Home Centers & Labs 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
Unique Centers & Labs
Increase in FY20 extramural research funding
Individuals served annually by Centers & Labs
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
ASK-VIP Support Group for Foster/Adoptive Parents of Teens is specifically designed for foster/adoptive parents who are caring for teenagers or those considering fostering and/or adopting teenagers. This support group offers […]
Foster Parent Safe Zone Training March 28, 2023 10:00 AM-12:00 PM EST Via Zoom Carla Jordan, MS 2 credit hours Becoming a foster and/or adoptive parent can present its own […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
In honor of National Social Work Month, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) will host an appreciation event for any UK employee who has graduated from a […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Myths & Realities of Foster Care & Adoption enables parents to identify myths and realities related to foster care and adoption. After completing this training, participants will be able to: […]
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 […]
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 […]
Blended Families: Parenting Children When They Don’t Get Along assists caregivers with identifying issues that children may experience that are unique to blended families. It offers strategies to create a […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
First Steps: Kentucky’s Early Intervention System explores the services provided by this program. Participants learn how to refer children ages zero to three who have developmental delays, or medical conditions […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Helping Foster & Adopted Children Transition to a New School will assist foster/adoptive parents in preparing to enroll a child in a new school. It will also provide practical tips […]
Preventing Child Abuse: Types, Signs & Symptoms will inform parents of the definition of child abuse and ways it can be prevented. It provides descriptions and statistics of different types […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Openly Talking with Children About Adoption equips adoptive parents with the skills necessary to talk honestly and positively with children about their adoption experiences. Participants will explore how to begin […]
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 […]
2023 UNITE RESEARCH SHOWCASE On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, UNITE will host the 2023 UNITE Research Showcase - centered around elevating and promoting the importance of racial equity research at […]
Caring for a relative’s child or a friend’s child comes with a lot of changes and challenges. From finding new routines to figuring out everyone’s likes and dislikes, bringing another […]
Healthy Boundaries: Strategies for Answering Tough Questions helps foster and adoptive parents understand the importance of setting boundaries in their lives. It explains the different types of boundaries (Physical and […]
Helping Foster & Adopted Children Transition to a New School will assist foster/adoptive parents in preparing to enroll a child in a new school. It will also provide practical tips […]
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 […]
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 […]
ASK-VIP Support Group for Foster/Adoptive Parents Caring for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children provides a welcoming, safe environment for foster and adoptive parents to share resources, concerns, ask questions, and connect […]
A Child’s Education: Rights & Responsibilities will inform parents of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The training informs foster and adoptive parents of the processes used to determine […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]