FREE caregiving series: Grandparents raising children

#CountyNews

Grandparents and other older relatives raising children are invited to new caregiving series Sponsored by Health and Human Services Department. This free three-part series will provide a safe and welcoming space for caregivers to connect with each other, learn new skills and get access to community resources.

“Older relatives who take on the challenging role of raising their grandchildren, nieces, nephews and others may feel unprepared for some of the difficult issues that can arise,” Washington County Program Coordinator Shannon Baggerman said. “This new series provides education, resources and respite that we hope will make this tough job a little bit easier.”

Three 90-minute sessions will take place via Zoom in April, May and June.

April 2: “That’s a RAPP! Resource Fair” (10-11:30 a.m.) RAPP stands for Relatives as Parents Program. During this virtual resource fair, participants can connect face to face with people who can support them and learn about community resources that can help.

May 7: “Let’s be Honest — Family Conversations about Sexuality” (10-11:30 a.m.) This workshop will focus on helping caregivers strengthen their skills in being “askable” adults and supporting young people in conversations related to sexuality.

June 11: “Managing Relational Stress and Building Resiliency” (10-11:30 a.m.) Participants will learn about relational stress and begin to normalize this in the context of all families. They will learn to identify the signs and symptoms of stress, compassion fatigue and burnout and how these manifest in partnerships and family systems.

Participants may register for one, two or all sessions. Registration is open at https://bit.ly/RAPP-2022. For more information, call the Program Coordinator Shannon Baggerman at 503-846-3090.