Foster Care Training
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Foster Care Training - Public and Private
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. Contracted by Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, every class is led by certified personnel who conform to best practices.
Examples of training subjects include:
- pre-service training for adoptive and foster parents
- working within the child welfare system
- foster and adoptive parent orientation
- trauma-informed parenting
- de-escalation techniques
- First Aid/CPR
- cultural competency
- compassion fatigue
FAQs on Training for Resource Families and Professionals
Who are these service trainings open to?
Trainings are primarily open to current and applying foster and adoptive parents (Resource Parents), kinship caregivers, mental health and child welfare service providers, staff at accredited foster family agencies and individuals in need of continuing education and requisite training hours (CEUs).
Where are training sessions located?
Training classes are available in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano. Please see below for our training calendar and to register for an upcoming session.
How often does service training occur?
We aim to provide training sessions at least once a month, if not more frequently. For specific dates and information about classes and training sessions coming up, please see below for our detailed training calendar.
Get in Touch
Interested in learning more about service training and upcoming foster care training sessions and classes? Contact us via email at traininginfo@afs4kids.org o
Helpful Links
To learn more about foster care, mental health and the Resource Parent application process, be sure to check out these helpful links:
- Foster Care Training website for Chabot-Las Positas Community College District.
- How to Become a Resource Parent through AFS
- Resource Parent Application
- All About the AFS Adoption Process
- Current Job Openings with AFS
Training Calendar
Sign up for any class via email at: traininginfo@afs4kids.org
Please include the training, date and city in the subject line.
Beyond the Basics: Cultural Humility & The Power of Relationships SPANISH
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/21/2022
5:30PM - 8:30PM
This training will focus on participants understanding the role of culture in society and the reasons for the development of different cultural values, patterns, and behavior in response to society’s demands. Participants will learn how cultural diversity is appropriate and logical in response to needs, i.e. that individuals are never “just different”. Participants will understand that it is not possible for a person to understand all cultures, nor is it necessary. Trainers will emphasize the need to be humble and accepting of what they learn of another culture. Participants will continue to discuss the roles that pre-prejudice, prejudice, bigotry, and racism play psycho-dynamically as well as developmentally will help participants become aware of their own attitudes with regard to diversity. Using the participants' greater insight and awareness, pragmatic applications for healthy and respectful cross-cultural interaction can be practiced.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/22/2022
6:00PM - 8:00PM
This training is designed to introduce prospective Resource Families to the Child Welfare System and the role of a resource parent. Participants will receive an overview of the steps to becoming a resource parent with Alternative Family Services.
Beyond the Basics: Cultural Humility & The Power of Relationships
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/28/2022
10:00AM - 1:00PM
This training will focus on participants understanding the role of culture in society and the reasons for the development of different cultural values, patterns, and behavior in response to society’s demands. Participants will learn how cultural diversity is appropriate and logical in response to needs, i.e. that individuals are never “just different”. Participants will understand that it is not possible for a person to understand all cultures, nor is it necessary. Trainers will emphasize the need to be humble and accepting of what they learn of another culture. Participants will continue to discuss the roles that pre-prejudice, prejudice, bigotry, and racism play psycho-dynamically as well as developmentally will help participants become aware of their own attitudes with regard to diversity. Using the participants' greater insight and awareness, pragmatic applications for healthy and respectful cross-cultural interaction can be practiced.
Beyond the Basics: Cultural Humility & The Power of Relationships SPANISH
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/30/2022
10:00AM - 1:00PM
This training will focus on participants understanding the role of culture in society and the reasons for the development of different cultural values, patterns, and behavior in response to society’s demands. Participants will learn how cultural diversity is appropriate and logical in response to needs, i.e. that individuals are never “just different”. Participants will understand that it is not possible for a person to understand all cultures, nor is it necessary. Trainers will emphasize the need to be humble and accepting of what they learn of another culture. Participants will continue to discuss the roles that pre-prejudice, prejudice, bigotry, and racism play psycho-dynamically as well as developmentally will help participants become aware of their own attitudes with regard to diversity. Using the participants' greater insight and awareness, pragmatic applications for healthy and respectful cross-cultural interaction can be practiced.
Resource Family Pre Approval Training - Session 1&2
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/8/2022
10:00AM - 4:00PM
This training is designed to prepare resource families to work with youth in the foster care system. Participants will receive a better understanding of the foster care system structure and explore how to provide a well-planned, safe, and secure environment designed to meet children's individual and unique needs, and how to create an environment that promotes children's social emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Participants will continue to review; Interim Licensing Standard, Child Growth and Development, Medication Guidelines, Discipline, Working with Biological Families and understanding the Effects of Trauma.
Understanding Grief and Loss - Preparing for the Holidays and Special Events
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/12/2022
5:30PM - 8:30PM
Trainer explains with Power Point presentation, grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one – and this type of loss does often cause the most intense grief, but any loss can cause grief. Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and coping style, your life experience, your faith, and the nature of the loss. The grieving process takes time.
The five stages of grief:
Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.”
Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”
Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.”
Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.”
Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.”
All children in foster care have experienced tremendous loss. Even in the very best of foster care placements, children will experience loss of their familiar home surroundings, at least some disruption of daily routines, loss of personal belongings, pets, and family members - parents, siblings, and kin.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/13/2022
6:00PM - 8:00PM
This training is designed to introduce prospective Resource Families to the Child Welfare System and the role of a resource parent. Participants will receive an overview of the steps to becoming a resource parent with Alternative Family Services.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/20/2022
6:00PM - 8:00PM
This training is designed to introduce prospective Resource Families to the Child Welfare System and the role of a resource parent. Participants will receive an overview of the steps to becoming a resource parent with Alternative Family Services.
Fundamentals of Infant and Toddler Care
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/24/2022
5:30PM - 8:30PM
Presenter will review the basic care and precautions while caring for infants in the foster care system. The training covers best practices in sleep rules when caring for infants. Presenter will discuss new crib standards, crib recalls, safety hazards and how they affect a safe sleeping environment. Training addresses the proper way to feed and burp a new born infant and how to make certain the infant is consuming the proper amount formula, basic diaper rash symptoms and how to properly treat and prevent rashes. Presenter also discusses common health issues in infants and toddlers in Foster Care. Presenter will discuss teething, infant development stages and milestones, well baby checkups, and immunizations. The basic side effects from prenatal drug exposure will be reviewed and how it can prevent the child from reaching age appropriate milestones, creating significantly more health issues and caregiving demands.
Understanding Grief and Loss - Preparing for the Holidays and Special Events
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/26/2022
10:00AM - 1:00PM
Trainer explains with Power Point presentation, grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one – and this type of loss does often cause the most intense grief, but any loss can cause grief. Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and coping style, your life experience, your faith, and the nature of the loss. The grieving process takes time.
The five stages of grief:
Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.”
Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”
Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.”
Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.”
Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.”
All children in foster care have experienced tremendous loss. Even in the very best of foster care placements, children will experience loss of their familiar home surroundings, at least some disruption of daily routines, loss of personal belongings, pets, and family members - parents, siblings, and kin.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/27/2022
6:00PM - 8:00PM
This training is designed to introduce prospective Resource Families to the Child Welfare System and the role of a resource parent. Participants will receive an overview of the steps to becoming a resource parent with Alternative Family Services.
Beyond the Basics: Cultural Humility & The Power of Relationships English
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/21/2022
5:30PM - 8:30PM
This training will focus on participants understanding the role of culture in society and the reasons for the development of different cultural values, patterns, and behavior in response to society’s demands. Participants will learn how cultural diversity is appropriate and logical in response to needs, i.e. that individuals are never “just different”. Participants will understand that it is not possible for a person to understand all cultures, nor is it necessary. Trainers will emphasize the need to be humble and accepting of what they learn of another culture. Participants will continue to discuss the roles that pre-prejudice, prejudice, bigotry, and racism play psycho-dynamically as well as developmentally will help participants become aware of their own attitudes with regard to diversity. Using the participants' greater insight and awareness, pragmatic applications for healthy and respectful cross-cultural interaction can be practiced.
Trauma Informed Parenting- "Parenting in Oz" Part 2
Trauma Impact
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/24/2022
10:00AM - 1:30PM
“Parenting In OZ!” is an experiential, memorable, trauma-informed, parenting curriculum designed to help parents and staff understand and respond therapeutically to the acting-out behaviors often exhibited by children who have experienced the trauma of neglect, abuse, and loss. Utilizing the vivid imagery from “The Wizard of OZ” and the emergency room, this unique training is an entertaining, multi-sensory approach to working with trauma that both professionals and parents cannot help but remember and integrate into their work. Trauma informed parenting is a paradigm shift for many parents who have often been trained to utilize tools designed to bring external controls to address or remediate problematic behaviors within a particular environment.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
9/29/2022
6:00PM - 8:00PM
This training is designed to introduce prospective Resource Families to the Child Welfare System and the role of a resource parent. Participants will receive an overview of the steps to becoming a resource parent with Alternative Family Services.
Trauma Informed Parenting- "Parenting in Oz" Part 1
Trauma Impact
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/1/2022
10:00AM - 1:30PM
“Parenting In OZ!” is an experiential, memorable, trauma-informed, parenting curriculum designed to help parents and staff understand and respond therapeutically to the acting-out behaviors often exhibited by children who have experienced the trauma of neglect, abuse, and loss. Utilizing the vivid imagery from “The Wizard of OZ” and the emergency room, this unique training is an entertaining, multi-sensory approach to working with trauma that both professionals and parents cannot help but remember and integrate into their work. Trauma informed parenting is a paradigm shift for many parents who have often been trained to utilize tools designed to bring external controls to address or remediate problematic behaviors within a particular environment.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/6/2022
6:00PM - 8:00PM
This training is designed to introduce prospective Resource Families to the Child Welfare System and the role of a resource parent. Participants will receive an overview of the steps to becoming a resource parent with Alternative Family Services.
Trauma Informed Parenting- "Parenting in Oz" Part 2
Trauma Impact
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/1/2022
10:00AM - 1:30PM
“Parenting In OZ!” is an experiential, memorable, trauma-informed, parenting curriculum designed to help parents and staff understand and respond therapeutically to the acting-out behaviors often exhibited by children who have experienced the trauma of neglect, abuse, and loss. Utilizing the vivid imagery from “The Wizard of OZ” and the emergency room, this unique training is an entertaining, multi-sensory approach to working with trauma that both professionals and parents cannot help but remember and integrate into their work. Trauma informed parenting is a paradigm shift for many parents who have often been trained to utilize tools designed to bring external controls to address or remediate problematic behaviors within a particular environment.
Understanding Grief and Loss - Preparing for the Holidays and Special Events SPANISH
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/12/2022
5:30PM - 8:30PM
Trainer explains with Power Point presentation, grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one – and this type of loss does often cause the most intense grief, but any loss can cause grief. Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and coping style, your life experience, your faith, and the nature of the loss. The grieving process takes time.
The five stages of grief:
Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.”
Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”
Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.”
Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.”
Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.”
All children in foster care have experienced tremendous loss. Even in the very best of foster care placements, children will experience loss of their familiar home surroundings, at least some disruption of daily routines, loss of personal belongings, pets, and family members - parents, siblings, and kin.
Resource Family Pre Approval Training - Session 3&4
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/15/2022
10:00AM - 4:00PM
This training is designed to prepare resource families to work with youth in the foster care system. Participants will receive a better understanding of the foster care system structure and explore how to provide a well-planned, safe, and secure environment designed to meet children's individual and unique needs, and how to create an environment that promotes children's social emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Participants will continue to review; Interim Licensing Standard, Child Growth and Development, Medication Guidelines, Discipline, Working with Biological Families and understanding the Effects of Trauma.
Fundamentals of Infant and Toddler Care SPANISH
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/24/2022
5:30PM - 8:30PM
Presenter will review the basic care and precautions while caring for infants in the foster care system. The training covers best practices in sleep rules when caring for infants. Presenter will discuss new crib standards, crib recalls, safety hazards and how they affect a safe sleeping environment. Training addresses the proper way to feed and burp a new born infant and how to make certain the infant is consuming the proper amount formula, basic diaper rash symptoms and how to properly treat and prevent rashes. Presenter also discusses common health issues in infants and toddlers in Foster Care. Presenter will discuss teething, infant development stages and milestones, well baby checkups, and immunizations. The basic side effects from prenatal drug exposure will be reviewed and how it can prevent the child from reaching age appropriate milestones, creating significantly more health issues and caregiving demands.
Understanding Grief and Loss - Preparing for the Holidays and Special Events SPANISH
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
10/28/2022
10:00AM - 1:00PM
Trainer explains with Power Point presentation, grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one – and this type of loss does often cause the most intense grief, but any loss can cause grief. Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and coping style, your life experience, your faith, and the nature of the loss. The grieving process takes time.
The five stages of grief:
Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.”
Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”
Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.”
Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.”
Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.”
All children in foster care have experienced tremendous loss. Even in the very best of foster care placements, children will experience loss of their familiar home surroundings, at least some disruption of daily routines, loss of personal belongings, pets, and family members - parents, siblings, and kin.