Foster Care Training

Virtual Instructor Led Training
Sponsored by Redwood Community Services

The Holidays can be particularly stressful for foster youth. While we prepare our homes for the snuggly sweater season foster youth struggle with split loyalties. The struggle with worrying about their bio-families as sometimes they are still in the same situation that the youth was removed from. Things like lack of resources (food, shelter, and warmth) can make a foster youth feel conflicted about their new surroundings. There may be triggers that are not yet identified or memories that flood their psyche. They may have different traditions that are in stark difference to what you are lovingly trying to create for them. As a Resource parent you have the power to make sure that your foster youth is heard and understood. The hustle and bustle of the holidays can make it particularly chaotic for your young person to participate in your family traditions.

The proliferation of disorders is symptomatic of inordinate stress faced by our children. Fortunately, through this training parents can create the consistency and security children crave by parenting with integrity. By modeling self-control and learning to include the birth family in your foster youths’ holiday (when appropriate), parents will foster a more inclusive atmosphere for the child. By educating yourself on the topic of the holidays and how it shapes your child’s actions, reactions, and inactions, you can gain a better understanding of their inner workings. You can parent from an understanding and empathetic lens and react appropriately in a loving but structured environment where you are in the drivers seat!

This training is intended for those that work with children and youth within the child welfare system or are at-risk of entering. This includes child welfare workers, resource parents, youth sports coaches, youth mentors, teachers and volunteers/staff working with this population.

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