Foster Care Training in Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano
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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.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/01/2021
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
7/08/2021
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.
Working with Youth with Suicide & Self-harm Behaviors- Part 2
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/15/2021
10:00AM - 12:00PM
Second in a series of two classes discusses the fact that youth in foster care are statistically at higher risk for suicidal behavior and self harm, it is important that foster parents, social services professionals and individuals in support roles to be familiar with warning signs of suicide. It may be difficult for foster parents to distinguish between warning signs of suicide and a child’s emotional reaction to being placed in foster care. Use visual cues (of self harm) and warning signs as a starting point to talk with your foster child about what they are feeling and how they are doing. Participants will be able to describe and name common risk factors and symptoms of suicide and other self harm behaviors.
Trauma Informed Parenting- " Parenting in Oz " Part 1
Trauma Impact
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/17/2021
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.
Trauma Informed Parenting- " Parenting in Oz " Part 2
Trauma Impact
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/24/2021
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.
WPW Reparative Parenting Approach – Resource Parent Support Group
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/27/2021
6:00PM - 7:30PM
The WPW RP Approach is a culturally inclusive parent-child coaching model for resource, adoptive, and biological parents who are raising children with trauma-exposed, childhood experiences that result in emotional and behavioral disturbances. The WPW RP Approach teaches parents that the LifeSpace children are born into provides the training ground for the child’s developmental journey in which the brain itself is learning and encoding “what we do, how we do it, and why we do it.” This (5 part) series of parental support groups will address specific individual behavioral challenges and assist resource parents in addressing their challenges through reparative parenting.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/29/2021
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 Care- Understanding Behaviours & Support Healing- Spanish
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/30/2021
10:00AM - 1:00PM
Trainer will present this topic in Spanish and will fully explain the concept of trauma informed care as it relates to foster children and youth. The definition: “Trauma Informed Care is a strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma…that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors…and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.” (Hopper, Bassuk, & Olivet, 2010, pg. 82). Trainer will present different types of trauma experienced by foster youth and children and the different impacts their trauma has on them based on factors such as their age at the time of their experience. Trauma sufferers can experience life-long effects such as their self-view, trust, safety and their own view of the future. It is important for caregivers to fully understand the impact of trauma and to act accordingly and take trauma into consideration in their formulation of a recovery-from-trauma plan. In fact, the prevalence of trauma is so high that child welfare workers should assume that everyone they serve has a trauma history.
WPW Reparative Parenting Approach, Resource Parent Support Group
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/06/2021
6:00PM - 7:30PM
The WPW RP Approach is a culturally inclusive parent-child coaching model for resource, adoptive, and biological parents who are raising children with trauma-exposed, childhood experiences that result in emotional and behavioral disturbances. The WPW RP Approach teaches parents that the LifeSpace children are born into provides the training ground for the child’s developmental journey in which the brain itself is learning and encoding “what we do, how we do it, and why we do it.” This (5 part) series of parental support groups will address specific individual behavioral challenges and assist resource parents in addressing their challenges through reparative parenting.
WPW Reparative Parenting Approach, Resource Parent Support Group
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/13/2021
6:00PM - 7:30PM
The WPW RP Approach is a culturally inclusive parent-child coaching model for resource, adoptive, and biological parents who are raising children with trauma-exposed, childhood experiences that result in emotional and behavioral disturbances. The WPW RP Approach teaches parents that the LifeSpace children are born into provides the training ground for the child’s developmental journey in which the brain itself is learning and encoding “what we do, how we do it, and why we do it.” This (5 part) series of parental support groups will address specific individual behavioral challenges and assist resource parents in addressing their challenges through reparative parenting.
Exploring Foster Care and Adoption
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/15/2021
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
7/22/2021
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.
Resource Family Pre Approval Training - Session 1&2
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/24/2021
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.
Trauma Informed Care- Understanding Behaviours & Support Healing
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/28/2021
5:00PM - 8:00PM
Trainer will fully explain the concept of trauma informed care as it relates to foster children and youth. The definition: “Trauma Informed Care is a strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma…that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors…and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.” (Hopper, Bassuk, & Olivet, 2010, pg. 82). Trainer will present different types of trauma experienced by foster youth and children and the different impacts their trauma has on them based on factors such as their age at the time of their experience. Trauma sufferers can experience life-long effects such as their self-view, trust, safety and their own view of the future. It is important for caregivers to fully understand the impact of trauma and to act accordingly and take trauma into consideration in their formulation of a recovery-from-trauma plan. In fact, the prevalence of trauma is so high that child welfare workers should assume that everyone they serve has a trauma history.
Trauma Informed Care- Understanding Behaviours & Support Healing
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/30/2021
10:00AM - 1:00PM
Trainer will fully explain the concept of trauma informed care as it relates to foster children and youth. The definition: “Trauma Informed Care is a strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma…that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors…and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.” (Hopper, Bassuk, & Olivet, 2010, pg. 82). Trainer will present different types of trauma experienced by foster youth and children and the different impacts their trauma has on them based on factors such as their age at the time of their experience. Trauma sufferers can experience life-long effects such as their self-view, trust, safety and their own view of the future. It is important for caregivers to fully understand the impact of trauma and to act accordingly and take trauma into consideration in their formulation of a recovery-from-trauma plan. In fact, the prevalence of trauma is so high that child welfare workers should assume that everyone they serve has a trauma history.
Resource Family Pre Approval Training - Session 3&4
For Caregivers
DISTANCE LEARNING
7/31/2021
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.