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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 peaceful environment for children within a blended family who are experiencing difficulty getting along with one another. It also offers tools to empower children to […]
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 while also understanding the child’s history and also empowering them in the process. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Participants will learn […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 with identifying as-risk behaviors and offers strategies to help address them. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Identify types of “at-risk” behaviors […]
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 for helping their children explain adoption to their classmates in a way that is comfortable to them and gives suggestions regarding answers to common adoption […]
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 importance of using partnership based approach to discipline. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Identify the three main styles of discipline and […]
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 […]
Description 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 eligibility requirements for children with disabilities. In addition, this training will equip participants to ensure children ages three to twenty-one have access to the […]
Adoption: Understanding Your Commitment explores adoption dissolution. It addresses the impact on a child and family when adoption dissolution occurs and offers strategies and resources to prevent it. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Interpret information about adoption dissolution and reasons why it occurs. Identify strategies to prevent adoption dissolution. ASK-VIP trainings […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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. It offers strategies and ideas to help parents and children communicate with each other more effectively and offers strategies to help children in care specifically. […]
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 with others who have a similar family dynamic. The support group is facilitated by Christina Delk. Delk has worked for 23 years as a Teacher […]
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 questions to ask when receiving a call from a caseworker to help determine if the placement is a good fit for their family. Asking appropriate […]
Learning Your Child Has a Disability aims to help foster and adoptive parents understand the unique emotions of discovering or confirming a child in their care has a disability. This training will also offer tips and strategies to help foster and adoptive families cope with these feelings and challenges. After completing this training, participants will […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 dating relationship and provides suggestions for talking to teens and/or their friends who find themselves involved in such relationships. After completing this training, participants will […]
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 strategies and ideas to help parents work through the emotions associated with this type of loss and encourage healing. This training also provides ideas of […]
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 provides practical tips for promoting both bonding and attachment. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Articulate attachment styles and challenges to attachment […]
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 of abuse and the signs and symptoms of each type of abuse. The training discusses the difference between discipline and punishment and strategies for abuse […]
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: Identify myths that surround foster care and adoption and articulate accurate realities. Interpret statistics to distinguish between foster care and adoption myths and facts. ASK-VIP […]
Helping Your Child to Succeed in School will increase the ability of foster/adoptive parents to understand educational challenges faced by foster/adopted children. It will give resource parents the tools for creating a positive educational experience for their foster/adopted child, and equip them with the necessary tools to help support their children in the educational setting. […]
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 an opportunity to share experiences, questions, resources, and concerns in a safe and compassionate environment. The support group is led by a seasoned foster/adoptive parent […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Adoption: Understanding Your Commitment explores adoption dissolution. It addresses the impact on a child and family when adoption dissolution occurs and offers strategies and resources to prevent it. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Interpret information about adoption dissolution and reasons why it occurs. Identify strategies to prevent adoption dissolution. ASK-VIP trainings […]
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 […]
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 dating relationship and provides suggestions for talking to teens and/or their friends who find themselves involved in such relationships. 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 […]
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 also cover a step-by-step outline for how to teach growth mindset to children over a four week period. After completing this training, participants will: learn […]