Module 9: Managing The Fostering Experience

This module examines the impact of placement on one's family by devoting one session to exploring ways to help foster families manage the changes, transitions, and challenges presented by the fostering role and another session to helping participants manage the impact of abuse and neglect allegations.

Course Duration 6 hours
Course Delivery Self-Directed, Online
Course Provider Governors State University, Chicago IL
Course Type Self-Directed, Online

Session One explores the impact that fostering has on family operations, relationships within the family, and relationships outside the family. A five-step process for managing the impact of placement on family operations is presented and participants learn ways to maintain and strengthen marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships. The last part of this session is structured to assist foster families with maintaining and building connections to the “community.”

Session Two pertains to one of the most difficult situations that may occur in fostering —managing the impact of abuse and/or neglect allegations. ‘The focus of this session is 10t on whether abuse did or did not happen or whether families are "guilty" or “innocent.” Rather, emphasis is placed on the importance of being prepared, informed, and active in working toward managing the experience of abuse allegations. Also, the premise of this training is that these reports cannot be totally prevented

Participants learn about the importance of advance preparation and examine the ten steps for dealing with abuse/neglect allegations. A special feature of this session is the inclusion of two “expert presentations.” The first presentation, delivered by an expert on child protection policy and its application to foster family allegations, details how the investigation is conducted, timelines, circumstances under which children are removed, and how and when families are notified of the outcome. The second presentation, conducted by an expert on support services to foster families, outlines the agency philosophy regarding supports, provides an overview of available supports, explains how to access support services, and provides information to help foster families access appropriate resources.

Course Details

Course Type: Self-Directed, Online
Duration: 6 hours
P.R.I.D.E. Levels of Pay: All Levels
Recertification Required:
Provided by: Governors State University, Chicago IL
Training Type: CORE 1

Upcoming Events: Module 9: Managing The Fostering Experience

No upcoming course events at this time.

Related Courses

Module 7: Promoting Children's Personal And Cultural Identity

Session One provides participants with an understanding of the importance of valuing and making a commitment to cultural competence and ways to work with the family foster care team to promote positive self-esteem through respecting, advancing and sharing children’s cultural norms and traditions.

P.R.I.D.E. Pre-Service

PRIDE is a licensed model of practice for the development and support of foster families.

Module 6: Working As A Professional Team Member

The purpose of this module is to provide foster parents with an understanding of the professional team in working on behalf of children and families. The three sessions include information and skill development related to teamwork, the tasks of foster parents as professional team members, and conflict management.

Module 4: Responding To The Signs And Symptoms Of Sexual Abuse

This module consists of two sessions. The first session is intended to increase the participants’ understanding of sexual abuse, while second session is focused on assisting foster parents to respond effectively to the issues of sexual abuse.