Involvement in Training 622-05-40-45

(Revised 10/1/2019 ML #3564)

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Foster parents must be willing to participate in training sessions made available to enhance their relationships as foster parents and better enable them to deal with problems particular to foster care.

 

1. Orientation Training

1. All potential foster parent(s) must be provided orientation training during the licensing process. This training is mandatory for all prospective foster parents.
2. This training may be provided in one of the following methods:

1. To the prospective applicants by the licensing agency during the licensing process;
2. To multiple applicants within a given county during the licensing process;
3. On a regional basis, whenever the opportunity is available; or
4. If the training is provided on more than a single family basis, then other foster parents must be utilized to assist in providing this training.

3. Orientation training may include, but is not limited to, the following areas.

1. Special emphasis should be placed on the following:

• Roles, relationships, and expectations of foster care.
• Foster child and the child’s parents.
• Traumas of separation and child’s grieving process.
• The effects of abuse and neglect on children entering foster care.

1. Other areas of training that could be included are as follows:

• Methods of discipline.
• Legal concerns of foster care.
• Communication skills.
• Child and adolescent development.
• Constructive problem-solving.
• Human sexuality.
• Community services for children.
• Basic First Aid and CPR.
• Home safety.
• Abuse and neglect issues.
• Sexual abuse.
• Other areas of determined by agencies/foster parents.

4. The County Social Service Board and Human Service Center staff may utilize staff from other agencies, including licensed family foster parents, to assist them in providing this training.
5. The prospective foster parents must sign a statement that they have received this training. A copy of this document must be kept in the foster parent file and a copy given to the UND-CFSTC in Grand Forks.
6. The Department, authorized licensing agent and child’s supervising agency must make every effort to make the foster parent training accessible to the foster parents.
7. If the Department provides or approves training, as listed above, the refusal or failure of the foster parent(s) to comply with the requirements may have an impact upon current and future placements of children in their home.

2. Initial Training

Every foster parent initially licensed must take the PRIDE Pre-Service training prior to child placement* and must complete the full PRIDE training course within the first year of licensure. The PRIDE Pre- Services training provided within the first year of licensure will also meet the annual training requirement, with the exception of initial fire safety.

 

* Under certain circumstances, the Department’s regional office may waive this requirement.

 

3. Annual Training

Every licensed foster parent(s) must complete 13 hours of annual training each calendar year, requiring one hour of fire safety training. Training is mandatory for all currently licensed foster parents. This includes both foster parents in a two-parent household, unless this would create a problem for the family, such as a financial burden due to loss of wages, etc.

Foster parents may be exempted from this mandatory training if they have not had a placement in the past 12 months or it is anticipated that they will not be providing foster care for at least 12 months. This exemption from training must be made, in writing, by the Department.

1. Annual mandatory training may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Child and adolescent development
• Communication skills
• Roles and relationships in foster care
• Community services for children
• Methods of discipline
• Constructive problem-solving
• Foster child’s natural parents
• Legal concerns of foster care
• Basic first aid and CPR
• Home safety
• Traumas of separation
• Child’s grieving process
• Human sexuality
• Child Neglect and Abuse issues
• Sexual abuse
• Other areas of concern determined by the agencies and foster parents
• Cultural awareness or competency

2. This annual training may be provided by agencies other than the County Social Service Boards, human service zone and the Department of Human Services. All training received by the foster parents must be approved in advance by the authorized licensing agent, in writing.,
3. The foster parents must acknowledge to the department, in writing, that they have received this annual training and a copy given to the UND-CFSTC in Grand Forks.
4. Notification of training opportunities must be given to the foster parents in writing.