Pre-Service Training

Kinship caregivers go through pre-service training called "Traditions of Caring: and supplemental coursework called "Foster Parent College". The training addresses the unique needs of relatives who are kinship caregivers and equips them with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children who have experienced trauma or instability. The specific content and duration of the training may vary depending on the jurisdiction and agency involved.

The online component through Foster Parent College focuses on information about:

  • The child welfare team, child abuse and neglect and child development.
  • Parent-child attachment, understanding behaviors in foster children, and caring for children who have experienced sexual abuse.
  • Working together with primary families, cultural issues in parenting, and trauma-informed parenting.
  • Reducing family stress, the impact of fostering on birth children, and foster care to adoption.
Uncle and Child

 

Common topics covered in pre-service training (in-person or virtual) include:

ORIENTATION TO YOUR LCPA (LICENSED CHILD PLACING AGENCY)

This session is an overview of the foster care system, including its purpose, structure, and the roles and responsibilities of foster parents.


TRAUMA INFORMED CARE

This session focuses on learning about the effects of trauma on children and developing strategies to create a safe, supportive, and healing environment for traumatized youth. Even if there is no significant history of trauma, these feelings will occur when a youth is placed in foster care due to the separation from their family of origin.


YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS

This session teaches foster parents about the stages of child development and educate them on behavior intervention by emphasizing the skills necessary to address unwanted behaviors.


REGULATORY STANDARDS

This session introduces kinship caregivers to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s licensing standards and the regulation of agencies like Extra Special Parents. This session aims to provide potential foster parents with the knowledge to comply with federal, state, and state standards for treatment foster care agencies.


COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK

This session focuses on building effective communication skills and understanding the importance of working collaboratively with social workers, birth families, and other professionals involved in the child's care.


SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES

This session focuses on available support services, community resources, and self-care strategies to ensure kinship caregiver’s well-being and resilience.


PERMANENCY PLANNING

This session focuses on understanding the goal of achieving permanency for children in foster care, including adoption, reunification, or other forms of permanency.

Pre-service training may include lectures, workshops, group discussions, case studies, and sometimes hands-on experiences or shadowing opportunities. It aims to prepare prospective foster parents to meet the unique needs of children in their care and provide a nurturing and stable environment while navigating the complexities of the foster care system.

 

 

Licensing Process & Requirements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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