Foster Parent Association of Washington State

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Washington State requires prospective Foster Parents to complete 30 hours of "pre-service" training before licensure.... Kinship Providers can take all classes The Resource Family Training Institute provides classes, statewide, free of charge, whether you are licensed or not. Click banner below to view the course schedule in your area. Additionally, prospective foster parents need to complete CPR and First Aid Training as well as HIV/AIDS Training as a condition of licensing.. Resource Family Training Institute CPR & FIRST AID  TRAINING Click on the map to view the course schedule in your area. Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 | Region 4 | Region 5 | Region 6 Beginning March 1, 2005, all licensed homes  will be required to complete 36 hours of ongoing training in three years before being re-licensed. Read frequently asked questions about policy (29 Kb) Read complete policy (20 Kb) Fosterparentscope interactive training site Upcoming classes: Cascadia Training Offers the following: 600 Stewart Street, Suite 1313 Seattle, WA 98101 206.441.6892/800.298-6516 206.441.7281-Fax This is one of the many Fee based courses offered. Beginning in October 2005 Certificate in Foster Care and Adoption Therapy.  Increase your job skills, learn about the latest research and treatment approaches, and network with other professionals.  A 9-month, all inclusive training program developed by the Northwest Adoption Exchange and Antioch University.  For more information. http://www.cascadia-training.org/links.html Ongoing classes: UJIMA offers PRIDE Pre-Service Training FREE and open to all, each month at the UJIMA offices, 6419 MLK Jr. Way South, in Seattle.  PRIDE is a mandatory course for those desiring to foster in Washington State. Attending these training classes does not mandate the family to continue the foster and/or adoptive process through UJIMA, although it is a licensed placement agency and welcomes all families. Open House for all those who are considering adoption.  The Open House is the first Thursday of every month from 6 pm -7pm at Children's Home Society's Tacoma office.  Address is 201 S.34th Street, Tacoma, WA 98418.  Call 472-3355 during office hours to register or for other details. Ask for Jackie or Molly. Medina Children's Services offers FREE adoption information session on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6pm to 7:30pm at 123 16th Ave, Seattle WA.  Social workers are on hand to answer questions regarding the foster and adoption process.  Medina Children's Services has been serving the needs of children and families in the Puget Sound since 1921.  We offer the full range of adoption and parenting services from family training to post-adoption support.   Call 206/260 1700 to reserve a spot in our next training session.  Cascadia Resource Exchange is a division of Northwest Resource Associates, a 501c3 non-profit agency. We are devoted to providing useful resources for people working with service agencies.  To access their training calendar click here. Training Programs Washington State DSHS Foster Parent Training Program · A Division of Licensed Resources on-line web site for foster parents. We hope you will find this section informative    and an enjoyable learning experience.. · Earn your Associates Degree or Certification in Foster Parenting from Pierce Community College in Tacoma. ·         The Foster Parent Education program was developed in collaboration with the Department of    Social and Health  Services (DSHS) Division of Children and Family Services and representatives from several private agencies.  ·   The program  is designed to give current and prospective foster parents, and others who give substitute care for children and youth, the kind of specialized training they need. Also available ON LINE Advisor: Alan Kemp, (253) 964-6720 Division: Social Science · Degree: Associate in Foster Parent Education; Associate in Arts & Sciences (with emphasis in Foster Parent Education) Certificate: Certificate in Foster Parent Education PIERCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE UPDATE 1/27/06 Pi e r c e Co l l e g e Di s t a n c e L e a r n i n g 9 4 0 1 F a r we s t Dr i v e SW • L a k e Wo o d , WA 9 8 4 9 8 Online Foster Parent Education Workshops Online Foster Parent Education Workshops Online/On-ground Workshops for Foster Parents Pierce College Distance Learning and Washington’s DSHS are partnering to offer foster parents an opportunity to build skills at no tuition cost to the participant.* Workshop activities can be applied to foster parent licensing training requirements! Who can attend workshops: ◗ Licensed foster parents and others providing foster care ◗ Choose the style that works for you – online or on-ground ◗ Online participants need a computer with Internet access, standard office productivity software and skills to use them When are the workshops: ◗ For a complete schedule visit the Web site noted below** ◗ On-ground sessions are on Saturdays and run for 6 hours. Each region has a schedule for each of the six topics listed below ◗ All seven online sessions will be offered in February, April and June and run 3 weeks (plan for a few hours online each week) To register for the workshops: ◗ Identify the session of interest on the Web page and note the item number, title, dates and location ◗ Complete all boxes on the registration form attached below ◗ Mail/fax the form as directed. It must arrive at least one week before the session’s date ◗ Contact your DSHS regional training coordinator, or Rooney Anensen at (360) 902-0278, for general questions ◗ Contact the Pierce Distance Learning office at distedu@pierce.ctc.edu  or (253) 964-6244, for program questions Thanks Ed Bachmann 253-964-6377 Registration Form http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/Distance/ofpe/ofpeFlyer_2006.pdf Educational Advocacy Services For Children and Youth in Out-of-Home Care The state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Children’s Administration launched a ground-breaking Education Advocacy Program in collaboration with Treehouse, a King County non-profit organization leading the way in providing educational advocacy and support for youth in foster care.  This statewide initiative will guide foster youth, their care givers, school staff and social workers in the advocacy process.   Beginning February 2006, contracted Education Advocacy (EA) Coordinators will be stationed in all Regions. Each region will have either one full-time or two part-time EA Coordinator's). The role of the EA Coordinators is to provide advocacy interventions for eligible children and youth who have been identified as having unmet educational needs. In addition to direct advocacy, the EA Coordinators will also provide training to social workers, caregivers, and community providers on specific topics such as special education, the McKinney Vento Act, and school discipline.   For more information on the program and links to other education advocacy related materials please visit the Children’s Administration web site at http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/ca/fosterparents/

P.O.Box 1638,Olympia Wa 98507 Telephone: 800.391.2273 Fax: 360-786-9248 E-mail: captain46@comcast.net For web site information contact webmaster