University of Kentucky College of Social Work

KIN-VIP Support Group Grandparent's Connection
2024-12-02 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | KY
Raising your grandchildren and parenting again later in life can be especially challenging in today’s culture. Navigating this change in roles–moving from grandparents to being parents again–can be both confusing and difficult as you move through these family changes.
This group is designed to support and empower grandparents on this journey to find the resources, community, and connection to be successful caregivers for the children in their lives.
Facilitated by Rachael Cartmell, a Kinship grandmother raising her young grandchildren, this group will connect families to essential resources in a caring, virtual environment. Join us!
REGISTER NOW

KIN-VIP Support Group Tweens & Teens
2024-12-02 19:00 - 20:00
Raising children when they are small can be fun–from reading story books to learning ABC’s and counting with cute rhymes, the possibilities to create wonderful bonds and fun times together are seemingly endless. But as they grow and are approach their teen years, you may notice changes in their moods and behaviors. Their emotional reactions and opinions become more pronounced, they may have lost interest in their toys or hobbies and instead become more interested in their appearances and peer group.
You may be thinking that your young child is already turning into a teenager and may be asking yourself “What do I do now?” Whether you have a tween (8-12 years old) or a teen (age 12- 19), this is the group for you! Throughout this weekly pilot, we will be discussing a variety of topics that can help you in your care of your tween or teen!
Take a look!
Week 1: How to relate and really talk to your tween/teen
Week 2: How to empathetically listen to your tween/teen
Week 3: Parenting Tips of raising tweens/teens
Week 4: Dealing with grief or sadness that can come with parenting tweens/teens
Week 5: How to discipline effectively
Week 6: Teaching Life Skills that are important as your tween/teen grows up!
Week 7: Teaching your tween/teen how to manage their emotions and reactions in a healthy way
Week 8: Understanding Anxiety and how it can affect your tween/teen
Week 9: Setting Healthy Boundaries
Week 10: Teaching Tweens/Teens how to problem solve
Week 11: Tween/Teen Health
Week 12: Self care for you
Of course, this group will be an opportunity for you to share your questions and get support and resources to aid in your care of tweens/teens. A financial incentive is also available for those who attend! Join today!
Facilitated by Judy Russell, Mental Health Specialist for Fayette County Public Schools, was raised by her great-grandmother from infancy. In her 20’s, Judy began caring for her sister’s three children that she later adopted. Throughout her career, Judy has supported kinship families through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the public school system.
As a result, Judy has worked with countless youth and their families, helping them navigate the challenges of raising children of all ages while supporting caregivers in their journey. Come with questions, come with suggestions, come for a community who can support and encourage YOU!
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The Lakes Citizen Review Panel
2024-12-03 10:00 - 11:00
Citizen Review Panels (CRPs) are groups of caring volunteers that work to improve the well-being of children, families, and communities across Kentucky. To learn more about CRPs or join a regional panel, please visit the CRP website or contact Tara Pulaski at Tara.Pulaski@uky.edu.

KIN-VIP Support Group Kinship Families Impacted By Substance Use
2024-12-03 11:00 - 12:00
This new KIN-VIP Support Group will provide a community of support for kinship caregivers who have been impacted by a family member’s substance use. This group will offer a safe space where kinship caregivers can find support, understanding, resources, and hope.
The group is completely free and available to any caregiver raising a relative or fictive kin child.
Contact Sheila Rentfrow at sheila.rentfrow@uky.edu for more information or sign up to secure your spot!
REGISTER NOW

PhD Info Session
2024-12-03 12:00 - 13:00
Are you passionate about making a difference through learning to conduct and disseminate social work research?
During this session, you will have the opportunity to meet our PhD program director, Dr. Pope, and CoSW Recruiters, who will provide you will an overview of the PhD program (including curriculum and dissertation requirements, mentoring opportunities, and funding).
Join us if you are interested in learning more about the social work PhD program.
Register for the info session by clicking the link below under ‘Website’.
Crafted for Success
Our program is designed to equip graduates with the expertise necessary to thrive as faculty members in esteemed social work programs nationwide and globally. Emphasizing research competency, our curriculum empowers students to conduct groundbreaking research and publish their scholarly works. Additionally, students hone their teaching skills through teaching assistantships, practica, and specialized courses, ensuring they excel as educators.
The UK Difference
Tap into our expansive research prowess as our faculty members are lauded nationally and internationally for their contributions to the field. Benefit from our state-of-the-art research centers and labs, including the Training Resource Center, Interdisciplinary Research Center on Children and Families, Kentucky Kinship Resource Center, Self-Care Lab, Suicide Prevention and Exposure Lab, and Military Behavior Health Lab, providing unparalleled opportunities for learning and research.
Flexible Learning Paths
Tailor your academic journey with our flexible full and part-time program options. With customizable core curricula and electives, you can create a unique learning experience that aligns with your research interests and career aspirations.
Take the opportunity to make a lasting impact in the field of social work. Join this info session and unlock your potential as a leader in research, education, and advocacy.

Navigating Careers Beyond Academia: Job Searching & Application Materials
2024-12-03 13:00 - 14:00
The UK Grad School in partnership with the Stuckert Career Center is hosting a Fall Semester Workshop Series on Navigating Careers Beyond Academia. Each of these online workshops will detail various strategies graduate students can utilize during the job search process once their studies have concluded.
The December 3rd workshop topic: Job Searching & Application Materials: How to set yourself Apart in the Job Market
Attend by clicking on the Zoom link below under “Website” at the date and time mentioned.

Northern Bluegrass Citizen Review Panel
2024-12-04 11:00 - 12:00

KIN-VIP Support Group The Gathering Spot
2024-12-04 12:00 - 13:00
The Gathering Spot will be a monthly opportunity to connect with Kentucky Kinship Resource Center staff to learn more about our programs, find a group to join, get tech assistance so you can join programs, and gain support.
The Gathering Spot is not a support group, it is an opportunity to meet program leaders, answer your questions, and discuss ways YOU can get connected to support programs within the KKRC.
This connection meeting will be offered on the first Wednesday of every month beginning September 4 and will be hosted by KKRC staff members. Come and get connected!
REGISTER NOW

KIN-VIP Support Group Dealing with Loss
2024-12-04 12:00 - 13:00
Losing a relationship, a person, a role/way of life, or even losing the idea of being a grandma/uncle/aunt/sibling can be difficult and hard to navigate on your own. The emotions you feel are so specific to what you are going through and can make you feel all alone at the same time. If you are working through the loss of something or someone important to you, we hope to offer a safe place for caregivers where you can find support for the journey and a community of kinship caregivers who understand.
This new KIN VIP Support Group will start meeting on Wednesdays 12:00 PM-1:00 PM EST beginning September 11, 2024.
The group is completely free and available to any caregiver raising a relative or fictive kin child.
Contact Sheila Rentfrow at sheila.rentfrow@uky.edu for more information, or sign up here to secure your spot!
About the Facilitator:
Julie Johnson is a licensed, practicing therapist who has a passion for helping others. As a mental health professional, Julie has worked in a therapeutic setting with persons and families for over 15 years, including successful facilitation of individual and group experiences, including Support Group meetings.
Having been a kinship caregiver herself, Julie is very familiar with the unique dynamic that comes from kinship care and changes that often result from the loss of family, friends, relationships, and changes in life circumstances that can leave caregivers and children living with grief.
REGISTER NOW

Cumberland Region Citizen Review Panel
2024-12-05 09:00 - 10:00

KIN-VIP Support Group Fictive Kin 101
2024-12-05 11:00 - 12:00
Caring for a child that you are not related to is challenging–but when you are taking care of a child that you love, be it a neighbor, a friend’s child, or your child’s friend, suddenly it all makes sense, even if it is still difficult to navigate. How do you raise someone else’s child? Are there any supports out there for those fictive kin caregivers? What about visits?
In this group, we will explore the challenges of being a fictive kin caregiver and identify resources that are out there while we support each other in our own fictive kin journeys.
Facilitated by Heather Hall, a fictive kin caregiver and an advocate for fictive kin caregivers with Kentucky legislature, this group will provide a supportive, safe space where fictive kin caregivers can come to get answers, find relationships, and hopefully continued support for their journey.
REGISTER NOW

Blueprint Banter Sessions: Staff
2024-12-05 12:00 - 13:00
Blueprint Banter Sessions are open forums where students, staff, and faculty can discuss key educational issues share updates, and collaboratively develop solution to enhance academic programming and student services.
These sessions will be hosted by Dr. Matt Moore, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, Kayla Powell, Director of Student Experience and Engagement, and members of the Dean’s Student Advisory Council.
Join the discussion by clicking the link below next to ‘Website’.

KIN-VIP Support Group Building Family Connections
2024-12-05 17:00 - 18:00
Oftentimes, one of the most difficult issues related to kinship care is navigating relationships with family members or close friends. Whether it is caring for your children’s children, a family member’s child, or the child of a close family friend, being able to care for and raise your kinship child while maintaining a good relationship with the important adults in their life (and yours) can be essential in creating a happy home.
This new KIN VIP Support Group will discuss the challenges that come with raising the children of the people we love and how we can navigate these unique challenges to create positive relationships and supportive parenting.
The group is completely free and available to any caregiver raising a relative or fictive kin child.
Contact Sheila Rentfrow at sheila.rentfrow@uky.edu for more information, or sign up here to secure your spot!
About the Facilitator:
Martha Watkins is a kinship caregiver and has had a lot of experience creating healthy family relationships. Martha is a supportive person who is eager to listen to you about your situation and experiences in order to help you navigate this very important journey. With a degree in Administration and experience as a teacher, Martha has found that many people are looking for a safe place where they can talk about their kinship experience with its successes and challenges in order to find hope and solutions to challenging situations.
Her goal, and the goal of this group, will be to listen with an open mind and a kind heart, creating an atmosphere where participants can receive meaningful feedback that will hopefully make the journey easier to navigate. Martha has said that although the kinship journey can be difficult, it can be a wonderful adventure and looks forward to sharing this journey with you!
REGISTER NOW

DSW Info Session
2024-12-07 10:00 - 11:00
Turn Your Goals into Reality
Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is at the end of the event listing, under ‘Website’.
The UK Difference
Our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program was developed with practitioners in mind. This high-quality, rigorous program prepares practitioners to navigate the complexities of a contemporary practice landscape by providing education and experiences congruent with advanced practice proficiency among specialized populations.

Anywhere, Anytime
Courses are taught online through asynchronous models with the exception of residency week during the summer, which is taught synchronously. An asynchronous option is available for those who cannot be in attendance.

Multiple Concentration Options
Choose from one of four concentrations: Administrative Leadership, Clinical Social Work, Social Work Education, or Military Behavioral Health.

Unique Centers and Labs
Leverage our unique centers and labs, including the Training Resource Center, Interdisciplinary Research Center on Children and Families, Kentucky Kinship Resource Center, Self-Care Lab, Suicide Prevention and Exposure Lab, and Military Behavior Health Lab to enhance your learning and research.

Efficient
Using an innovative Core Plus Model, our DSW program affords you an efficient and affordable way to earn your degree. From start to finish, you can complete the DSW degree in two to three years, depending on full-time or part-time status.
