Join DCS Talks to discuss the importance of Full Disclosure with Director of Permanency Planning, Lindsay Coleman.  When a child comes to the attention of the DCS  and is potentially in need of out-of-home care, DCS takes responsibility to engage the family in identifying relatives or kin who may support the child and family.  As part of the process of building a team around the family, DCS informs  caregivers about the different types of legal permanency options and provides relatives or kin the Disclosure of Legal Permanency Options Video and the Guide to Full Disclosure of Permanency Options.  Ms. Coleman provides information about this process, resources, where to find the video and discusses ways relatives and kin help to reduce trauma for children who are in the care of DCS. 

In this edition of DCS Talks, training manager, Sheneka Morgan interviews ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­a  staff who serve a variety of roles at the Department of Children’s Services. These staff ensure that safety remains a top priority in not only conducting field visits but also in reducing trauma to the children and families we serve. June is National Safety Month and with respect to the important work that DCS case managers do we want to focus on ways to stay safe while serving children and families.

Diligent search is a process through which child welfare agencies recruit, retain, and support foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic diversity of children and build family teams. In this edition we will interview two subject matter experts on the topic of diligent searches in child welfare, first we talk to Alicia Wright who provides direct service to children and families as a case manager and supervisor she lets our listeners know about what conducting diligent searches for families is like for her and her team and why they are important and then we continue the discussion with the Director of Permanency Planning at DCS, Lindsay Coleman who has served in many program areas at DCS during her career and she provides our listeners with a global perspective of diligent searches as well as key points about building support networks when a child is in full guardianship at the department, Lindsay also raises awareness of the importance of diligent searches as the pertain to teenagers and young adults who age out of foster care.

In this edition of DCS Talks,  DCS Assistant Commissioner, Julie Rotella interviews Jon Ebert, PsyD and Tarah Kuhn, Ph.D., psychologists from the Vanderbilt Center of Excellence, to discuss the virtual sessions, Roots of Resiliency that are currently being offered weekly for parents to ask questions, gather resources and interact around shared experiences.

Diligent search is a process through which child welfare agencies recruit, retain, and support foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic diversity of children and build family teams. Join DCS Talks for this edition to discuss this important process with Alicia Wright MSW, who serves in the Upper Cumberland region in the DCS Office of Child Programs. 

DCS Talks about the laws around mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect in the state of Tennessee. This discussion lets the listener know that it is everyone's responsibility to report child abuse and neglect. Listeners will also be informed about what to expect when they call the child abuse hotline  and how to make a report.  

In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. join DCS Talks pod-caster and Assistant Commissioner of Administrative Services, Julie Rotella, LCSW as she discusses factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect. Did you know that two-thirds of children who were abused DO NOT grow up to be maltreating parents? Learn about this information as well as resiliency strategies to mitigate the potential of child maltreatment. 

The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR)  is a review process including an assessment and case reviews for the Children’s Bureau to monitor state child welfare programs and compliance with federal regulations. Program Director, Tony Nease explains the process and it supports the DCS principles of Safety, Permanency and Well-Being. 

Brenda Carpenter  serves as a Director of in the Office of Training and Professional Development at Department of Children’s Services. Ms. Carpenter has significant experience in child welfare and higher education. She recently attended the Strong Relationships: Strengthening Individual and Family Well-Being conference which was sponsored by the National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families. With respect to Valentines’ day and honoring partnerships DCS Talks asks Ms. Carpenter to take a focus on  characteristics associated with healthy families and relationships.

Join Amanda Law, Coach and Trainer in the Office of Training and Professional Development, to learn about how to make and achieve your goals.