Course Offerings

Lowery Training Associates : Child Welfare and Human Service Training

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These programs are intended for caseworkers, counselors, foster and adoptive parents. All of our programs are based on sound clinical theory and presented in an upbeat, imaginative and relevant format that trainees really enjoy. Course evaluations consistently reflect great satisfaction with these programs.



Rule 4723-­14-05(A), OAC.



 



Please review our course offerings and brief descriptions below.  We would be delighted to send you a detailed course description for any of our programs, including:



 



·        Complete course outline



·        Learning objectives



·        Competencies addressed



 



If you have a need for one or more specialized courses that you do not see here, feel free to contact us.  We are always interested in developing new courses and materials to further enhance the educational advancement of both child welfare workers and foster/adoptive parents.



 



 



Caseworker, Specialized, and Related Workshops



 



Verbal De-escalation in Child Welfare



 



Substance Abuse, Chemical Dependency and Kids



 



Educational Advocacy: Improving Outcomes for Children in Out-of-Home Care



 



Creating Safe & Healing Environments for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused



 



Navigating the Whitewater of Reunification: Primary Family, Agency and Caregiver Collaboration



 



Understanding and Assessing Risk and Behavior in Adolescents



 



Acting Your Way into Better Thinking: Reinforcement Theory into Action



 



Casework Interviewing, Problem Solving and Crisis Intervention



 



Working with and Engaging the Emancipating Adolescent



 



Bleeding Heart or Purple Heart: Assessing Parenting Styles and Basic Parenting Education



 



Reality Therapy and Other Cognitive Approaches to Counseling



 



Don't Talk...Don't Trust...Don't Feel:  Growing Up with an Addicted Parent



 



Motivational Interviewing: Preparing Clients for Change - Part 1, Building Motivation



 



Motivational Interviewing: Preparing Clients for Change - Part 2, Strengthening Commitment to Change



Addressing Substance Use Disorder through Effective Engagement, Screening (UNCOPE Tool), Assessment & Treatment (3 or 6 hours)



 



Culture and Diversity Issues in Foster Care - (3 hours - satisfies OCSWMFT Board requirement for ETHICS training)



 



Creating Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice (a 4 Part Series)

 Developed by: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

 





  • Introduction & Essential Elements:  What is Traumatic Stress?  (3 Hours)

  • The Impact of Trauma on Children's Behavior, Development & Relationships  (3 Hours)

  • Assessment of a Child's Trauma Experiences (3 Hours)

  • Providing Support to the Child, Family and Caregivers; Managing Professional & Personal Stress   (3 Hours)




Developed by the National Resource Center for Youth Development ---



Youth Development: The Vital Link



 



Life Long Connections: Permanency for Older Youth



 



Engaging Youth in Transition Planning



Engagement and Intervention with Parents Affected by Substance Use, Mental , and Co-occurring Disorders



Supervisor/Manager Specialized and Related Workshop





 Creative Employee Discipline in Human Services Management (3 or 6 hours)



 



 





OHSTS Adult Protective Service Core Workshop



 Professional Communication - Seeing the World   Through Other Lens  (6 hours)







Foster and Adoptive Parent Ongoing Workshops



 



Behavior Management I – Managing Surface Behaviors with Acting-out Children



 



Behavior Management II - Techniques of Avoiding and De-escalating Physical Crisis Situations



 



Attachment, Separation and Loss in Foster Care



 



“Don’t Talk…Don’t Trust…Don’t Feel”…Growing Up with an Addicted Parent



 



Substance Abuse, Chemical Dependency, & Kids



 



 



Opening the Door to Independent Living – Overview – Part 1



 



Navigating the Path to Independent Living – Process  – Part 2



 



Educational Advocacy: Helping Your Foster Child Succeed in School



 



Maximizing Honesty and Honest Behaviors in Foster Children



 



Culture and Diversity Issues  in Foster Care



 



Advancing Sexual Safety and Promoting Healing in Foster Care



 



Fostering Physical and Emotional Health in the Caregiver



 



Managing the Whitewater of Reunification: Primary Family, Agency and Foster Parent Collaboration



 



"Holy Chaos, Batman!": Addressing Risk and Behaviors in Adolescents



 



Bleeding Heart or Purple Heart: Parenting Today's Troubled Youth



 



Hands On Behavior Management for Younger and Developmentally Delayed Children



 



"Do You Feel Me?": Talking, Listening and Problem Solving with Your Foster Child



 



Beyond Time-Out: Managing the Behavior of Maltreated Pre-school Age Children



 



Peek-a-Boos and Terrible Twos: Managing Behavior of Maltreated Infants and Toddlers



 



Caregiver Toolkit:  Using Reality Therapy with Foster Children



 



“You Can’t Make Me”: Managing Behavior of Maltreated School Age Children



 



The Emotional & Behavioral Sequel to Maltreatment



 



Verbal De-escalation in Child Welfare



 



Managing the Hurt: When Your Foster Child Leaves



 



Preparing Foster Youth for Change: Motivational Interviewing for Resource Parents



Runaway Foster Youth



Normalcy--Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training







Developed by: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma

             



Part 1 – Trauma  101



Part 2 – Understanding  Trauma's Effects & Building a  

             Safe Place



Part 3 – Dealing with Feelings &Behavior, and Connections

             & Healing



Part 4 – Becoming  an Advocate & Taking Care of Yourself



  



 



OCWTP Foster Care Fundamentals Workshops



 



Understanding and Building Attachment   (F13 - 3 or 6 Hours)



 



Primary Family to Foster Family   (F-15 - 3 or 6 Hours)



 



Foster Families and How They Grow: Understanding the Effects of  Fostering   (F16 - 3 or 6 Hours)



 



Fostering Self-Reliance in Children and Youth: Roots & Wings (3 or 6 Hours)



 



Discipline in Foster Care: Managing Our Behaviors to Manage Theirs  (3 or 6 Hours)



 



Recognizing and Responding to Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused (6 Hours)



 



The Caregiver's Voice: Being a Valuable Part of an Effective Child Welfare Team (6 Hours)



 



Adolescent Development (3 Hours)



 



 



OCWTP Foster and Adoptive Parent Pre-Service Training











Module I: Orientation to Foster Care,

Adoption, and Kinship Care







Module II: The Child Protection Team







MODULE III: CHILD DEVELOPMENT







ModulE IV: TRAUMA AND ITS EFFECTS







MODULE V: CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE







MODULE VI: MINIMIZING THE TRAUMA OF PLACEMENT







MODULE VII: TRANCENDING DIFFERENCES IN PLACEMENT







MODULE VIII: HELPING THE CHILD MANAGE EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIORS







Module IX: Understanding Primary Families







Module X: The Effects of Caregiving on the Caregiver Family







Module XI: Long-Term Separation from Birth

Parents







Module XII: Post Adoption Issues for Families





 

also:





  • Preparing Adolescents for Independent Living

  • Educational Advocacy


 



 



Verbal De-escalation in Child Welfare



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class will review the skills of active listening, non-violent communication and verbal de-escalation.  Levels of crisis development and the conflict cycle are discussed, emphasizing appropriate staff response.  Trainees will participate in exercises and demonstrations concerning proxemics, body posture and motion. 



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Substance Abuse, Chemical Dependency and Kids



(Caseworker Workshop)



Drug and alcohol abuse takes an enormous toll on families.  It may be a factor in two-thirds of all substantiated cases of abuse and neglect.  This class will give staff an understanding of substance abuse and chemical dependency and how it affects the family.  Through case studies, we will examine risk and protective factors determining the appropriateness of child removal or reunification.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Educational Advocacy: Improving Outcomes for Children in Out-of-Home Care



(Caseworker Workshop)



One of the best ways case workers can help to improve educational outcomes for at risk youth is to know the facts, to identify roadblocks that may hamper educational success, and to make a plan.  This class will provide caseworkers a skill building model to use with biological or substitute parents in improving educational outcomes for their children.  This course also examines special education for children with disabilities, and serves as a basic introduction to Surrogate Parenting.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Creating Safe & Healing Environments for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused



(Caseworker Workshop)



This workshop is designed for professionals interested in developing their knowledge in addressing the special needs of their children who have been sexually abused.  Special emphasis will be devoted to creating an environment of safety, developing a sexual safety plan and talking with children who have been abused.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Navigating the Whitewater of Reunification: Primary Family, Agency and Caregiver Collaboration



(Caseworker Workshop)



Historically, children service agencies have aligned themselves with children to protect them from their parents. Yet, in doing so, they jeopardize the connection between parents and their children, which undermine efforts to preserve or rebuild birth families. This class will examine the complex dynamics facing principal actors before, during and after placement. Emphasizing the advantages of safe reunification of children with birth families, this training will develop a framework for shared parenting, including promoting and building the “parent - foster parent team.” Further, it will explore the relationships between foster parents and agency staff, and potential organizational and value conflicts that may obstruct therapeutic parenting and case management of children.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Understanding and Assessing Risk and Behavior in Adolescents



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class reviews the fundamentals of behavioral assessment in adolescents within the context of their physical, cognitive and psycho-social development.  It will explore issues related to family and culture and their effect on behavior.  Further, it explores the behavioral manifestations of common adolescent emotional problems, including depression, eating disorders and cutting and suggests various treatment options available.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Acting Your Way into Better Thinking: Reinforcement Theory into Action



(Caseworker Workshop)



Understanding the concepts of social learning theory and utilizing it’s principles to effect behavior change may be two entirely different matters.  This class will review reinforcement theory and offer workable models to put it into practice. Those attending will learn how to perform a functional analysis of child behavior recognizing the various drivers within the social ecology.  Behavior management approaches, including token economies & behavior contracts will be explored.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Casework Interviewing, Problem Solving and Crisis Intervention



(Caseworker Workshop)



Acknowledging the many challenges of caseworker interviewing, this class will present several effective interviewing techniques, including motivational interviewing, and offer strategies to help families resolve their unique problems.  Also, this workshop will examine the dynamics of crisis and offer suggestions for crisis counseling, verbal de-escalation and stress management.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Working with and Engaging the Emancipating Adolescent



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class will examine strategies of engagement and effective  planning for emancipating adolescents.  The essentials of various data collection strategies, including assessment measures and strength focused interviewing will be reviewed.   Finally, tools for assessing adolescent readiness for independent living and strategies to assist them will be explored.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Bleeding Heart or Purple Heart: Assessing Parenting Styles and Basic Parenting Education



(Caseworker Workshop)



This workshop explores models of effective parenting including STEP, PET & Behavior Modification. Special emphasis will be given to assessing parenting styles and applying discipline strategies and parenting techniques appropriate to the child’s developmental level and individual needs. Concrete strategies will be shared on how to help parents tackle the many challenges of parenting today’s troubled youth.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Reality Therapy & Other Cognitive Approaches to Counseling



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class reviews the fundamentals of Reality Therapy and it’s applications in child and family services.  Strategies for creating as strength focused environment of alignment and engagement with clients will be shared.  Finally, the efficacy of assertive individual and family communication and behavior will be explored.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Don’t Talk..Don’t Trust…Don’t Feel:  Growing up with an Addicted Parent



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class examines the dynamics of growing up with an addicted parent, including the family drama and its emotional effects on children.  Referencing the powerful documentary: An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrist, this workshop examines issues of co-occurring depression and a pathway to triumphant recovery.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Motivational  Interviewing:  Preparing Clients for Change - Part 1 - Building Motivation



(Caseworker Workshop)



Motivational Interviewing is an evidence based counseling style which adopts a brief intervention format, using critical elements that serve as catalysts for motivation and change. MI addresses how to strengthen client intrinsic motivation to change and reduce ambivalence. This class serves as an introduction to MI and focuses on strategies to build client motivation to change.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Motivational Interviewing: Preparing Clients for Change - Part 2 - Strengthening Commitment to Change



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class serves as a follow-up to MI Part 1 and focuses specifically on strengthening client’s commitment to change.  Completion of MI Parts 1 and 2 will give trainees the basic tools necessary to incorporate this intervention into their practice.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 





Addressing Substance Use Disorder through Effective  Engagement, Screening  (UNCOPE Tool), Assessment & Treatment



                                                 (Caseworker Workshop)

This

workshop is a primer for all child welfare professionals who work with

individuals presenting symptoms of substance use disorder. The first steps to

help someone resolve substance use issues are to gain their trust
, screen

for potential problems, encourage clinical
assessment

(if appropriate
)

and support
and encourage treatment.
This

class serves as an overview guiding this process.

                              Return to Caseworker Workshop List





                    Culture and Diversity Issues in Child Care



(Caseworker Workshop)



This class begins by introducing caseworkers  to the concept of cultural sensitivity and moves them toward improving their ability to understand and work with people from different backgrounds.  This is done by examining our own values and codes of conduct, making an effort to learn more about other cultures and people, and by talking to coworkers and  foster parents about these issues.  By the end of the session, caseworkers should begin to have a greater appreciation for the unique opportunities and blessings inherent in a diverse experience.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



 



Creating Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice



(Caseworker Workshop)



Child welfare caseworkers are frequently faced with the challenge of working to provide safety, permanency & wellbeing for children who are victims of trauma. This four part series, developed in partnership with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network explores the cumulative nature of trauma and its effects on children’s development and behavior. Further, it proposes a model of assessment and treatment designed to guide caseworkers dealing with children who have experienced trauma.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Youth Development: The Vital Link



(Caseworker/Caregiver 12 hour Workshop)



Youth are a tremendous and often overlooked resource. Agencies can improve their independent/transitional living programs by utilizing skills youth possess. Participants will learn creative ways of empowering youth by allowing them to take on leadership roles, aid in decision-making, and assist in program implementation. Barriers and benefits will be discussed as well as attitudes regarding youth as resources. Trainees will explore levels of youth involvment in programs which include advisory boards, mentor programs, peer helping and community involvement.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



Life Long Connections: Permanency for Older Youth

(Caseworker/Caregiver Workshop)



When planning for permanency with adolescents, one has to think about things differently and use approaches differently than we do when planning for younger children. Permanency for older youth is not centered around the living arrangement, or simply providing independent living or adoption services. It is providing  youth with lifelong permanent connections to people the youth identifies as important to him/her. This training allows participants to hear, see, and experience the concepts of what permanent connections are and why they are important. The presentation will allow participants to understand how adolescent development relates to permanency;  the link between independent living services activities and permanent connections. 



 



 



 



Engaging Youth in Transition Planning



(Caseworker/Caregiver Workshop)



Building on NRCYD's Positive Youth Development and Life Long Connections training, this workshop addresses how child welfare professionals can more effectively engage youth in their own transition planning.



Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 

Engagement and Intervention with Parents Affected by Substance Use, Mental and Co-occurring Disorders 



(Caseworker Workshop)

This module describes skills that child welfare professionals need to engage individuals from diverse communities including the screening and documentation process, supporting the connection to assessment and treatment services, and appropriate strategies for engaging families in treatment. Skills and promising practices for enhancing motivation to change are described.



. Return to Caseworker Workshop List



 



 



 



Creative Employee Discipline in Human Services Management



(Supervisory Workshop)



Historically, methods for maintaining employee discipline have been punitive in nature. The relatively new concept of a non-punitive positive discipline system is winning increasing acceptance among many human service agencies.  This class will help the human service manager understand the philosophy of positive discipline and give them the tools to incorporate it into their management practice.



Return to Supervisory Workshop List



 



 



 



 



 



Behavior Management I – Managing Surface Behaviors with Acting-Out Children



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This program explores pre-placement dynamics and how those influence behavior. It also gives substitute caregivers a model for structuring a supportive and therapeutic setting for behaviorally challenged children. Further, it reviews fundamental social learning theory; and finally examines ten tried and true techniques for handling surface behaviors.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Behavior Management II –Techniques of Avoiding and De-escalating Physical Crisis Situations



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class will examine how pre-placement experiences and current stressors may affect a foster child’s behavior.  The skills of active listening, non-violent communication and de-escalation will be reviewed.  Levels of crisis development and the conflict cycle are discussed, emphasizing appropriate foster parent response.  Trainees will participate in exercises and demonstrations concerning personal space, body posture, and motion. 



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 





 



Attachment, Separation and Loss in Foster Care



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class introduces foster parents to the concept of attachment and the biological bond. Separation will be addressed by reviewing the five stages of grief vis-à-vis a foster care placement.   Strategies for helping insufficiently attached and grieving children are reviewed. 



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 “Don’t Talk…Don’t Trust…Don’t Feel”…Growing Up with an Addicted Parent



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class will give trainees an understanding of the dynamics of growing up in a home where one of the primary caregivers is abusing substances or is addicted. We will examine roles children take on to meet their needs, bring balance to their family and how those roles may transfer into the foster home. Foster caregivers will be armed with tools & strategies to support these children during out of-home placement and upon return.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 Substance Abuse, Chemical Dependency & Kids



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



Drug and alcohol abuse takes an enormous toll on families.  It may be a factor in two-thirds of all substantiated cases of abuse and neglect.  This class will give trainees an understanding of substance abuse and chemical dependency and how it affects the family.  We will also examine factors related to special risk for substance abuse, and review methods of prevention and treatment.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 Opening the Door to Independent Living – Overview  – Part 1



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This workshop will introduce caregivers to the many challenges that adolescents face when leaving foster care, and moving toward independent living.  After a review of adolescent physical, cognitive and psycho-social development, this class will identify some of the major blocks & barriers that youth face upon emancipation and strategies caregivers can use to help them along this journey.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Navigating the Path to Independent Living – Process – Part 2



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class is designed to systematically walk foster parents through the process of preparing their foster youth for independent living. A very practical & helpful assessment is introduced which will help caregivers and their youth develop a roadmap document, which will set goals and objectives leading to successful emancipation.  A model contract will be shared which will help all parties involved make a commitment to follow through with the plan.





           Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



Educational Advocacy: Helping Your Foster Child Succeed in School



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



As surely as you are your children’s most important teachers, your children’s ideas about education and its significance begin with you. Therefore, foster parents have a responsibility to participate actively in your children’s education.  This class will offer caregivers an opportunity to enhance their own skills to assist children with their academic achievement. This course serves as a basic introduction to Surrogate Parenting.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



 Maximizing Honesty and Honest Behaviors in Foster Children



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



 The goal of this class is to help resource parents maximize honesty and honest behaviors in their foster children. Considering dishonest behavior (lying, stealing and cheating) in a framework of moral development, this workshop will help caregivers shape honest behaviors and advance moral reasoning and problem-solving skills in children.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Culture and Diversity Issues in Foster Care



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class begins by introducing caregivers to the concept of cultural sensitivity and moves them toward improving their ability to understand and work with people from different backgrounds.  This is done by examining our own values and codes of conduct, making an effort to learn more about other cultures and people, and by talking to our foster children about these issues.  By the end of the session, caregivers should begin to have a greater appreciation for the unique opportunities and blessings inherent in a diverse foster family experience.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Advancing Sexual Safety and Promoting Healing in Foster Care



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This workshop is designed for foster families who need to develop their knowledge and parenting skills to address the special needs of children who have been sexually abused.  Since sexual abuse is the ultimate betrayal of the parent-child relationship, the primary resource available to these victimized children is understanding and committed families who can prove to them that families can be trusted and nurturing.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Fostering Physical and Emotional Health in the Caregiver



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



“You’re in time-out!” This workshop explores the value of foster parents taking care of themselves.   Trainees will experience a mini-retreat that is chock filled with ideas and experiences that include approaches to the physical, spiritual and mental well-being of the caretaker. Participants will walk away with a recipe for establishing daily self-nurturing practices and routines.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Managing the Whitewater of Reunification: Primary Family, Agency and Foster Parent Collaboration



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class will examine the complex dynamics facing birth families before, during and after placement. Emphasizing the advantages of safe reunification of children with birth families, this training will help foster parents come to further appreciate the “biological bond” as well as challenge them to consider forgiveness as a foundation of collaborative work with parents.  It will also develop a framework for shared parenting, including promoting and building the “parent - foster parent team” and provide practical guidelines for such issues as visiting, phone calls and establishing boundaries. .” Further, it will explore the relationships between foster parents and agency staff, and potential organizational and value conflicts that may obstruct therapeutic parenting and of children.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



"Holy Chaos, Batman!": Addressing Risk and Behaviors in Adolescents



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class reviews the fundamentals of behavioral assessment in adolescents within the context of their physical, cognitive and psycho-social development.  It will explore issues related to family and culture and their effect on behavior.  Further, it explores the behavioral manifestations of common adolescent emotional problems, including depression, eating disorders & cutting and suggests various treatment options available.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Bleeding Heart or Purple Heart: Parenting Today's Troubled Youth



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This workshop explores models of effective parenting including STEP, PET & Behavior Modification. Special emphasis will be given to discipline strategies and parenting techniques appropriate to the child’s developmental level and individual needs. Concrete strategies will be shared on how to help foster/adoptive parents tackle the many challenges of parenting today’s troubled youth.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Hands-on Behavior Management for Younger and Developmentally Delayed Children



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



Understanding the concepts of social learning theory and utilizing its principles to effect behavior change may be two entirely different matters.  This class will review reinforcement theory and offer workable models to put it into practice for younger and developmentally delayed children. Caregivers will learn how to perform a functional analysis of child behavior recognizing the various drivers within the social ecology.  Behavior management approaches, including token economies & behavior charts will be explored.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



"Do You Feel Me?”:  Talking, Listening and Problem Solving with Your Foster Child



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



“Seek ye first to understand…then to be understood”. Pretty good advice; but does this apply to our children? You better believe it!  Lacking a feeling of empowerment, foster children desperately need someone to truly understand the feelings they are experiencing. This class will explore the importance of understanding and share practical strategies to help foster parents better understand their children’s feelings.  In addition, we will offer a helpful problem solving paradigm for the family.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Beyond Time-Out: Managing the Behavior of Maltreated Pre-school Age Children



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



Parenting a pre-school child in foster care is a daunting task, especially when the child comes into care as a result of maltreatment. This workshop focuses on the special needs of these children.  Effects of abuse and neglect on the development of pre-school children will be examined vis-à-vis the major domains of their development. Behavior problems resulting from maltreatment will be discussed and suggestions for effective behavior management will be outlined, including Parent Child Interactive Therapy.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Peek-a-Boos and Terrible Twos: Managing Behavior of Maltreated Infants and Toddlers



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



Parenting an infant or toddler in foster care is a challenging task, especially when the child comes into care as a result of maltreatment. This workshop focuses on the special needs of these children. Effects of abuse and neglect on infant & toddler development will be examined vis-à-vis the major domains of their development. Behavior problems resulting from maltreatment will be discussed and suggestions on behavior management will be outlined.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Caregiver Toolkit: Using Reality Therapy with Your Foster Children



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class reviews the fundamentals of Reality Therapy and its potential applications in out of home care.  Strategies for creating as strength focused environment of alignment and engagement with children will be shared.  Finally, the efficacy of assertive individual and family communication and behavior is explored.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



“You Can’t Make Me”: Managing Behavior of Maltreated School Age Children



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



Parenting a child in foster care is a challenging task, especially when the child comes into care as a result of abuse and neglect. This workshop focuses on the special needs of these children. Effects of abuse and neglect on school age children development will be examined vis-à-vis the major domains of their development. Behavior problems resulting from maltreatment will be discussed and suggestions on behavior management will be presented.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



The Emotional & Behavioral Sequel to Maltreatment



(Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



Parenting a child in foster care is a challenging task, especially when the child comes into care as a result of abuse or neglect.  This course will focus on the special needs of these children. Basic facts and issues regarding neglect and abuse (psychological, physical & sexual) and their effect on the child’s psyche will be explored. Positive strategies for parenting are examined from school age through young adulthood.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Verbal De-escalation in Child Welfare



 (Foster/Adoptive Parent Workshop)



This class will examine how pre-placement experiences and current stressors may affect a foster child’s behavior.  The skills of active listening, non-violent communication and de-escalation will be reviewed.  Levels of crisis development and the conflict cycle are discussed, emphasizing appropriate foster parent response.  Trainees will participate in exercises and demonstrations concerning personal space, body posture and motion and their cultural implications.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Managing the Hurt:  When Your Foster Child Leaves



(Foster/adoptive parent workshop)



This class addresses the very real “hurt” that resource families experience when their foster child moves to another placement.  Typical emotional reactions to this transition will be reviewed and acknowledged.  Caregivers will be given practical ideas about how to best manage this separation.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Preparing Foster Youth for Change: Motivational Interviewing for Resource Parents



(Foster/adoptive parent workshop)



Caregivers are frequently challenged by youth’s lack of motivation to change negative behaviors. Notwithstanding the application of behavior management strategies, some problems seem to persist.  Motivational Interviewing is an evidence based approach which caregivers can use to strengthen youth’s intrinsic motivation to change. This class serves as an introduction to MI for resource parents and gives them the basic tools necessary to incorporate this intervention into their parenting practice.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 







Runaway Foster Youth

                     (Foster/adoptive parent workshop)

This workshop attempts to meet the special needs of foster care youth by providing resource parents with awareness and intervention techniques to deal with runaway behavior. This learning focuses on two specific areas: understanding recognizing and preventing runaway behavior, and responding to and coping with runaway behavior.



 Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List











Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard

                     (Foster/adoptive parent workshop)







This three hour

training introduces caregivers to the concept of normalcy and defines the

Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard (RPPS). 

Caregivers will learn what needs to be considered when applying the RPPS,

and will practice applying the standard in a number of scenarios.

 Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List













Caring for Children who have Experienced Trauma



(Foster/adoptive parent workshop)



Many children in foster or kinship care have a history of exposure to trauma.  Using a combination of didactic information and exercises, this training can help resource parents understand the link between trauma and their children's often baffling behavior, feelings, and attitudes. It gives resource parents practical tools to help their children move forward from their traumatic pasts, to recognize and reduce the impact of their children's traumas on themselves, and to seek useful support from others.



Return to Foster & Adoptive Parent Workshop List



 



 



 



Understanding and Building Attachment   (6 Hours)



(Foster Care Fundamentals)



This workshop. designed for licensed foster caregivers with placement experience, focuses on the initiation and development of attachment in children.  Distinctions between secure and insecure attachment are presented along with how separation and placement impacts the child’s attachment pattern.  A template for parenting children with attachment problems will be advanced.



Return to Foster Care Fundamentals List



 



 



 



Primary Family to Foster Family   (6 Hours)



 (Foster Care Fundamentals)



This workshop is designed for the licensed and experienced foster family. Issues related to the foster families ability to work with primary families towards permanency & to support contacts between children and their primary families are addressed.



Return to Foster Care Fundamentals List



 



 



 



Foster Families and How They Grow: Understanding the Effects of Fostering   (6 Hours)



(Foster Care Fundamentals)



This workshop is designed for licensed foster parents in the early years of foster parenting.  Issues unique to fostering are discussed, including: 1) Understanding and dealing with the new set of challenges; 2) Recognizing stages of adjustment and changing family relationships; and, 3) identifying stressors and developing strategies to build a healthy fostering experience.



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Fostering Self-Reliance in Children and Youth: Roots and Wings  (6 Hours)



(Foster Care Fundamentals)



This workshop presents methods to assess the needs of foster children and youth for developing independence. Specific strategies are presented to help prepare young children as well as teens for life as self-sufficient adults.



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 Discipline in Foster Care: Managing Our Behaviors to Manage Theirs (6 Hours)



(Foster Care Fundamentals)



This workshop focuses on understanding the caregivers' overall styles of parenting and their approach to children.  Participants will explore how changing their approaches and parenting strategies affect the child's behavior. Additionally, specific strategies to enhance the caregivers ability to individualize discipline to each child;s needs and issues will be discussed



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Recognizing and Responding to Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused (6 Hours)



(Foster Care Fundamentals)



This workshop examines the definition and dynamics of the sexual abuse of children, explores the pervasive pathology existing within the sexually abusing home, and presents extensive parenting strategies to prepare the home and enhance the child’s ongoing care.



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The Caregiver's Voice: Being a Valuable Part of an Effective Child Welfare Team (6 hours)



(Foster Care Fundamental & Caseworker Workshop)



This workshop explores the roles and responsibilities of all members



of the child welfare team, particularly focusing on primary team members: the caregiver, caseworker and birth parent. Both caseworkers and caregivers are encouraged to attend this workshop to learn strategies to work together more effectively.  The training will enhance communication and collaboration skills of caregivers in woking with the licensing agency, the birth parents, schools, courts and other stakeholders.



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 Adolescent Development (3 Hours)

(Foster Care Fundamentals)

This workshop focuses on the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of adolescents (ages 12-21). Participants will learn about typical development, why adolescents can have such challenging behaviors, and how to support healthy development in adolescents.

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