Foster Family Coalition of the NWT

A unified voice.

P.R.I.D.E. stands for Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education. It was developed by the Child Welfare League of America and has been adopted for use in the majority of States in the US and the majority of Canadian Provinces as a pre-service training program for prospective foster and adoptive parents.

 

The training is designed to strengthen families and to provide the knowledge and skills needed in order to provide quality foster care as part of a professional team working to protect and nurture children and strengthen families.

 

Training is active in Yellowknife and being implemented in several other regions of the territories, contact our office if you would like to learn more about PRIDE.

 

 

 

 

PRIDE Training is broken into pre-service training and core training.

 - Pre service  is intended for foster or adoptive parents before they take children into their home.

 - Core service training is intended for foster parents who have received the pre service training, are currently foster./adoptive parents and want additional training.

 

Listed below are the learning objectives of PRIDE Pre Service Training

Session One: Connecting with PRIDE

Competencies

 

· Understand the factors that contribute to neglect, emotional maltreatment, physical abuse, and sexual abuse

· Know the conditions and experiences that may cause developmental delays and affect attachment

· Understand the concept of permanence for children and why children in family foster care are at risk for not being connected to lifetime relationships

· Know how adoption is a legal and social process that transfers parental rights to adoptive parents

· Know the needs of specific children awaiting adoption

· Know the implications of adoption for children at different stages of their development and can provide appropriate information and support

· Know the roles, rights, and responsibilities of foster parents and adoptive parents

 

 

Session Two: Teamwork toward Permanence

Competencies

 

· Know the importance of promoting a child’s positive sense of identity, history, culture, and values to help develop self-esteem

· Understand cultural, spiritual, social, and economic similarities and differences between a child’s primary family and foster family or adoptive family

· Understand the concept of permanence for children and why children in family foster care are at risk for not being connected to lifetime relationships

· Know the relationship between child welfare law, the agency mandate, and how the agency carries out its mandate

· Understand the laws which define the forms of child maltreatment and child protection and the legal processes related to child placement and permanency planning

· Know the roles, rights, and responsibilities of foster parents and adoptive    parents

· Know the purpose of service planning

· Know the agency’s service appeal policy

· Know their shared responsibility for open communication with other members of the child welfare team

· Know the importance of being non-judgmental in caring for children, working with their families and collaborating with other members of the team

· Know the unique aspects of the adoptive parent role which differentiate adoptive families from birth families and foster families

 

 

Session Three: Meeting Developmental Needs–Attachment

Competencies

 

· Understand the factors which contribute to neglect, emotional maltreatment, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.

· Know the physical, medical, emotional, and behavioral indicators of neglect.

· Know the physical, medical, emotional, and behavioral indicators of physical abuse.

· Know the physical, medical, emotional, and behavioral indicators of sexual abuse.

· Know the indicators of emotional maltreatment.

· Know the stages of normal human growth and development.

· Know how physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment affect attachment.

· Know the impact of multiple placements on a child’s development.

· Know how physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment affect child behavior.

· Know how physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment affect child growth and development.

· Know the conditions and experiences that may cause developmental delays and affect attachment.

· Can apply an understanding of attachment to the adoption process.

· Can recognize developmental delays and respond appropriately.

 

 

Session Four: Meeting Developmental Needs–Loss

Competencies

 

· Know the categories and types of loss, responses to loss, and the factors that influence the experience of separation, loss, and placement.

· Know the effects of separation and loss on children’s feelings and behaviors.

· Know how to help children cope with feelings resulting from separation and loss, and how to minimize the trauma of placement.

· Can apply an understanding of separation, loss and grief to the adoption process.

 

 

Session Five: Strengthening Family Relationships

Competencies

 

· Know the importance of promoting a child’s positive sense of identity, history, culture, and values to help develop self-esteem.

· Know the value of Life books.

· Understand the importance of respecting children’s connections to their birth families and previous foster families and/or adoptive families.

· Know that regular visits and other types of contact can strengthen relationships between children and their birth families.

· Know the importance of respecting and supporting children’s connections to their siblings appropriate to each sibling situation.

· Understand how visits with their family may affect children’s feelings and behaviors.

· Know how to prepare children for visits with their families, and how to help them manage their feelings in response to family contacts.

· Know the importance of being non-judgmental in caring for children, working with their families, and collaborating with other members of the team.

· Know the value of maintaining records regarding a child’s history.

 

 

Session Six:  Meeting Developmental Needs–Discipline

Competencies

 

· Can maintain a home environment which prevents and reduces injuries.

· Know the importance of creating a supportive and accepting family environment.

· Know the importance of providing unconditional positive support.

· Understand the relationship between meeting needs and behavior.

· Know the goals of effective discipline and how these goals relate to the agency’s policy on discipline.

· Know developmentally appropriate, non-physical disciplinary techniques used to meet the goals of effective discipline.

· Know how to use discipline strategies with children who have experienced trauma.

 

 

Session Seven: Continuing Family Relationships

Competencies

 

· Understand the importance of respecting children’s connections to their birth families and previous foster families and/or adoptive families.

· Know that regular visits and other types of contact can strengthen relationships between children and their birth families.

· Know the importance of respecting and supporting children’s connections to their siblings appropriate to each sibling situation.

· Understand the concept of permanence for children and why children in family foster care are at risk for not being connected to lifetime relationships.

· Understand that reunification is a primary child welfare goal, and know the circumstances that would contribute to the selection of each permanency goal.

· Understand the reunification process and how children, their parents, and foster families may experience a child’s transition from a foster family to the birth family.

· Know how the professional team can support the reunification process.

· Understand the process and impact of a child’s transition from a foster family to an adoptive family.

· Know the implications of adoption for children at different stages of their development and can provide appropriate information and support.

· Know how the professional team can support a positive transition for children and adoptive families.

· Understand the rationale for planned, long-term family foster care, and know the supports and services the agency can provide throughout the placement

· Understand the reasons why children and youths in family foster care may be at risk for learning and practicing skills for young adult like, and know the types of services and supports available to support a youth’s transition from family foster care to independent living.

· Know the importance of promoting a child’s sense of identity, history, culture, and values to help develop self-esteem.

· Understand cultural, spiritual, social and economic similarities and differences between a child’s birth family and foster family or adoptive family.

· Know the process involved in conducting an adoption search.

· Understand the family’s role and tasks in the adoption process and the impact this has on one’s family.

· Understand why children and youths leave family foster care without a plan or advanced planning; know how the child welfare team can work together to prevent unplanned changes and placement disruptions; know the importance of supporting children and all members of the foster family when disruptions occur.

 

Session Eight: Planning for Change

Competencies

· Can maintain a home environment that promotes a sense of safety and well-being.

· Are familiar with community hazards that place children at risk.

· Know how to help children cope with feelings resulting from separation and loss, and how to minimize the trauma of placement.

· Know the importance of creating a supportive and accepting family environment.

· Understand the agency’s policy regarding foster parent abuse and neglect allegations.

· Know the impact of placement disruption on all members of the resource family.

· Know how fostering or adopting can affect family relationships and lifestyle.

· Know the physical, medical, emotional, and behavioral indicators of sexual abuse.

· Understand the family’s role and tasks in the adoption process and the impact this process has on one’s own family

· Understand the need to anticipate challenges as an adoptive family and can use strategies for managing these challenges.

· Know the importance of promoting a child’s positive sense of identity, history, culture, and values to help develop self-esteem.

Session Nine: Taking PRIDE–Making an Informed Decision Promoting Safety, Permanence, and Well-Being

Competencies

Prospective foster parents and adoptive parents:

· Know the roles, rights, and responsibilities of foster parents and adoptive parents.

· Understand the importance of respecting children’s connections to their birth families, and previous foster families and/or adoptive families.

· Know the importance of being nonjudgmental in caring for children, working with their families, and collaborating with other members of the team.

· Know the agency’s policy regarding confidentiality for children and families.

· Know the value of affiliating with other foster parents and adoptive parents, and with foster parent and adoptive parent associations.

· Know the importance of being informed of changes in child welfare policies and practices.

· Know the importance of advocating for children to obtain needed services.

· Know their own strengths and needs in fulfilling the foster parent or adoptive parent role.

· Know the foster parent’s responsibility to collaborate with agency staff in the assessment of one’s own learning needs, and to implement a Family Development Plan to meet the identified needs.

· Know the rewards of fostering and adopting.