Foster & Kinship Care Education Program

Class Schedule

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DVC Class Offerings (Fall 2022)

 

FKCE Class Descriptions

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Accessing Mental Health Supports in Schools presented by AUSD's Wellness, Culture & Climate Team Learn about and how to access the various social and emotional resources available, such as:

• School counselor services
• Wellness Rooms
• Restorative Circles
• Licensed clinicians
• Telehealth therapy

Anxiety and Fears in Children
Even happy children can become anxious or fearful sometimes. Occasionally, fear can prevent them from doing things they like. This workshop gives you tips on how to help your child cope with and reduce their anxiety and fears.

Ansiedad y Miedos en los Niños
Ansiedad y miedos en los niños (español) Normalmente los niños felices pueden volverse ansiosos o temerosos por algo, ese miedo puede impedirles hacer las cosas que les gustan. Este taller le brinda consejos sobre cómo ayudar a su hijo a enfrentar y reducir su ansiedad y sus miedos.

Attachment Parenting 
Typically children in foster or kinship placement have compromised attachment histories and therefore struggle to trust their caregivers. These children often do not respond to “traditional discipline” because it relies upon a solid attachment.  Caregivers will learn the importance of meeting the child’s emotional needs to develop a secure attachment.  "Re-parenting" strategies and the role of play in creating strong attachments will also be discussed. 

Bedtime Challenges 
Children need a good night's sleep so they have enough energy for the next day's activities.  Parents also need adequate sleep and some child free time to ensure their own needs are being met.  Toddlers can learn to become more independent in their sleep routine and be less demanding than infants.  The goal is for children to develop healthy independent sleep patterns.  This presentation gives some suggestions on how to help your toddler develop a good bedtime routine.

Best Practices for Providing Care & Supervision to Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC)
This engaging training was developed for the new, state-mandated requirement for California resource families. Dr. Deana Graves and Derek Williams, a former 32-year trafficker, provide innovative solutions and dynamic tools to prevent running, break trauma bonds, and help these youth begin to recover. 

Building Relationships with System-Involved Youth & Families 
In this two-hour workshop, participants will learn the necessary skills to collaborate and engage system involved youth and families. Techniques to assess the current motivation to change a particular behavior will also be explored. 

Changing Destructive Behavior 
Destructive behaviors impact relationships within the family, school performance, peer relationships, a child’s self-esteem and overall wellbeing. Participants will learn skills necessary to influence change and help the youth rebuild their relationships and self-worth. 

CSEC 101: Commercially Sexually Exploited Children 
The training provides an overview of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) within the larger legal framework of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act followed by a review of current statistics about CSEC. The training then discusses the pathways and precursors to involvement in CSEC. Participants will hear case studies of CSEC survivors to highlight the risk factors for CSEC recruitment. The training will also include a brief discussion on identifying CSEC and how to support them.

Cultural Challenges in Parenting
Resource families are imperative in the continued growth, positive behaviors, healthy relationships and beliefs of our children who enter the Child Welfare System. Children enter foster care with their own set of beliefs, cultural background and identity. Children benefit from caregivers who are willing to respect and become well informed about the cultural differences in customs, beliefs, gender identity and expression etc. This class will explore existing cultural practices and norms.  Tips for washing, styling and choosing products for different types of African American hair will be discussed.  

Cyber Security Training for Caregivers
With technology being at the fingertips of our youth, more now than ever, it is important that we know how to keep them safe in the Cyber and Technology World. This training will give insight on ways we can offer an additional level of support and protection.

Drugs, Alcohol, Vaping & Other Addictions (COPE)
Drugs, including nicotine, tobacco and alcohol, are easily accessible to children and adolescents. As a parent, you need to educate your child(ren) about the dangers of drug use. This parenting class will focus on awareness, counseling, and prevention techniques.

Drogas, alcohol, vapeo y otras adicciones
Las drogas, incluida la nicotina, el tabaco y el alcohol, son de fácil acceso para los niños y adolescentes. Como padre, debe educar a su(s) hijo(s) sobre los peligros del consumo de drogas. Esta clase para padres se centrará en la concientización, el asesoramiento y las técnicas de prevención.

Effective Strategies in Supporting Children Who Have Experienced Trauma
All children in out-of-home care have been impacted by at least one major life changing event. In this workshop, participants will be able to define trauma and understand the impact it has on development.  Common responses and behaviors that a child will exhibit after experiencing a traumatic event will be discussed.  Strategies and resources to support the child in developing healthy coping strategies will be identified.

Escalating Behavior Unwrapped (Foster Parent College)
Many children in care have experienced trauma, which can impact how they react to circumstances and events that remind them of the abuse, and cause them to escalate. In the past, caregivers were not trained on how to respond to and regulate children’s emotions and behaviors during these times. However, today, there are many techniques caregivers can use to help children de-escalate. This course explores escalation, its causes, and strategies for de-escalation. 

Factors influencing Behaviors of Students 
The behavior of students is greatly influenced by how much they are motivated. This is uniquely related to how well they will do in school either in face-to-face instruction or even more importantly during in-home instruction. This session will focus on the top 8 researched based strategies that help motivate and influence the behavior of students so that they are successful.

*First Aid/CPR for Resource Parents
This class will fulfill the mandatory requirement for resource parent training. This class will not satisfy the requirement for daycare training or basic life support training. *This is an in-person class at Los Medanos College, 2700 East Leland Rd., Pittsburg, CA 94565

Foster Care to Adoption (Foster Parent College)
Most children in foster care eventually return to live with their birth families. When reunification is not an option, the child may enter long term foster care, kinship care, or be adopted. Adoption is surrounded by myths and expectations that can be problematic for adoptive families and the child being adopted. This course explores the foster care to adoption process and offers insight and suggestions to make this transition easier for everyone involved.

Foster Youth Education Rights 
The purpose of this training is to provide resource parents with an understanding of the educational rights of a youth in foster care. Enrollment, school of origin, school discipline and AB 167/216 will be discussed. 

Helping Children Transition Between Families 
Children in out-of-home placement experience transitions; coming into foster or kinship care, reunifying and in some cases, moving to adoptive placement. Caregivers can mitigate some of the negative impact of these changes. This 2-hour training will address the following principles:

• Coaching children through big emotions
• Maintaining appropriate communication with the child
• Prioritizing the child’s needs in both homes
• Creating and effective co-parenting relationship to reduce conflict

How the Social Dilemma Impacts Foster Youth
Social Dilemma is a documentary featured on Netflix that unveils the hidden tactics behind our favorite social media platforms. It investigates how a handful of tech designers have control over the way billions of us act, think and live our lives. Caregivers need to be aware of the algorithms used in social media platforms that are exposing and manipulating our already vulnerable children.

How to Listen & Communicate with Your Children
After the completion of this class, participants will have new and enhanced communication skills to utilize with their teens. Parents and caregivers will learn and practice the "I feel...  When you.... Would you please..." communication model, partnered with the simple, yet powerful "Active Listening" model, and the vital, yet often forgotten "Resolution" third phase of healthy communication. Parents and caregivers will develop their own personalized "script," ready to practice with their teen upon completion of the class. The instructor will explain and model the "Heart vs.Head" impact on communication, as it is an integral part of achieving a deeper level of understanding and resolution in all relationships.

Identifying & Navigating School Issues
Early identification and intervention are key when your child is having school or learning issues. Studies show when children have a positive educational experience early they develop a sense of belonging. In this workshop, 5 key areas will be examined:  

• Identifying the school or learning issues
• Steps to take to get help for my child
• How to prepare and address these concerns
• Who should be contacted at the child's school
• Finding the resources in the school or community

Impact of Domestic Violence (DV) on Children: 
The training will assist resource parents in learning to define domestic violence (DV) or intimate partner violence (DV), as well as understand the ways that DV may impact children at all stages of development and identify helpful resources to support foster youth in their care.

Impact of Fostering on Birth Children (Foster Parent College)
Adding a foster child to the household naturally stirs up a variety of emotions. Birth children of foster parents may be excited at the prospect of a new child in the home, but at the same time may be jealous of the time and energy their parents devote to the new child. This course explores what birth children may feel through all phases of the fostering process and offers tips for helping them cope.

Internet Safety 
Caregivers are tasked with keeping children in their care safe, including while they are online. This training is designed for caregivers to feel confident parenting in the digital age.  Participants will learn tips to teach kids to be more aware of potential online risks and empower them make safe choices on- and offline. Parents will be able to share their concerns and challenges as they learn strategies to limit screen time and exercise parental controls. Topics such as privacy, location tracking and “fake news” will be explored.

Juvenile Dependency Courts 101: The Resource Parent’s Role
The purpose of this training is to provide resource parents with a general overview of the Juvenile Dependency Court, its purpose, the various hearings that occur during a Juvenile Dependency Case, and what the resource parent's role is in the Juvenile Dependency process.

Lifebooks
This 3 hour workshop will be a fun, interactive class.  At the end of the training you will know what a Lifebook is and the value it will have for your child. We will be discussing different ways to make a Lifebook, recording your child’s history, celebrations and journey. We will also be creating a project to highlight your child.  Participants will take home a project, a book called "My Foster Care Journey" and a Lifebook for your child. Although this class is about your child, this class is for caregivers only. 

Lying & Stealing
Help your child tell the truth and gain your trust. No matter what they have done they will realize that telling lies can cause problems with friends and family members.  Stealing needs to be considered as a potentially serious problem, especially if it occurs outside of the home. Learn some tips to show to teach children honesty even when there is negative peer pressure.

Mentir y Robar
Ayude a su hijo a decir la verdad y ganarse su confianza. No importa lo que hayan hecho, se darán cuenta de que decir mentiras puede causar problemas con amigos y familiares. El robo debe considerarse un problema potencialmente grave, especialmente si ocurre fuera de casa. Aprenda algunos consejos para mostrar a sus hijos que deben ser honestos incluso cuando hay presión de grupo para que no lo hagan. 

Mandated Reporters
Mandated reporters are professionals, including certified resource families who have regular contact with children and are therefore legally required to report suspected child abuse. As part of the Written Directives for Resource Family Certification, all certified caregivers must complete Mandated Reporter training. In this training, you will learn: 

• How the law defines child abuse and neglect
• What the law requires of you as a mandated reporter
• What protections the law provides for a mandated reporter
• How to spot evidence of child abuse
• How to report child abuse
• What happens after a report is filed 

Nora & Leo Positive Discipline for Young Children 
Nora & Leo is a kit for kids and their parents that is fun, simple, and a little bit magical! “The Simple Solution to Positive Parenting”™ uses scientifically validated parenting strategies to help reinforce good behaviors. It’s a ready-to-use kit with everything parents need to help encourage positive behavior in their children. More than just a toy, game or book, it's a complete system. FKCE participants will receive a complimentary kit while supplies last. Each kit includes a beautifully illustrated book, 20 colorful & chunky jewels, an adorable 7" plush Fairy doll (Nora) or Pirate doll (Leo), a tin treasure chest, a progress report counter, and a Quick Start parent guide booklet.

Parent-Child Attachment (Foster Parent College)
In Parent-Child Attachment, participants learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy attachment and how separation and loss affect attachment. Issues of divided loyalty, perceived abandonment or rejection, reactivation of feelings from previous separations, and ambivalence about attachment and how permanence plays a role in emotional conflict will also be discussed.

Positive Parenting for Children with Disabilities 
Parenting is not easy, especially when the child has special needs. The Positive Parenting approach gives parents tools and strategies to raise their child in an environment that is safe, loving and predictable. This class provides effective strategies for managing challenging behaviors. The following key principles will be explored:

• Making family a priority
• Creating a warm, loving, safe environment
• Encouraging your child’s learning
• Use of assertive discipline
• Adapting to having a child with a disability
• Setting reasonable expectations
• Being part of the community
• Taking care of yourself

Preparing Foster Youth for Independent Living
Making the transition from foster care to independent living requires preparation. Caregivers play a large role in helping youth prepare for adulthood. Participants will learn how to develop independent living skills and build support systems for the youth in their care. Information regarding positive youth development will also be discussed. 

Raising Resilient Children During COVID 
All children experience periods of stress in their lives and need the emotional skills to deal with it. Children's emotional resilience, or ability to cope with their feelings, is important to their long-term happiness, wellbeing and success in life. Emotional resilience involves key skills. Participants will learn these skill and ways to cultivate them in the children in their homes.:

Recognizing Triggers & Managing Anger 
Everyone gets angry, but not everyone has an understanding of anger. Participants will learn what triggers anger and how anger impacts the body and the mind. Anger management strategies will also be discussed

Reconocer los desencadenantes y controlar la ira
Todos se enojan, pero no todos comprenden el enojo. Los participantes aprenderán qué desencadena la ira y cómo afecta la ira al cuerpo y la mente. También se discutirán las estrategias de manejo de la ira.

Supporting LGBTQI Youth in Care & the Gender Spectrum
This course helps prepare caregivers to be supportive and understanding of LGBTQIA youth in their care. We look at what all the "letters" mean, the cultural, physical and emotional differences between men and women, and provide space for caregivers from both conservative and liberal backgrounds to have their own beliefs, while supporting what is true for their kids.

Traps of a Trafficker
Many times, traffickers sell people right under our noses without anyone picking up on the signs. Or, they might be grooming someone, and they don’t have a clue. Maybe someone is trying to trick or trap a youth you know, but you don't know how to tell. As one team wrote after seeing the traps, "my boyfriend shows some of the signs of the stuff you talked about. I think I'll leave him for now. Thank you!" Come learn the tricks and lures of traffickers from the national award-winning Traps of a Trafficker.

Trauma-Informed Alternative Therapies
Trauma informed treatment is a way of approaching and understanding the emotional and psychological struggles people face.  It helps us remember that people act, think, and feel in certain ways because of the difficult things they have gone through in their lives.  We will look at a couple of promising alternative techniques including: Integrative Listening Systems, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Play Therapy.

Trauma-Informed Resource Parenting:
The purpose of this course is to support resource parents of infants and young children in understanding how to best respond to behavioral challenges, while also providing a sense of internal support to themselves. We will seek to understand if children’s behaviors are automatic, self-protective and adaptive of if they are intentional. We will learn about why relational safety is a starting point for all interactions. We will also learn the importance of teaching children to recognize their feelings and ways to help them find solutions to manage their feelings. Self-compassion strategies to support regulation of resource caregivers will be included in the course.

Understanding Prenatal Substance Exposure 
This course will address the issues and challenges faced by caregivers who care for children who were substance-exposed in utero. After this workshop, participants will be able to 

• Provide useful strategies for parenting these infants
• Identify the effects of substance use on child development
• Determine the unique needs of children who experienced exposure in utero
• Recognize the impact on family dynamics when families continue to struggle with substance abuse
• Explain treatment strategies
• Locate support services available to children

Understanding Sensory Integration
Sensory integration is the neurological process that organizes sensation from the body and the environment making it possible to use the body effectively within the environment. This class will explain why individuals respond in a certain way to sensory input and how it affects behavior. Parenting strategies to support the child's performance across multiple environments will be explored. 

Understanding Substance Use Disorders Treatment and Recovery
Substance use disorders have had a profound impact on our society and especially on child welfare. Understanding substance use disorders and how they are treated enables caregivers to better understand the children and families they serve. After this workshop, participants will be able to: 

• Identify the types of substances and their effects
• Outline the continuum of substance use disorders
• Understand the basic brain chemistry of substance use disorders
• Identify treatment types and recognize recovery.

Understanding Visitation at CFS
Visitation in child Welfare is essential for a child’s well-being and vital to a child maintaining family relationships and cultural connections. This training will an open discussion about best practice in family visitation. How to prepare for visits, levels of supervision and understanding a child’s emotions and reactions around visitation will be explored.

Whole-Brain Parenting
This course demonstrates two skills that help parents with their relationships with their kids and family members. We study how the brain has two aspects: Left side holds our logic and planning; right side holds our memories and emotions. Learn how to use the correct part at the right time to have easier going interactions when under stress.

WPW Reparative Parenting Approach Series 
Wisdom Path Way Reparative Parenting Approach is designed to be a model for resource, adoptive, and biological parents who are raising children with trauma-exposed, childhood experiences that result in emotional and behavioral disturbances. This series will address the following: Challenges regulating emotions and conduct, noncompliance to directions and rules, and failure to accept the limits/boundaries set by parents. These classes are designed to be a series, but participants are not required to attend all four classes.  

• Session #1 - The role of the reparative parent to teach & coach: Helps parents understand and implement the key elements necessary to establish a trauma-informed, reparative experience for children/teens using the parent-child relationship.
• Session #2 - Limits, boundaries & discipline strategies: Teaches parents to re-organize their child/teens challenging behaviors into 5 primary categories. Implementing discipline strategies (corrective vs punishment model) in response to compliance challenges will be explored.
• Session #3 - The 3-Story Brain Model: Teaches parents how to understand the impact of trauma on the developing brain, where and how it can be "stuck' in development, and how to target maturation and healing by responding to the child/teen's brain age vs chronological age.
• Session #4 - Emotion coaching & de-escalation techniques: Teaches parents to understand the challenges of trauma-informed brains to manage emotion. The WPW RP 4-step emotion coaching mode, de-escalation techniques and recognizing the difference between "protest" and dysregulation will also be discussed.
• Session #5 - Developing a Family Plan: This class will guide caregivers through the development of their own WPW RP Family Coaching Plan utilizing the key elements of the model to help their children/teens heal and mature. 

 > View the calender below to RSVP for any of these trainings