep contact sheet on the refrigerator and in your car, and input numbers into your phone Make contact with your buddy family BEFORE the child arrives Contact coordinator for program questions, & social worker for issues that need attention