Relative search is a service at Ampersand Families for youth in foster care who need placement and support. The goal of relative search is to identify relatives and attempt contact with them. Relative search involves identifying grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. as well as other individuals described as “kin.” Kin is any person in a youth’s life who has a significant relationship with them. This might include a coach, teacher, neighbor, or other caring Continue Reading
#fostercare
Ampersand Families joins the Quality Parenting Initiative
Ampersand Families has joined the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) as a fully trained Minnesota site! What this means for Ampersand Families is that we’ve dedicated our efforts to ensuring that quality parenting and lasting relationships are practiced within every part of our agency. This will help us ensure that the voices of our families, relatives, and youth we serve are at the center of our practice, advocacy, and drive for policy change. What is QPI? QPI is Continue Reading
MYVoice wins state grant
This month the MYVoice program of Ampersand Families is excited to announce a new grant to support "protective factors" for young people with experience in foster care. This grant, funded by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS), invests in the relationships, positive peer community, and leadership opportunities that all young people deserve as they grow into healthy and connected adults. What is MYVoice? MYVoice (also known as Minnesota Youth Voice) is Continue Reading
What is Permanency?
Permanency is not a word most people think about often; the general public does not always understand the significance of the supportive connections they have access to. In our work, permanency is a topic we talk about every day and engage youth in conversation about. We typically look at permanency in three ways: legal, physical, and relational/emotional. Legal Permanency When we think of legal permanency, we are thinking about the relationship Continue Reading
