The Children's Home Society of Florida™ and The Change Companies® offer an evidence-based, innovative system for children in out-of-home care.

The Helping Children Thrive journals focus on a spirit of action. Young people learn about themselves and develop skills that will contribute to a healthy future.

Teen Journals
The teen journals from the Helping Children Thrive series empower youth to develop skills to effectively cope with their out-of-home placements. Teens are encouraged to use their thoughts, feeling and experiences as catalysts for making healthy decisions n the future.

Preteen Journals
By utilizing the preteen journals from the Helping Children Thrive series, you are providing young people with the tools to help them understand and cope with their out-of-home placements. These journals are designed to give preteens the information, confidence and skills necessary to make positive choices in their lives.

Caregiver Guide Support
Caregiver Guides have been created as a resource for implementing the Helping Children Thrive Interactive Journals. These guides are constructed with miniature versions of the journal pages. Each journal section is individually spiral bound for ease of use. Helpful information and tips are wrapped around the borders of each page.

The guides provide the following:

• An explanation of the concepts covered in the journal to help caregivers support the child's learning experience.
• "Mini-workshops" on topics that address caregivers' concerns and enhance their care giving skills.
• optional activities caregivers can share with the child in their care.

Teen Journals

Click picture for close up view ITEM CT1 My Place - My Place helps teens understand their current out-of-home placement and answers some questions they may have. Topics such as needs and wants, rights, adjusting to a new school and learning about their foster families are covered. This journal helps teens learn what to expect and empowers them to make the most of this experience. 32 pages - $4.25 Click picture for close up view ITEM CT2 How to Deal with Feelings- How to Deal with Feelings helps teens get a handle on their feelings. This journal assists them in honestly recognizing and accepting their feelings and offers strategies for dealing with them.  16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CT3 What I Think Matters - The What I Think Matters journal is all about the power of thinking. Teens discover the influence of self-talk on how they think and act. They learn how to recognize and replace negative thoughts with positive self-talk messages and "own" their thinking. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CT4 Relationships - The Relationships journal helps teens take a close look at their current relationships and consider what makes them healthy or unhealthy. They explore the rewards of positive connections and learn how to evaluate their associations with others. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CT5 Avoiding High-risk Behaviors - The Avoiding High-risk Behaviors journal acknowledges the stress that may accompany out-of-home placement and examines unhealthy responses to those feelings. Teens do a "reality check" on the consequences of engaging in behaviors such as running away, using alcohol or other drugs or joining a gang. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CT6 Self-care - The Self-care journal features information about a variety of topics relevant to teens' health and well-being and emphasizes the power of choice. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CT7 Finding the Right Job - In the Finding the Right Job journal, teens discover what it takes to find and keep a satisfying job, consider their skills and interests, learn how to apply for a job and prepare for an interview. 16 pages - $1.80   Click picture for close up view ITEM CT8 Planning for the Future - The Planning for the Future journal prepares teens for independent living. Topics such as rights and responsibilities, planning for parenthood and managing finances are featured. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CP1 My Place - My Place focuses on helping preteens understand why they're in foster care. Questions about their rights, seeing their parents and siblings, personal belongings, going to school and getting to know their foster families are explored. "Famous fosters" are featured to help kids recognize their potential for a bright future. 32 pages - $4.25 Click picture for close up view ITEM CP2 My Feelings - My Feelings assists preteens in grasping their feelings. Kids examine the big three - fear, anger, and sadness - and learn helpful ways of handling their feelings. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CP3 My Relationships - My Relationships helps preteens examine the key connections in their lives. Kids consider the ingredients for a healthy relationship and think about what would make their important relationships better. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CP4 Avoiding Risky Behaviors- Avoiding Risky Behaviors focuses on risky ways some kids handle their feelings about their out-of-home placements. Special emphasis is placed on behaviors such as losing control of their tempers, running away, substance abuse and joining a gang. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CP5 Taking Care of Your Health - The Taking Care of Your Health journal gives preteens a chance to think about how the choices they make affect their health and well being. Topics such as easting healthy foods, being physically active and staying away from alcohol and drugs are highlighted. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CP6 My Future - The future can be exciting and scary for young people. Some kids use past challenges as an excuse for a limited future. The My Future journal helps them realize the sky's the limit. Preteens are encouraged to explore their interests, set goals and appreciate the benefits of staying in school. 16 pages - $2.20 Click picture for close up view ITEM CG1-CG14 Caregiver Guide Support - Caregiver Guides have been created as a resource for implementing the Helping Children Thrive Interactive Journals. These guides are constructed with miniature versions of the journal pages. Each journal section is individually spiral bound for ease of use. Helpful information and tips are wrapped around the borders of each page. The guides provide the following: An explanation of the concepts covered in the journal to help caregivers support the child's learning experience. "Mini-workshops" on topics that address caregivers' concerns and enhance their caregiving skills. Optional activities caregivers can share with the child in their care.  Caregiver Guides $7.50 each.