Online Training for a Foster Parent

A number of organizations offer online training for current or prospective foster parents. These courses can take the form of online modules, purchased PDFs or member websites full of resources. Course fees at the Foster Parent College average $10 or less for most courses. Some websites may allow two parents to share educational materials. Prospective foster parents will be required to complete various forms of training, which will differ from state to state, in order to have children placed with them. If cleared in advance, a state may take online training in place of local offerings. However, check with your state agency first about whether they allow this option.

  1. About Foster Care

    • According to the National Voice of Foster Parents, foster parents care for children or youth who are not their own by providing care for the duration of a child̵7;s stay and bringing a sense of emotional stability to a child̵7;s life. Many foster children are temporarily placed with families other than their own sometimes due to child abuse or neglect. In many situations, the goal is to stabilize the home environment enough for the child to return. In cases where this does not occur, children may move from a foster to an adoption program.

    Preparing for Foster Children

    • The Foster Parent College offers a number of courses to help individuals learn more about the basics prior to making a foster care decision. These include Positive Parenting I, II and III, Safe Parenting, Child Abuse & Neglect, House Safety and Grief & Loss in the Care System. Foster Parents.com offers a wide variety of classes for those considering becoming parents, including The Foster Care Experience, Foster Parents and Birth Parents Working Together for the Children, and Saying Hello and Good-Bye. Foster care represents a huge commitment and objective training materials may be a great help to prospective parents, in addition to the wide variety of materials a family may get from a local foster care agency.

    Behavioral Issues Training

    • Any child is capable of significant behavioral issues. But, for foster parents, identifying and addressing issues may be more difficult due to a lack of history and understanding regarding issue formation. Online training modules can help parents with behavioral issues. The Foster Parent College, for example, offers training related to: anger management, anxiety disorders, self-harm, stealing, running away, wetting and soiling, sexualized behavior, sleep problems, lying and fire setting. All foster training organizations appear to offer courses related to bonding̵1;or lack thereof̵1;and reactive attachment disorders.

    Cultural Integration Training

    • Foster families can be formed across all racial lines and it is important that a foster family helps the child feel connected to her culture and heritage. Various organizations offer cultural training. Foster Parents.com, for example, offers Parenting Children Across Racial & Cultural Lines, Celebrating American Indian Culture in the Family, Trans-racial and Cross-Cultural Fostering and Hispanic Family Dynamics. Individuals who are hoping that foster care will lead to adoption opportunities may want to consider reading up on different cultures as part of their research.

    Disorder Training

    • Beyond behavioral issues, children may have a wide variety of medical needs or disorders. Online training is available to help foster parents deal with autism, ADHD, eating disorders and substance abuse. Specific courses exist to cover chronic diseases, medical needs for special needs children, nutrition, sexually transmitted diseases and asthma. Individuals becoming foster parents for the first time may benefit from such basic classes as Developmental Milestone Guide and Kids & Their Bones.

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      According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, there were 510,000 children in foster care in the United States as of September 30, 2006. Foster care is defined as 24-hour care outside of a childs home. The foster parent is not usually related to
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      Being a foster parent requires a unique individual, one who is truly interested in helping children by providing a safe and caring home and is prepared to face the challenges of providing foster care. Qualified foster parents are always in high deman
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      When you become a foster parent, you get to open your home, life and heart to a child in need of a home. While the state in which you live will provide a stipend to help you care for the child, you also need to meet certain financial qualifications.