Foster Care Training

This training helps participants gain an introduction to the fundamentals of art interventions with a particular goal of helping caregivers and other helpers of foster youth understand how such interventions may be helpful to these youth. Through experiential exercises and reflection on these, participants explore ways in which art can access emotions and strengths that may help with healing and may not be amenable to talking alone. Participants also learn about the full spectrum of media, from neat, precise pencil through more messy and free-form finger paints, and they learn which media are best suited to help various types of mental health issues often encountered by caregivers and helpers in day-to-day interactions with foster and at-risk youth. The training offers several art interventions for children, teens and adults that can be utilized by caregivers, and ultimately by foster youth themselves for productive self-care and positive coping and development.