Executive Advisory Committee

Perceptions of Adoption: A Child’s Developmental View will discuss the ways a child’s cognitive development skills and emotions develop, and how that impact his or her perceptions regarding adoption. This

Healthy Boundaries in Teenage Relationships explores healthy and unhealthy dating behaviors. It is designed to assist caregivers in identifying warning signs that a teen may be involved in an abusive

Learning to Communicate: Developing Social Skills will equip parents to understand the process of communicating with children, teaching children to communicate with adults and peers, and developing interpersonal social skills.

Financial Planning for Children with Special Needs helps families caring for children with special needs proactively plan for their child’s future without jeopardizing entitlement benefits. It provides practical tools to

Strategies to Remain Positive When Adopting describes common behaviors that the child(ren) may exhibit as well as feelings adoptive parents may have during the adoption process, including grief and post-adoption

ARC Meetings & IEPs: The Basics will help foster and adoptive parents understand the process of an ARC Meeting and gain a better perspective of what an IEP will look

Fostering & Adopting Sibling Groups explores the benefits of placing siblings together as well as potential barriers and challenges. The impact of on attachment and bonding among siblings who have

What to Ask When Called About a Placement will help foster and adoptive parents gather information before accepting a placement of a new child. During the training, participants will discuss

Fostering & Adopting At-Risk Children explores categories of at-risk behaviors among children and adolescents that may lead to negative consequences, like poor health, injury or death. It assists foster/adoptive parents

A Guide to Coping with Allegations explores the prevalence of false allegations of abuse and neglect amongst foster homes and reasons such allegations may arise. Strategies for preventing false allegations

Bullying provides parents an overview of bullying behaviors that children, teens, and young adults may encounter and the effects it has on children, youth and society as a whole. This

Attachment & Bonding with your Foster & Adopted Child equips parents to enhance their relationship with foster/adopted children by teaching them the basics about bonding and attachment. This training also

Understanding the Brain and Fear Responses in Traumatized Children provides an overview of brain development and how fight/flight/freeze fear responses may manifest in children who have experienced trauma. In addition,

Services & Support for Foster & Adoptive Families will inform parents about resources available to individuals with intellectual disabilities through the Michelle P. Waiver Program, which allows eligible individuals to

Strategies for Parenting Teens will provide an overview of adolescent development and common questions and challenges presented by youth who are in foster care or were adopted. This training will

Sibling Attachment & Adoption provides parents with tools to promote healthy sibling relationships in foster and adoptive families. Parents will explore different ways in which families are formed and learn

Cyberbullying is a training that explores what cyberbullying entails, warning signs that a child may be a victim of it, and its harmful effects. Statistics on cyberbullying are examined and

Working with Birth Families to Achieve Permanency will equip foster parents many different ways to positively work with birth families toward the initial goal of reunification. The training also discusses

Teaching Growth Mindset to Children introduces parents to the two types of mindsets and how beneficial it is for parents to help their children develop a growth mindset.  This training will

Transracial Parenting: Ages 0-5 explores the unique experiences of transracial families and examines developmental stages of racial identity development in young children. It offers strategies to create an environment that

Positive Adoption Language: Part 1 will discuss the power and impact of words and terminology related to adoption and foster care. This training will provide strategies to help parents reword

Connecting with Your Child While Correcting Behavior introduces parents to strategies to use to help them feel connected to children while correcting difficult behaviors. Parents will learn how to connect

Healing After a Foster Child Leaves Your Home will equip foster parents understand, cope with and heal from the unique pain of a foster child leaving their home. It offers