Free educational event Friday for grandparents, foster parents

If you are a grandparent raising grandchildren or have been thinking about providing foster care or adopting a relative’s child, you may want to attend a free virtual conference dealing with issues you may face.

The event “A Family Get Together,” is the annual grandfamilies, foster/kinship care and adoption conference. It will be held from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Friday.

“For the 10th year, the University of Missouri Extension Center, Aging Matters, AARP and FosterAdopt Connect will be hosting a Kinship, Foster Care and Adoption Conference,” said John Fuller, human development specialist with the University of Missouri Extension.

This year the free training will be provided virtually and pre-registration is required.

Fuller listed the following schedule:

9-9:30 a.m., welcome and introductions;

9:30-10:30 a.m., Jon Redman, deputy chief for the Trumann, Arkansas, Police Department, will present the keynote address, “Protect Your Children from Child Predators: What You Need to Know;

10:30-10:45 a.m., resource break;

10:45-11:15 a.m., breakout sessions include: Low-Cost Activities for Youth provided by Brad Coleman, county engagement/4-H youth development specialist, University of Missouri Extension Office. Also, Katie McCoy, family advocate/trainer for FosterAdopt Connect, will conduct the session Relative Caregiving 101;

11:15-11:30 a.m., Dairian Lovell will talk about How to Become a Foster/Adoptive Parent. Lovell is a resource development advocate for FosterAdopt Connect

Noon-1 p.m., Great Circle Program Director Michael Turner’s session will be Grooming: Signs, Response and Safety;

1-2 p.m., Understanding ADHD and Positive Behavior Intervention will be presented by Nakatia Clay, regional coordinator, Missouri Parents Act (MPACT).

Sponsors also include Parent Link, Butler County Community Resource Council and Hefner Furniture & Appliance.

The registration deadline is midnight Thursday. To register or for more information, call the University of Missouri Extension Center, 614 Lindsay Ave., Poplar Bluff (686-8064), or check extension’s website: extension.missouri.edu/butler. Once registered, participants will get an email with the link.