Calendar - Penny Lane

< PAGE 04 >

unlimited quantities of time, attention and energy" says foster mother Leticia Sornosa. Most of our children are facing difficulties like the separation from their biological parents, extended family or caregivers. "From the very beginning we have worked on meeting the foster children's needs by keeping the children safe and having happy times with them according to their ages and necessities". Thus the foster children respond with a feeling of belonging.

2 They have handled appropriately the foster child-foster family impact. "Foster children are exposed to great deal with the impact of matching their habits to the new foster home rules" says Emma Herrera. To decrease that impact, the foster parents accept the foster child as is, and try to adopt their acceptable habits and to redirect the foster children's behavior.

3 They recognize the benefits of pre-certification and the ongoing training that is focused on encouraging the foster parents to use their own resources to meet foster children's needs. To foster mother Maria Gallegos, "The foster parent relationship with the foster children is closely, precisely and clearly defined by special rules". It requires the foster family's flexibility to accept the rules and to apply them in a fair way.

4 Displaying Patience and Relaxation. Accepting the fact that foster children suffer the consequences of abandonment, neglect, physical or sexual abuse or to alcohol or drugs consumption,

helps the foster parents to be relaxed while the foster children attend therapy or vent their issues and to improve the connections to their biological family.
Sylvia and Sarvelio Enriquez said "sports, games and sane entertainments within a foster family keep high goals of expectations, as they give relaxation to the foster family".
Sports serve as therapy for our foster children, as afterwards they have something to comment about and then in the evening they can be relaxed".

5 Using the Penny Lane's variety of services is one of the important keys for the successful foster parents.
"It is never too late", says Elena Moore, "to request support from mentoring, tutoring, attending on-going training, clinic services and also the foster and adoptive parents associations".
Also she adds "fostering and being supported by my husband, Lavoy, helps my family to maintain a healthy relationship"

Farewell and Best Wishes

By Leah Lomax, Social Worker, North Hills

The Landaverdes were Penny Lane foster parents for eight years. They are a loving and caring family who took in numerous children, of all ages. The Landaverdes changed the lives of all the children that they came in contact with. Furthermore, the Landaverdes provided some of the children with a permanent home and family by adopting them.
In total, the Landaverdes adopted three of the foster children that they had in their home. We are sad to lose such wonderful foster parents but are grateful to have known them and to have had them be a part of the Penny Lane Families for so long. We will miss them nevertheless wish them all the best in their new home, Utah.

Successful Foster Parents

By: Daniel Velez, Recruiter/trainer

During the last two weeks I have had the opportunity to talk to some experienced foster parents who have found five reasons for their success as foster parents:

1 Foster children's needs are similar to our children.

"Foster children require

icminternational@earthlink.net