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 […]

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 […]

Do you have ruminating thoughts that constantly occupy your mind? Do you tend to overthink just about everything? Do you struggle with allowing your thoughts to control your emotions, rule your behavior or impede progress? If so, please join us… Let’s Get Focused: Declutter the Mind and Increase Mental Real-Estate Carla Jordan, MS Tuesday, May […]

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 a place to belong as a Relative or Fictive Kin provider. This Group meeting will be welcoming guest speakers and discussing kinship group meetings. REGISTER […]

Understanding Trauma and how it affects children, can be very difficult. Because trauma can be experienced in a uniquely personal way, a child’s reaction to the trauma can also be just as unique. In addition to understanding trauma, it is important to recognize children who have experienced trauma such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence, community […]

This new KIN VIP Support Group will begin as a 12-week pilot Support Group and will provide a community of support for kinship caregivers who have been impacted by a family member’s substance use. This group will offer a safe space where kinship caregivers can find support, understanding, resources, and hope. The group is completely […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 the day to day issues involving relative and fictive kin care and will be shaped by the identified needs of group participants. This Group is […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]