Foster Care Training

ONLINE COURSE:

For some families, talking about race is a regular part of daily life and family discussions growing up. As a matter of survival, it’s never been an option not to. For others, it can be challenging to talk about it, or to know how to, and thus is often avoided or considered taboo. This workshop provides participants with an opportunity to share challenging conversations or social dynamics in a family. Particularly, in the foster care system, there is often cross-racial relationships between caregivers, foster parents and youth, which have a specific context for engaging in the conversation around race.

Providers will gain practical approaches about how to engage families or teach families how to engage more openly about the topic of race and racism. There will be opportunities to start from a culturally humble place of self-reflection and understanding of one’s own social location and how to talk about it, instead of avoiding it. Participants will explore how early childhood socialization regarding race can set people up for a tendency towards avoidance, resulting in frustration, powerlessness and resentment. Providers and caregivers in the child welfare or probation systems can practice and apply these skills and tools in their work with youth and families.