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 children and family already in the home to best welcome a new foster or adoptive child. It also describes challenges children already in the home […]
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 disruption/dissolution rates, and warning signs of a disruption or dissolution. The training also discusses ways to prevent a disruption/dissolution from occurring. After completing this training, […]
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. Parents will learn to identify their own love language as well as the love language of family members and how knowing these specific love languages […]
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 the goal of providing the best possible continuum of care for the child. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Work in partnership […]
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 and become familiar with the various sensory systems. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Understand types of sensory differences Identify strategies that […]
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. The training will equip foster and adoptive parents with coping skills when stress and burnout do occur. After completing this training, participants will be able […]
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 lived experiences with fostering and adoption. If you’re seeking an opportunity to share resources, suggestions, frustrations and successes with those who share the unique experience […]
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 also describes in detail practical ideas for lowering the stress and confusion levels for those children. After completing this training, participants will be able to: […]
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 the goal of providing the best possible continuum of care for the child. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Work in partnership […]
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 share experiences, questions, resources, and concerns in a safe and compassionate environment. These groups are led by a seasoned foster/adoptive parent facilitator with lived experiences […]
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 experienced trauma is discussed. Considerations related to caring for a sibling placement are explored. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Recognize positive […]
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, placement options, court, case plans, meetings, and permanency goals. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Understand how a case is processed through […]
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, participants will be able to: Recognize causes of compulsive lying Identify strategies to employ with children to address lying. ASK-VIP trainings are expressly designed to […]
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 a child can impact adult physical, social and emotional health as well as what foster and adoptive parents can do to address trauma and create […]
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 foster parents to build workable boundaries around these key elements to keep their core families strong while providing foster care. After completing this training, participants […]
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 the alternatives to reunification including relative placement and open adoption. It explains why including the birth families in these various placements is vital for the […]
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 remain in their homes with services and supports. In addition, participants will learn about SSI, finding biological parents, and the importance of planning for independent […]
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 importance of creating time to connect with children one-on-one, modeling appropriate coping strategies, having consistent expectations, praising desirable behaviors, and redirecting challenging behavior. After completing […]
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 also describes in detail practical ideas for lowering the stress and confusion levels for those children. After completing this training, participants will be able to: […]
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 training also provides strategies to help prevent and intervene if bullying is suspected, or what to do if you suspect your child is exhibiting bullying […]
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 as LGBTQ+. The groups offer an opportunity to share experiences, questions, resources, and concerns in a safe and compassionate environment. These groups are led by […]
Preparing Children for Permanency equips foster/adoptive parents with strategies to prepare children for permanency. It offers insight on the thoughts and emotional reactions that a child transitioning to permanency may experience. It also explores ways to help children understand and express their emotions during this time of transition. After completing this training, participants will be […]
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 child’s development. Strategies for successfully communicating with children during adolescence are provided. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Identify physical and emotional […]
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 like. It offers strategies and ideas to help parents be prepared the ARC meetings. This training also offers sample IEP goals and objectives to give […]
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 may be warranted. Strategies for successfully advocating on behalf of children to receive needed assessments and services are explored. After completing this training, participants will […]
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 lived experiences with fostering and adoption. If you’re seeking an opportunity to share resources, suggestions, frustrations and successes with those who share the unique experience […]
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 tips on helping children to explain blended families (biological, adopted, foster and step) when the need arises. After completing this training, participants will be able […]
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 teen about the tough issues they will face throughout their adolescent years, with the goal being to help their child to begin making healthy choices […]
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 new memories that will add to their healing process. This training will also discuss activities and ideas for creating memories and new family traditions with […]
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 in a safe and compassionate environment. These groups are led by a seasoned foster/adoptive parent facilitator who has lived experiences with transracial parenting. Create an […]
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 training provides information on how these perceptions change at each major developmental stage, along with how foster and adoptive parents can help children work through […]
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 and ideas to help parents be prepared for unique situations that may occur as their children grow and mature. By being prepared for various scenarios […]
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 common terms and misconceptions into positive language that is unique to foster care and adoption, such as working with birth families, facing diversity and society’s […]
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, placement options, court, case plans, meetings, and permanency goals. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Understand how a case is processed through […]
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 appropriate ways while maintaining confidentiality. Maintaining a child’s confidentiality across a variety of settings, including social media, is addressed. After completing this training, participants will […]
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 and loss that children who have been separated from their biological family may experience. It also provides strategies to help children cope with emotional reactions […]
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, strategies for caregivers to manage fear based behavior is discussed. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Articulate the basics of brain development […]
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 as LGBTQ+. The groups offer an opportunity to share experiences, questions, resources, and concerns in a safe and compassionate environment. These groups are led by […]
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 equip participants with parenting strategies to address specific issues common to foster and adopted teens. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Recognize […]
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. Detailed descriptions of commonly abused drugs are provided, including the appearance of these drugs and the effects they produce in users. The importance of identifying […]
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 foster parents to build workable boundaries around these key elements to keep their core families strong while providing foster care. After completing this training, participants […]