AFS Trainings
AFS provides free, comprehensive foster care training to public and private agencies and individuals on a variety of topics related to foster care, mental health and family support through two separate training programs:
- AFS Foster Care Training in Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties
- Parenting for Permanency College for San Francisco Resource Parents
Examples of training courses include:
- Resource family pre-approval training
- Foster kinship care
- Trauma-informed parenting for foster families caring for youth who have experienced abuse or neglect
- Working with sexually exploited children in the child welfare system
- Compassion fatigue
- Cultural competency
- Mindfulness training
- Helping youth in foster care through the holidays
- CPR/First Aid training for service providers
- Intake and matching strategies for service providers
Why is Foster Care Training Necessary?
To work with youth in care as a resource parent or staff member at an accredited agency, training and ongoing education are often required by a licensing body and/or overseeing government body. Pre-service training equips mental health workers, foster family agency staff, and foster care providers with the skills, tools, and techniques needed to specifically help and support the unique needs and attributes of foster children and youth.