Interdisciplinary Research Center on Children and Families
The Interdisciplinary Research Center on Children and Families plays a leading role in advancing and disseminating research informed by the lived experiences of youth, caregivers, and providers across multiple disciplines to promote child safety, permanency, and well-being.
Our Goals
- Develop and sustain partnerships within and across professions that intersect in the lives of children and families, including but not limited to social work, social sciences, education, law, medicine, nursing, and behavioral health.
- Bridge gaps between child welfare and well-being research, policy, teaching, and service.
- Prepare future leaders and scholars in child and family advocacy through scholarly engagement in interdisciplinary education and research.
- Ensure research, teaching, and service is pursued with intention to eliminate racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism – and other forms of inequity and disparate outcomes among at risk youth and families.
- Translate or disseminate empirical and applicable evidence in child-focused practice or clinical contexts.
Training Resource Center
by the numbers
6
Unique Centers & Labs
116%
Increase in FY20 extramural research funding
50,000+
Individuals served annually by Centers & Labs
Calendar of Events
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3 events,
New Placements: Preparing & Adjusting Family Roles
New Placements: Preparing & Adjusting Family Roles
New Placements: Preparing & Adjusting Family Roles will help foster and adoptive parents introduce new placements into their existing family units. It gives ideas and strategies on how to prepare […]
Recognizing Signs Of Adoption Disruption And Dissolution
Recognizing Signs Of Adoption Disruption And Dissolution
Recognizing the Signs of Adoption Disruption & Dissolution will teach foster/adoptive parents about adoption disruption and dissolution by equipping them with information regarding factors that contribute to disruption/dissolution, statistics on […]
The Five Love Languages
The Five Love Languages
The 5 Love Languages introduces parents to the different love languages and discusses ways to use this information to strengthen partner/spouse relationships as well as relationships with children and teenagers. […]
2 events,
KIN VIP Caring For Teens Peer Support Group With Valerie Lebanion
KIN VIP Caring For Teens Peer Support Group With Valerie Lebanion
Caring for Teens in Kinship is a new KIN VIP Support Group offering for caregivers who are caring for teenagers in kinship care. This group will focus on caring for […]
Building Positive Relationships With Caseworkers & Community Partners
Building Positive Relationships With Caseworkers & Community Partners
Building Positive Relationships with Case Workers & Community Partners provides foster parents the information and tools needed to establish a positive working relationship with their caseworker and child’s caseworker, with […]
0 events,
3 events,
Understanding And Coping With Sensory Processing Challenges
Understanding And Coping With Sensory Processing Challenges
Understanding and Coping with Sensory Processing Challenges provides parents with tools to engage and work with children who display sensory processing challenges. Parents will learn what Sensory Processing Disorder is […]
Stress Management For Caregivers
Stress Management For Caregivers
Stress Management for Caregivers will equip foster/adoptive parents with tools to understand what stress and caregiver burnout is, and how to cope with the unique stressors of being foster/adoptive families. […]
ASK-VIP Support Group with Sheila
ASK-VIP Support Group with Sheila
ASK-VIP Support Groups are expressly designed to meet the needs of foster and adoptive parents in an inclusive, safe, and compassionate environment. They are led by seasoned facilitators who have […]
0 events,
0 events,
1 event,
Helping Foster & Adoptive Children Cope With Holiday Stress
Helping Foster & Adoptive Children Cope With Holiday Stress
Helping Foster & Adopted Children Cope with Holiday Stress is designed to assist foster and adoptive parents in learning and understanding how stressful holidays can be for foster/adopted children. It […]
2 events,
KIN VIP Support Group With Arion Jett-Seals
KIN VIP Support Group With Arion Jett-Seals
This group will focus on the day to day issues involving relative and fictive kin care and will be shaped by the identified needs of group participants. Members of this […]
Building Positive Relationships With Caseworkers & Community Partners
Building Positive Relationships With Caseworkers & Community Partners
Building Positive Relationships with Case Workers & Community Partners provides foster parents the information and tools needed to establish a positive working relationship with their caseworker and child’s caseworker, with […]
2 events,
ASK-VIP Medically Complex Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP Medically Complex Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP Medically Complex Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Groups are expressly designed to meet the needs of foster and adoptive parents caring for children with medical complexities. They offer an opportunity to […]
Kinship Catalogue – Taking Care of YOU (and everyone else, too)
Kinship Catalogue – Taking Care of YOU (and everyone else, too)
Caregiving can be tough! Add in a busy schedule, conflicting priorities, and a to-do list a mile long and you’ve got a recipe for a stress cocktail. As challenging as […]
1 event,
Fostering & Adopting Sibling Group
Fostering & Adopting Sibling Group
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 […]
2 events,
Understanding A Case Through The Child Welfare System
Understanding A Case Through The Child Welfare System
Understanding a Case Through the Child Welfare System will provide foster and adoptive parents knowledge on how a case progresses through the child welfare system. Each case may include removal, […]
KIN VIP Support Group With Mary Jo Dendy
KIN VIP Support Group With Mary Jo Dendy
This group is an opportunity for kinship caregivers to come together to find support, community, and resources in the care of relative and fictive children. This group will focus on […]
1 event,
Compulsive Lying
Compulsive Lying
Compulsive Lying explores why a child may lie compulsively. It identifies strategies and offers resources designed to assist children and their families dealing with this issue. After completing this training, […]
4 events,
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) come in many forms, from physical and mental abuse to neglect and household dysfunction. This training examines data from the ACE study, how early adversity as […]
DSW Info Session
DSW Info Session
Turn Your Goals into Reality Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Count Me In The UK Difference Our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) […]
Keeping Families Strong
Keeping Families Strong
Keeping Families Strong provides foster parents insight on how to keep partnerships, families and friendships strong while providing care to out of home children. It will also provide strategies for […]
Working With Birth Families To Achieve Permanency
Working With Birth Families To Achieve Permanency
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 […]
1 event,
Services & Support For Foster & Adoptive Families
Services & Support For Foster & Adoptive Families
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 […]
4 events,
Creative Parenting: New Ways To Focus On Your Child
Creative Parenting: New Ways To Focus On Your Child
Creative Parenting: New Ways to Focus on Your Child is designed to help parents recognize the value of seeking to understand the meaning behind a child’s behavior. It explores the […]
Helping Foster & Adoptive Children Cope With Holiday Stress
Helping Foster & Adoptive Children Cope With Holiday Stress
Helping Foster & Adopted Children Cope with Holiday Stress is designed to assist foster and adoptive parents in learning and understanding how stressful holidays can be for foster/adopted children. It […]
Positive Discipline For Teenagers
Positive Discipline For Teenagers
Positive Discipline for Teenagers will provide foster/Adoptive Parents with effective tools that will guide them to positive discipline and communication with teenagers that are in their care/home. It discusses the […]
6 events,
Nurturing Parenting – Family Morals, Values And Rules
Nurturing Parenting – Family Morals, Values And Rules
Greetings foster/adoptive parents and caregivers! Becoming a foster and/or adoptive parent can present its own unique challenges, especially when the children involved have a complex history of trauma. The Foster […]
BASW Info Session
BASW Info Session
Are You Wildly Passionate About Social Work? Explore the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program during an online info session. Count Me In The UK Difference Graduates from […]
KIN VIP Support Group With Merlin Jones-Smalley
KIN VIP Support Group With Merlin Jones-Smalley
This group will focus on the day to day issues involving relative and fictive kin care and will be a place where each member can find support, resources, ideas, and […]
KIN VIP Caring For Teens Peer Support Group With Valerie Lebanion
KIN VIP Caring For Teens Peer Support Group With Valerie Lebanion
Caring for Teens in Kinship is a new KIN VIP Support Group offering for caregivers who are caring for teenagers in kinship care. This group will focus on caring for […]
ASK-VIP LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Groups are specifically designed for foster/adoptive parents who identify as LGBTQ+ as well as foster/adoptive parents who are caring for children or teens who identify […]
3 events,
Medically Complex Join Hands Together Virtual Training
Medically Complex Join Hands Together Virtual Training
This training will take place via virtual live Zoom meeting. Participants will be required to have a laptop or tablet with reliable internet connection to participate in the live, interactive […]
MSW Info Session
MSW Info Session
Are you ready to take your practice to the next level? Explore our Master of Social Work (MSW) program during an online info session. Count Me In The UK Difference […]
Guiding Your Child Through Adolescence
Guiding Your Child Through Adolescence
Guiding Your Child Through Adolescence explores the physical and emotional changes that children undergo as they enter adolescence. Parents will discuss how parental roles change during this period of their […]
1 event,
ARC Meetings & IEPs: The Basics
ARC Meetings & IEPs: The Basics
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 […]
0 events,
1 event,
Child Development: Ages 0-5
Child Development: Ages 0-5
Child Development 0-5 explores the typical milestones, or skills, that children develop from birth through age 5. It offers resources that caregivers can utilize to determine if a developmental screening […]
2 events,
Sibling Attachment & Adoption
Sibling Attachment & Adoption
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 […]
ASK-VIP Support Group With Kay
ASK-VIP Support Group With Kay
ASK-VIP Support Groups are expressly designed to meet the needs of foster and adoptive parents in an inclusive, safe, and compassionate environment. They are led by seasoned facilitators who have […]
4 events,
KIN VIP Support Group With Arion Jett-Seals
KIN VIP Support Group With Arion Jett-Seals
This group will focus on the day to day issues involving relative and fictive kin care and will be shaped by the identified needs of group participants. Members of this […]
Helping Your Child Make Healthy & Positive Choices: Talking To Teens & Preteens
Helping Your Child Make Healthy & Positive Choices: Talking To Teens & Preteens
Helping Your Child Make Healthy & Positive Choices: Talking to Teens & Preteens will teach foster and adoptive parents the importance of open and ongoing dialogue with their preteen or […]
Creating Memories & Meaningful Family Traditions For Blended Families
Creating Memories & Meaningful Family Traditions For Blended Families
Creating Memories & Meaningful Family Traditions for Blended Families will inform parents of triggers children in their home may have and what they can do as parents to help create […]
ASK-VIP Transracial Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP Transracial Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP Transracial Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Groups are specifically designed for those who share the unique experience of transracial parenting. They offer an opportunity to share experiences, questions, resources, and concerns […]
3 events,
DSW Info Session
DSW Info Session
Turn Your Goals into Reality Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Count Me In The UK Difference Our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) […]
Perceptions Of Adoption: A Child’s Developmental View
Perceptions Of Adoption: A Child’s Developmental View
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 […]
Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew will equip foster and adoptive parents to understand the thoughts and feelings children who are adopted may experience. It offers strategies […]
2 events,
Centers & Labs Monthly Meeting
Centers & Labs Monthly Meeting
Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person […]
Positive Adoption Language: Part 1
Positive Adoption Language: Part 1
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 […]
1 event,
Confidentiality In Foster Care
Confidentiality In Foster Care
Confidentiality in Foster Care explores the importance of protecting the confidentiality of children in care. It offers strategies for how sensitive information about children in care can be communicated in […]
1 event,
Developmental Stages & Children’s Responses To Grief
Developmental Stages & Children’s Responses To Grief
Developmental Stages & Children’s Responses to Grief defines grief and explores how children process and express grief at different developmental stages. It offers insight into the unique experiences of grief […]
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
4 events,
KIN VIP Support Group With Merlin Jones-Smalley
KIN VIP Support Group With Merlin Jones-Smalley
This group will focus on the day to day issues involving relative and fictive kin care and will be a place where each member can find support, resources, ideas, and […]
Understanding The Brain & Fear Responses In Traumatized Children
Understanding The Brain & Fear Responses In Traumatized Children
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, […]
KIN VIP Caring For Teens Peer Support Group With Valerie Lebanion
KIN VIP Caring For Teens Peer Support Group With Valerie Lebanion
Caring for Teens in Kinship is a new KIN VIP Support Group offering for caregivers who are caring for teenagers in kinship care. This group will focus on caring for […]
ASK-VIP LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group
ASK-VIP LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Groups are specifically designed for foster/adoptive parents who identify as LGBTQ+ as well as foster/adoptive parents who are caring for children or teens who identify […]
2 events,
Strategies For Parenting Teens
Strategies For Parenting Teens
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 […]
Drugs: Things You Need to Know
Drugs: Things You Need to Know
Drugs: Things You Need to Know is designed to inform parents of the many different classifications of illicit drugs, as well as the current trends related to adolescent drug abuse. […]
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
0 events,
