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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 are shared and tools for successful documentation are provided. Strategies for navigating false allegations and related investigations are also explored. After completing this training, participants […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Promoting Stability & Increasing Resiliency for Children in Care explores the concepts of stability and resiliency and introduces skills for building resiliency in children who have experienced trauma. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Identify the differences between stability and resiliency and what it means to children in care. Describe ways to build […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Internet Safety training explores questions caregivers often have related to internet safety. It examines recommended guidelines for internet access and usage among children. It provides resources related to parental controls designed to monitor internet usage and offers strategies for discussing internet safety with children and youth. After completing this training, participants will be able […]
Ten Things Every Pediatrician Should Know About Children in Care will equip foster and adoptive parents to better understand the unique medical factors children in care face. This training will also offer some tips and ideas to help foster and adoptive families work with health care staff and professionals at addressing these characteristics in order […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 tools […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]