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 be able to:  Identify signs that a teen is being abused in a […]

Cyberbullying is a training that explores what cyberbullying entails, warning signs that a child may be a victim of it, and its harmful effects. Statistics on cyberbullying are examined and reasons for cyberbullying behavior in children and youth are discussed. Strategies designed to protect children and youth from becoming a victim of cyberbullying are provided.    After completing this training, participants will be able to:  Identify the signs of a child, teen or […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Strategies to Remain Positive When Adopting describes common behaviors that the child(ren) may exhibit as well as feelings adoptive parents may have during the adoption process, including grief and post-adoption depression. This training also provides strategies on how to cope with these emotions in a healthy way. After completing this training, participants will be able to: Recognize behaviors and emotions foster youth may exhibit associated […]

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 […]

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 foster and adoptive parents some […]

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 to provide […]

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 to: […]

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 will be able to:  Establish and maintain workable boundaries around […]

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 drug […]

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 be […]

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 are expressly designed to meet the needs of foster and adoptive parents. Skilled trainers who have lived experiences with fostering and […]

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 […]

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 Emotional) and offers strategies and ideas to help parents work with children to build their own boundaries, especially when it comes to intrusive questions asked […]

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 a seasoned foster/adoptive […]

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 and services necessary to help them succeed in the least restrictive educational […]

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 living for […]

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 and identify behaviors and developmental challenges exhibited by a teen in […]

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 account […]

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 to […]

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 […]

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 often faced […]

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 to provide […]

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 be […]

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 the importance of daily positive reinforcement and feedback when […]

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 independently […]

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 can […]

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 […]

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 the […]

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 meet the needs of foster and adoptive parents. Skilled trainers who […]

Working with Birth Families to Achieve Permanency will equip foster parents with 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 placements to succeed. […]

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 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 a seasoned foster/adoptive […]