Spring 2022
Spring is here! And Avenue of Dreams plans are coming together fast and furious. By release day of this issue, our IN-PERSON Avenue of Dreams prom readiness event will have flown by! Pictures in our Summer issue! We are thrilled to report that we are still planning a full two-day annual conference at the Mystic Marriott on May 6 – 7, 2022. More info to come and please save the dates. Registration Opening soon!!. Also coming soon: Fun Family events: Please stay tuned: Yard Goats, New Haven Symphony and perhaps other outings. As you may now know, DCF is thrilled that its Family First Prevention Services Act state plan was accepted by the Federal Government. More details to follow. And after 32 years of federal court oversight of DCF, DCF and the lawyers representing the group of children named to represent all children involved with DCF (class-action lawsuit) have asked the federal court to release DCF and declare the case entirely over. We are highlighting in this issue, the important recommendations of Connecticut Voices for Children that were released at their recent Youth at the Capitol Day. Please read all of them. CAFAF staff and our families statewide are continuing to learn about Quality Parenting Initiative (“QPI”) that DCF is integrating into its work with foster families. QPI is a refocus of child welfare to return to making the child the center of any interventions and it expects that all adults involved will bring all attention to what works best for the child. We are also assisting DCF in the planning and development of the Kinship Navigator Program with a special focus on relatives navigating the child welfare system as well as so many other areas of support (financial, legal, educational, etc.).
Enjoy the warming weather and let’s hope the spring flowers are magnificent this year!
Margaret Doherty
Executive Director
