Inservice/Specialized Training

While foster parents participate in required training prior to being licensed, they also can benefit from inservice or specialized training while they are caring for children to enhance their knowledge and skills. Resources include State and local examples.

ADHD: A Guide for Families
Henderson (2006)
Features a video and accompanying booklet developed to help parents understand attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Includes information on common signs of the disorder, treatment options, strategies for supporting school success, and working with teachers and doctors as a team.

Foster Parent Educational Advocacy Training (PDF - 293 KB)
National Foster Parent Association (2004)
Encourages, prepares, supports, and empowers foster parents to become educational advocates for foster youth in their care.

The Foster Parent Training Collection
Independent Living Resources (2002)
View Abstract
Presents a series of curricula designed to train foster parents to prepare youth for independent living.

Foster Parent Training: Managing Child Behavior Problems (PDF - 74 KB)
National Institute on Mental Health (2001)
Describes the effectiveness of a Northwest Media, Inc. video-based training program for foster parents about behavior management strategies.

Foster Parent Training: Problem-Solving Strategies (PDF - 76 KB)
National Institute on Mental Health (2001)
Provides an evaluation of two video training programs for foster parents about strategies for responding to common behavior problems exhibited by foster children.

Leading Foster and Adoptive Parent Support Groups: A Guide for Parents
Lewis, Dalbotten, Kjelland, & Spelman (Eds.) (2nd ed., 2003)
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Provides information on developing social support groups for foster and adoptive parents to strengthen their network of support and to positively impact foster parent retention as well as the lives of children in foster and adoptive care.

Legal Resource Manual for Foster Parents Curriculum
National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning (2005)
Offers a four-module training curriculum for foster parents that addresses permanency and the law, dependency court and the removal of children, court participation by foster parents, and allegations of maltreatment.

My Brother, My Sister: Sibling Relations in Adoption and Foster Care
Kupecky (2005)
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Provides an overview about the reasons for placing siblings separately, the benefits of joint placements, and strategies for promoting contact with siblings living in different homes.

Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Training Programme for Foster Carers and Adopters
Hellett & Simmonds (2003)
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Presents a skills development course for the adoptive and foster parents of children who have been sexually abused.

Practical Tools for Foster Parents
Temple-Plotz, Stricklett, Baker, & Sterba (Eds.) (2002)
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Describes tools and strategies that foster parents can use to nurture the development of their foster children.

Supporting Brothers and Sisters: Creating a Family by Birth, Foster Care and Adoption
Keck (2005)
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Presents a 6-hour curriculum designed to assist parents and professionals in minimizing the effects of a sibling's mental health issues on the existing children in the family.

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State and local examples

Advocating for the Educational Needs of Children in Out-of-Home Care: Training Curriculum for Foster Parents (PDF - 532 KB)
Ward & Herrick (2010)
Provides information on school stability, factors that contribute to educational success, and what to do if foster parents have a concern about their child's learning.

First Voice Executive Summary
University of South Carolina Center for Child and Family Studies (2004)
View Abstract
Describes the First Voice training model for foster parents and caseworkers designed to promote the involvement of youth in planning independent living services.

Practical Parenting for Adolescents 12 to 17 Years
Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program (2002)
Provides information on practical parenting approaches for adolescents, including positive discipline techniques and best practice standards for parenting adolescent children.

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