Krista’s focus includes facilitating competency-based classroom and online trainings for social workers, supervisors and program managers in child welfare. Areas of specific interest include trauma informed cultures, faith-based initiatives, kinship care providers and continuous quality improvement.
Jonathan Rockoff, MAT
Jonathan’s professional interests include foster care, adoption, the impact of sexual abuse, and trauma. His focus includes facilitating classroom and on-line trainings while contributing to various publications dedicated to providing support and education to professionals and resource parents in the child welfare system.
We are excited about our new team members’ contributions to the Family & Children’s Resource Program as we continue to work to improve the welfare of our state.
Gary Nelson, Director of the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab
The American Underground (AU) is a diverse startup scene rich in social enterprises and deep civic engagement. One of only twelve ‘Google For Entrepreneurs’ hubs in North America, the AU facilitates co-working, networking, and community-building opportunities for 269 startups, including the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) Lab of the UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work.
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab
The SIE Lab at the AU is an off-site extension of the SIE Lab launched through the Jordan Institute for Families at the UNC School of Social Work. This creative space aims to bring together MSW students with entrepreneurs in business, law, government, technology and other fields to think creatively and innovate ways to address and impact some of society’s most pressing problems, including poverty, homelessness, access to mental health care and other social issues. Gary Nelson, the Thomas Willis Lambeth Distinguished Chair in Public Policy, director of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the School of Social Work, leads these strategic efforts that align with UNC’s overall vision of making innovation fundamental to all that we do, and of the people, for the people.
“Innovation is made possible when people who have been working in isolation begin to work together, spurring our systems forward for shared social benefit”, Nelson said.
With a clear mission to heighten social impact for all citizens, the SIE Lab is at the forefront of this emergent space.
Think creatively and innovate ways to address and impact some of society’s most pressing problems
The SIE Lab is also a robust internship (field) opportunity for two Concentration Year Macro MSW students selected as Social Innovation Fellows. Under the leadership of Nelson, and the guidance of a field instructor, the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship program manager, a Social Entrepreneur-in-Residence, as well as other faculty, business and community leaders, Fellows will acquire knowledge and cultivate skills to lead and implement innovative, sustainable, scalable social change with measurable positive social impact.
Spending field time in the American Underground space as well as the SIE Lab, Fellows will build a rich network in the innovation communities and hubs on campus, among other local educational institutions, in the community, and in the business and social service sector of the broader Research Triangle. This is also an education and experiential space for students, staff and faculty interested in exploring or launching a social innovation or enterprise, or highlighting impact oriented research and engaged scholarship.
To learn more about the Social Innovation Fellowship opportunity and the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship field education position contact Christina at coillot@email.unc.edu.
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is a significant concern in child welfare. This is due to the amount of trauma we are exposed to in our work. How does trauma impact you and other staff members? Your resource families?
The Amazing Benefits of Relaxation
fosteringNC.org has added a short, relaxing body scan that is available to you. This 14-minute audio clip from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) features Karla Johnston-Krase leading a guided relaxation that includes a body scan similar to something called Yoga Nidra, a style of relaxation with amazing benefits.
Yoga nidra (Sanskrit: योग निद्रा) or yogic sleep) is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping, like the “going-to-sleep” stage. … The yogic goal of both paths, deep relaxation (yoga nidra) and meditation are the same, a state called samadhi.
To learn more or to access this free self-care activity, go to:
Like everyone in the state, North Carolina’s resource parents are required by law to file a report with the proper authorities if they suspect a child is being maltreated. To help them know when and how to fulfill this responsibility, fosteringNC.org has added Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment. This 2-hour course, which was developed by Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, will also give resource parents valuable insight into how children and their families become involved with the child welfare system. To learn more or to take this free, self-paced online course, go to:
When young people in foster care tell us they don’t want to be adopted, what should be our next step?
How do we make them feel heard, respect their views, and still do our utmost to help them achieve permanence in a timely way? This 90-minute webinar (Talking with Young People in Foster Care about Adoption) profiles effective child-focused adoption preparation activities in use in North Carolina today and teaches concrete strategies for what to say, and what to try when young people say “no” to adoption. (Event Date: 11/09/2017). What a great way to celebrate National Adoption Month!
FosteringNC is a learning site for North Carolina foster and adoptive parents and kinship caregivers. Get online training any time for free through this learning site.
Foster Care and Adoption Resources: Fostering Perspectives newsletter provides a variety of information by and for resource parents and visit Post-Adoption Support and Resources in NC to learn about the post-adoption resources the NC Division of Social Services makes available to North Carolina families.
Build Your Knowledge
Access all of this training yourself and share it with your families. Use the frequently asked questions to get answers to questions including the federal adoption tax credit and whether a family qualifies.
Current and future trends in child welfare (We learned so much at the NSDTA and Project NO Rest 2017 conferences)
Transfer of learning and professional development content including “Welcome to Supervision” and “Applying the Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard” to name just a few
Evidence based practice – applying it to the real work
At the heart of everything we do is a focus on the strengths of families, respect for those who serve families and children, and appreciation for families’ needs within communities.
Krista’s focus includes facilitating competency-based classroom and online trainings for social workers, supervisors and program managers in child welfare. Areas of specific interest include trauma informed cultures, faith-based initiatives, kinship care providers and continuous quality improvement.
Jonathan’s professional interests include foster care, adoption, the impact of sexual abuse, and trauma. His focus includes facilitating classroom and on-line trainings while contributing to various publications dedicated to providing support and education to professionals and resource parents in the child welfare system.
