Alliance Course Catalog

This short eLearning will answer your questions about how and why adoption support services are offered, what adoption support services exist, and how to access them.

Este curso también está disponible en español en https://allianceforchildwelfare.org/content/apoyo-la-adopci%C3%B3n-para-cuidadores

For many children in foster care, the path up to, including and even after adoption can include trauma, grief and loss. As a potential adoptive parent, it’s crucial that you understand the story a foster child is bringing to you and what part you can play in that.

This course, “Advanced Adoption: The Effects of Trauma and Loss on Adopted Children,” takes you beyond the introductory level into beginning to understand more deeply the emotional, mental and physical needs an adoptive child may have. A startlingly high number of adoptions are not successful, which is why it is so important that you have realistic expectations and adequate support, both of which are explored in this training.

You will first be guided through a discussion around the definition of adoption, including what it is and what it isn’t, and you will be encouraged to share your ideals and goals as an adoptive parent. You will then spend a majority of your time learning about the impact of trauma, grief, loss and ACES (adverse childhood experiences) on development in adopted children, and exploring how to recognize behaviors related to these issues. This includes training on attachment and learning ways to strengthen your bond with the children in your care depending on their attachment style.

When you leave the training, you will have numerous new training resources and supports to assist you as you navigate this new environment.

In this workshop supervisors and managers will develop their skills for engaging across culture when tension exists.  Participants will explore Intent vs. Impact, how implicit bias can effect their decision making in determining outcomes and unpack dynamics between employees when conflict exists.  Participants will learn how best to approach tense situations through role playing, video, and small and large group discussion.

Objectives. Participants will…

1. Learn strategies for engaging when they commit, witness or experience a microaggression;
2. Explore strategies for addressing conflict that occurs between their staff;
3. Improve their ability to have courageous conversations.

This course is presented by Dr. Caprice Hollins. Dr. Hollins is the co-founder of Cultures Connecting. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in multicultural and community psychology in 1998.  She became licensed in Washington State in 2000 and has over 20 years of experience studying and working with ethnically diverse populations.  She has over 14 years of experience teaching graduate courses, working with historically marginalized populations, researching, studying, and facilitating race related conversations. Her experience includes opening and directing the Department of Equity & Race Relations for Seattle Public Schools, developing and implementing district-wide and school-based trainings, while utilizing her background in psychology to assist district leaders and staff, institutionalize change to promote equity and social justice. She also currently works as a part-time core faculty in the department of counseling at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology.

CEU eligible: 6 credits

In this course, you will learn the definitions of child abuse and neglect used in Washington State, as well as your obligation to report suspected child maltreatment.  You will be introduced to 3 foundational concepts used in child welfare work: child safety, risk assessment and global assessment.  You will consider how ethical principles, particularly related to confidentiality and your role as a helping professional impacts how you do your work.  Lastly, you will be introduced to the Safety Framework, the guiding structure used in our state to understand and assess child safety.  You will be asked to consider how culture might affect both your assessment of child safety and the work you do to ensure children are kept safe.

Participants register separately for each part of the module, but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 1.1 will not be allowed to participate in 1.2.

Module 1 Child Safety includes:

1.1 eLearning

• Mandatory Reporter
• Ethics and Confidentiality
• Basics of Present Danger and Protective Actions

1.2 Webinar

• Child Safety: Identifying Present Danger

1.3 Webinar

• Child Safety: Taking Protective Actions

In this course, you will learn how protective actions help ensure the safety of children in present danger.  You will learn what components protective actions must include for you to feel confident in their being effective.  Of particular importance, you will consider how you decide whether a specific adult can be relied upon to participate and provide safety to the child.  Finally, you will put everything you have learned about child safety into practice as you consider a scenario and determine whether present danger exists and, if so, what protective actions might be effective.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 1.1 and 1.2 will not be allowed to participate in 1.3.

Module 1 Child Safety includes:

1.1 eLearning

• Mandatory Reporter
• Ethics and Confidentiality
• Basics of Present Danger and Protective Actions

1.2 Webinar

• Child Safety: Identifying Present Danger

1.3 Webinar

• Child Safety: Taking Protective Actions

Identifying injuries which tend to be seen prior to, or along with, serious physical abuse can help us identify children who are unsafe, and sometimes prevent disastrous consequences.  You will learn about these injuries, called “Sentinel Injuries,” as well as injuries that are more common in childhood and don’t typically raise concern for abuse.  You will practice differentiating between the two using many different scenarios.  Lastly, you will learn more about how to collaborate with key partners, particularly medical professionals, in response to your concerns related to an observed mark or injury.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order.  Participants who have not completed 2.1 will not be allowed to participate in 2.2.

Module 2 Physical Abuse includes:

2.1 eLearning

• Intro to Physical Abuse and MedCon
• Basics of Photographic Documentation
• Limited English Proficiency

2.2 Webinar

• Physical Abuse: Sentinel Injuries

2.3 Webinar

• Physical Abuse: Serious Physical Abuse

In this course, you will learn more about how Washington State defines and responds to neglect and sexual abuse. Afterhours staff rarely interview children to gather information about the specifics of maltreatment, but their discussions with young people can help or hurt DCYF’s ability to protect the child in the future. You will review and apply basic principles of child interviewing to support you in talking with children about their overall safety at home. You will learn about the function of child advocacy centers as partners in responding to sexual abuse concerns. Lastly, you will learn best practice for assessing the suitability of unlicensed relatives/others and the importance of providing caregivers with all information available about the child.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 3.1 will not be allowed to participate in 3.2.

Module 3 Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children includes:

3.1 eLearning

• Neglect and Basics of Child Interviews
• Intro to Sexual Abuse and Responding to Spontaneous Disclosure
• Placing with Unlicensed Caregivers for AHCT

3.2 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Assessing Neglect and Sexual Abuse

3.3 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Placing Children

Afterhour’s staff respond in crises and emergencies – situations that are likely to be traumatic for everyone involved.  In this course, you will consider ways to reduce the traumatic impact of removal from the home and placement into a new care setting.  You will carefully consider how to determine, along with your supervisor, whether a placement with a relative or suitable other is safe and should occur.  In addition, you will learn how to support the success of a placement by reviewing critical forms with a new caregiver, and providing information about the child.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order.  Participants who have not completed 3.1 and 3.2 will not be allowed to participate in 3.3.

Module 3 Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children includes:

3.1 eLearning

• Neglect and Basics of Child Interviews
• Intro to Sexual Abuse and Responding to Spontaneous Disclosure
• Placing with Unlicensed Caregivers for AHCT

3.2 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Assessing Neglect and Sexual Abuse

3.3 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Placing Children

In this course, you will review several principles of trauma informed care and consider how these apply to your routine interactions with children awaiting placement. You will consider what you will need (and need to do) to care for children awaiting placement, whether that is for an hour or a weekend. Significant time is spent addressing children who have challenging behaviors or exceptional care needs. This includes building a stronger understanding of policy and practice around youth who run away or have returned from being on the run. You will become more familiar with how to monitor, dispense, and document medications to youth who are taking them. Lastly, you will discuss your takeaways from the eLearning related to the Indian Child Welfare act. You will apply what you learned to your role in afterhours, and identify steps you should be taking to ensure everyone’s rights are protected.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 4.1 will not be allowed to participate in 4.2.

Module 4 Caring for Children, Worker Safety and Documentation includes:

4.1 eLearning

• Caring for Children and Using Car Seats Correctly
• Worker Safety
• Indian Child Welfare: An Introduction

4.2 Webinar

• Caring for Children

4.3 Webinar

• Worker Safety and Documentation

Este breve eLearning responderá a sus preguntas sobre cómo y por qué se ofrecen los servicios de apoyo para la adopción, qué servicios de apoyo para la adopción existen y cómo acceder a ellos.

This course is also available in English at https://allianceforchildwelfare.org/content/adoption-support-caregivers-elearning

Area Administrators need to achieve competency in understanding the child welfare practice as well as in the higher levels of systems management. This course provides Area Administrators with an introduction of baseline competencies for middle managers in public child welfare, and opportunities to develop and practice new skills regarding these competencies. Managing self, managing others, managing systems and managing outward are the four main themes integrated throughout this course.

Day 1: Foundations for Managers in Child Welfare
Day 2: Effective Relationships as a Manager
Day 3: Strategies for Effective Organizational Communication
Day 4: Growing and Sustaining Effective Internal and External Teams
Day 5: Essentials for Resource Management
Day 6: Strategic Thinking and Planning Tools for the Manager

This 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers provides an in-depth exploration of Drug Impacted Infants and Toddlers. The training focuses on how to identify and address the impacts drugs have on infants and toddlers; how to recognize symptoms; set up a successful environment and work together with the team in providing care for the child. The takeaway from this training is feeling empowered to care for a drug impacted Infant as they grow through infancy, toddler and preschool

This 6-hour focused topic training for caregivers develops an understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as presented in DSM 5 and alternate behavioral descriptions from Daniel Amen MD.  The training also covers the common developmental course of ADHD and a 7 Step Intervention pathway for home and school success.

Randi Hankins has over 30 years of clinical experience in community mental health in Washington State.  She is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Master’s of Social Work Program at Walla Walla University.  She maintains a fulltime clinical practice on a Crisis Response Unit in Southeastern Washington.  Ms. Hankins has trained extensively on Child/Adolescent Mental Health issues in Washington, Idaho and Montana.  She is certified as a Designated Mental Health Professional, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Child Mental Health Specialist, and a Developmental Disabilities Mental Health Specialist in Washington State

The purpose of this e-learning is to provide foundational information about what domestic violence is, and how it can affect child safety. This eLearning also highlights Department of Children, Youth, and Families' domestic violence policies and best practices, found in Department of Children, Youth, and Families' Social Worker’s Practice Guide to Domestic Violence. It’s recommended that staff complete this e-learning prior to attending “Domestic Violence and Child Welfare.”

Bloodborne Pathogens Safety Training is a mandatory training for all potential foster parents and respite providers in the State of Washington. This training will help you understand the risk anticipated by contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials as the result of caring for children. This class contains bloodborne pathogens training that is specific to non-healthcare related homes and workplaces.

Upon completing this training, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the characteristics of pathogens and the primary functions of our immune system.
• Identify the most common diseases caused by bloodborne pathogens and how they are transmitted.
• Differentiate the infection control principles and practices used against bloodborne pathogens.
• Implement procedures and precautions to prevent the spread of bloodborne pathogens in your home and in the community.

La Capacitación Básica para Cuidadores (Caregiver Core Training, CCT) es la capacitación obligatoria para que los cuidadores del estado de Washington obtengan una licencia. La Capacitación Básica para Cuidadores se puede realizar de dos maneras: en línea o en el salón de clases.

Si prefiere el aprendizaje electrónico, en línea y a su propio ritmo, tenga en cuenta las pautas generales para las capacitaciones en línea que se enumeran a continuación. Luego desplácese hacia abajo hasta Instrucciones de registro y haga clic en el enlace para comenzar el curso en línea.

Si prefiere realizar el curso en un salón de clases (se lleva a cabo en varios lugares del estado), haga clic en este enlace para registrarse.

Tanto la formación en línea como en el salón de clases abordan el mismo contenido fundamental.

Cada participante debe registrarse por separado: si ambos miembros de una pareja planean completar la capacitación juntos, aún así cada uno debe registrarse y realizar el curso en línea, de forma individual.

Versión en línea de la CCT

La Capacitación Básica para Cuidadores de 24 horas se compone de ocho unidades (cada una de aproximadamente tres horas de duración) y una experiencia de campo, que se puede completar en cualquier momento durante la parte en línea. También hay una unidad de instrucción obligatoria después de completar la parte en línea.

Unidad 1: Introducción al sistema de bienestar infantil
Unidad 2: El trabajo como miembro de un equipo
Unidad 3: Trabajar con familias biológicas
Unidad 4: Conexiones culturales y promoción
Unidad 5: Crecer con trauma, dolor y pérdida
Unidad 6: Comprensión y manejo del comportamiento
Unidad 7: Comunicación y gestión de crisis
Unidad 8: Cómo prepararse y los efectos en la familia que brinda el cuidado

Experiencia de campo: Los participantes aprenden fuera del salón de clases, eligiendo una actividad que les ayudará a ser más conscientes de la experiencia de los niños dentro del sistema o del papel de un cuidador de niños en el sistema. La experiencia de campo se aprobará si ocurre dentro del plazo de un año antes de que el participante comience la CCT, ya sea en la versión de la Capacitación Básica para Cuidadores en el salón de clases o en la versión en línea.

Las unidades están diseñadas para ayudarlo a comprender cómo funciona el sistema, cuál es su función como miembro del equipo, cómo trabajar de manera efectiva con las familias biológicas para apoyar mejor al niño, cómo el rol de cuidador puede afectar a su propia familia, en qué consisten el desarrollo infantil y el impacto del trauma, qué debe saber sobre el apego, cómo incorporar y honrar la cultura de un niño dentro de su propia familia, y más. Las unidades incluyen las perspectivas de jóvenes que estuvieron en crianza temporal, de cuidadores actuales y de padres biológicos que han sido parte del sistema.

Cada unidad incluye recursos e información adicional. Estos son los materiales de estudio que también se proporcionarán en cada unidad.

Tiene un año para completar el curso, incluida la capacitación en línea, la experiencia de campo y la llamada de instrucción. Informaremos sobre su progreso a lo largo del curso a la Licensing Division del Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) y a los contratistas de reclutamiento y retención de hogares de crianza temporal de su zona, para que puedan ofrecerle apoyo adicional si fuera necesario. No rastreamos ni compartimos ninguna información acerca de cómo respondió a las actividades o preguntas del cuestionario dentro de la capacitación en línea. Simplemente queremos asegurarnos de que tenga el apoyo que necesita para completar la capacitación.

Pautas generales de la CCT en línea

La versión en línea funciona mejor para personas que cumplen con lo siguiente:

• Tienen acceso regular a una tableta, computadora portátil o computadora de escritorio.
• Se sienten cómodas con la tecnología.
• No les importa leer en una pantalla.
• Tienen acceso a Internet de alta velocidad para poder participar en el curso en línea y reproducir videos.

Did you know more than half of children’s car seats are installed incorrectly? The car is a dangerous place for a child to be, but there are many resources that can help ensure you’re following all safety and legal guidelines. This brief eLearning for DCYF staff is the perfect spot to start, helping you select, fit and install the correct seat each time you need to transport a child. You will find an overview of basic requirements and Washington state laws as well as real-world installation examples and tips. The course is full of useful, surprising facts – the appropriate time to transition a child out of a booster seat might surprise you! You will also find links to many outside resources for more in-depth information.

Caregiver Core Training (CCT) is the mandatory training for Washington State’s caregivers to become licensed. Caregiver Core Training can be taken two ways – online or in the classroom.

If you prefer to use a self-paced, online eLearning, please consider the general guidelines for online trainings listed below, and then scroll down to Registration Instructions and click the link to start the online course.

If you prefer to take the course in a classroom (conducted at various locations around the state) click this link to register.

Both the online and classroom training cover the same critical content.

Each participant must register separately: if a couple plans to complete the training together, each member must still register and go through the online course individually.

CCT Online Version

The 24-hour Caregiver Core Training is made up of eight sessions (each about three hours long) and a field experience, which can be completed at any point during the online portion. There is also a mandatory coaching session after the online portion is completed.

Session 1: Introduction to the Child Welfare System
Session 2: Working as a Member of a Team
Session 3: Working with Birth Families
Session 4: Cultural Connections and Advocacy
Session 5: Growing Up with Trauma, Grief, and Loss
Session 6: Understanding and Managing Behavior
Session 7: Communication and Crisis Management
Session 8: Getting Ready and the Effects on the Caregiving Family

Field Experience: Participants learn outside the classroom by choosing an activity that will give them more awareness of the experience of children within the system or of the role of a caregiver for children in the system. The Field Experience will be approved if it occurs within one year prior to the participant beginning CCT, both in the classroom and on-line versions of Caregiver Core Training.

The sessions are designed to help you understand how the system works, what your role is as a member of the team, how to effectively work with birth families in order to best support the child, how caregiving may impact your own family, child development and the impact of trauma, all about attachment, how to incorporate and honor a child's culture into your own family, and more.  The sessions include the voices of former foster youth, current caregivers and birth parents who have been involved with the system.

Each session includes resources and additional information. Here are the handouts that will also be provided in each session.

You have one year to complete the course including the online training, field experience and coaching call. We will let the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Licensing Division and the foster care Recruitment and Retention Contractors in your area know about your progress through the course so they can offer you additional support if needed. We don’t track or share any information about how you responded to activities or quiz questions within the online training. We simply want to make sure you have the support you need to complete the training.

CCT online general guidelines

The online version works best for people who:

• Have regular access to a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer
• Are comfortable with technology
• Don’t mind reading on a screen
• Have high-speed internet access that allows them to participate in the online course and play videos

If this isn’t for you, or if you start the course online and then change your mind, you are always welcome to take the classroom version of CCT instead. Click here to register.

This 6-hour in-service training for caregivers provides a foundation for caregiving and behavior management for children in out-of-home care who struggle with physically aggressive behaviors.  Participants will explore the potential impacts of trauma and maltreatment on attachment, behavior and development as well as the risk factors for violent behavior in children.  Participants will closely review the newest Washington Administrative Code (WAC) related to discipline and will contrast principles of positive discipline and punishment. Skill building will focus on creating a plan to prevent a crisis; the various forms aggression may take and how to look for signs of when a child is agitated or escalating; how to intervene during a crisis; and how to manage ongoing or explosive aggressive behaviors via teaching coping skills and Collaborative Problem Solving.  Local resources and supports for the youth as well as the caregiver are discussed.

This 6-hour in-service course will prepare caregivers to work with children with sexual behaviors concerns and create an environment to keep the child and other household members safe. Participants will explore values and beliefs before reviewing typical child sexual development and the impacts of trauma, abuse and neglect on development and behaviors. Participants will explore how sexual abuse can impact development, self-image and the household supporting them. After reviewing typical sexual development, participants will learn how different experiences and circumstances may lead to sexual behavior concerns and how to intervene and respond safely. Caregivers will learn their role in promoting health sexual development, positive messaging, prevention education, the importance of establishing house rules and other ideas to maintain safety for the whole household.

Este curso también está disponible en inglés en https://allianceforchildwelfare.org/content/crianza-de-ni%C3%B1os-con-problemas-de-comportamiento-sexual

This is the first in an eight-part training series focusing on “Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma.” Over the entire course, you will work through what trauma is, how it affects children and those around them, and how you can support the child and yourself.

Part 1 is an introduction to the concept of trauma as an underlying factor in the challenging behaviors of some foster children. You will get a look at “real world” examples of situations in which a child’s trauma is manifesting in different ways. You also will be guided through the “Essential Elements of Trauma-Informed Parenting,” tools you may find helpful immediately. When you are done you will be able to describe trauma-informed parenting and its benefits, which will set you up for success as you move forward in this course.

Part 3 of the “Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma” series walks you through the profound impact trauma has on a child’s development and functioning.

At the start of the class, you will engage in an exercise that sheds light on how the brain receives information about danger. This puts you in a mindset to understand how the brain can be shaped by trauma. The training ties this to how a child’s development can be affected at different ages and what impact trauma can have on behavior.

There are many things you can do as a resource parent to help children overcome trauma and build new pathways in their brains. In this class you will learn about the “Invisible Suitcase,” and how trauma-informed parenting can help “repack” it in a positive way.

Part 5 of the “Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma” series dives into deeper discussions about the relationship between trauma and psychology.

In this session you will be introduced to the Cognitive Triangle, a tool that helps with recognition of the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviors. You will discuss how trauma affects these aspects and why a child who has experienced trauma may act out.

You also will spend a lot of time talking about your role as a resource parent and how you can help, through understanding the child’s needs. You have the opportunity to build new, positive experiences that can help reshape the brain and support the child’s development of emotional skills.

Part 7 of the “Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma” series broadens the discussion about trauma to look at your role within the team of people involved in the child’s life.

Trauma-informed advocacy involves many of the same aspects as trauma-informed parenting – once you understand the latter you can work toward sharing this perspective with other people who are supporting the child. During this training you will talk specifically about what this looks like, and engage in a role-play scenario that will support your skill building and interactions with the child’s team.

In this session you also will discuss the times when you may need to seek additional help for the child in your care. You will look at the behaviors that point to a need for therapy, and how you can support this by seeking trauma-informed treatment and evaluating that treatment in an ongoing way.

This 6 hour focused training for caregivers provides an in-depth exploration of secure attachment and challenges to attachment as well as building caregiver skills to enhance attachment with children in out of home care.  

This two-day in-service training delivered by webinar will prepare new CFWS caseworkers and experienced CFWS caseworkers who wish to improve their practice to engage parents and families from the point of transfer or case assignment. Participants will learn how to make the most of the first meeting and monthly visits with the parent in building a working relationship geared toward safe reunification and timely permanency. Participants will explore engaging children and caregivers during monthly visits, best interest considerations and permanency planning. Participants will be provided tools to improve the quality of court reports in addressing policy requirements and good practice.

A pre-requisite to the webinar training is the Permanency Considerations (eLearning). Participants must register and complete this eLearning prior to the webinar.

This eLearning primarily features a video of a popular Child Protection Medical Consultation (MedCon) presentation for Regional Core Training. The video showcases two respected and well-known child abuse pediatricians, Dr. Rebecca Wiester and Dr. Joyce Gilbert. Dr. Wiester and Dr. Gilbert discuss important aspects of Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, and Neglect within the context of their expertise as child protection medial consultants.

Viewers are walked through recognizing sentinel injuries; understanding Abusive Head Trauma and its connection to the Period of PURPLE Crying; identifying when to seek medical consultation, how to submit a referral, and what information to provide; and how to locate important county protocols and policy resources online. Viewers will also be provided with a helpful Notes Worksheet, which will guide them through capturing important information needed in practice, and to pass the quiz at the end. This eLearning also provides a Facilitator Guide and can be viewed either individually, or facilitated for a small group viewing.

Coaching sessions are utilized to enhance a learner’s specific skill attainment in an identified area of practice.  Coaching sessions are provided to Children’s Administration workforce to help workers attain specific skills pertinent to their daily work/practice in child welfare.  Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after each session. 

Ad Hoc field based coaching topics include:

Tasks such as AFCARS, redaction, case closure, and entering ICWA/NAIR information into FamLink, filing of documentation into case files.

Coaching sessions are utilized to enhance a learner’s specific skill attainment in an identified area of practice.  Coaching sessions are provided to Department of Children, Youth, and Families workforce to help workers attain specific skills pertinent to their daily work/practice in child welfare.  Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after each session. 

Assessments (Functionality and Content) field based coaching topics include:

Content and FamLink functionality in completing the Investigative Assessment (IA), Family Assessment Response Family Assessment (FARFA) and Comprehensive Family Evaluation (CFE); understanding the use of the gathering questions to assess for child safety; identifying and utilizing protective factors and protective capacities for safety and case planning; understanding timeframes for each assessment in the different program areas; service referrals and the use of EBP’s.

Coaching sessions are utilized to enhance a learner’s specific skill attainment in an identified area of practice.  Coaching sessions are provided to the Department of Children, Youth and Family's workforce to help workers attain specific skills pertinent to their daily work/practice in child welfare.  Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after each session.

Assessing for Child Safety throughout the Life of the Case field based coaching topics include:

Assessing for present danger/impending danger; applying the Child Safety Framework; understanding the 17 safety threats and how to plan for present danger with protective action plans and safety plans in cases with identified impending danger; how to make appropriate collateral contacts; interviewing of children, parents/caregivers and all adults in the home; using medical consultation (Med-Cons); scheduling and preparing for appropriate case staffings; using Structured Decision Making (SDM) to help assess risk in cases and reassessing child safety throughout the life of the case.  

In this coaching session you will get individual support from a coach as you apply what you learned during the NCAST/PCI Feeding Scales Certification training. This application includes observing a feeding interaction and gathering pertinent information about the parent-child dyad; assessment of parent-child interactions; , scoring the Feeding Scale; and intervening with parents and young children. You will get direct feedback as you learn to apply the skills and knowledge to your everyday interactions with children and families inside and outside the scope of the Feeding Scales assessment.

Coaching sessions are utilized to enhance a learner’s specific skill attainment in an identified area of practice.  Coaching sessions are provided to Department of Children, Youth, and Families workforce to help workers attain specific skills pertinent to their daily work/practice in child welfare.  Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after each session. 

Permanency (Timeline/Case Planning /Case Management) field based coaching topics include:

Permanency timelines; permanency from day one; engaging with families to co-create case plans; setting safety objectives; measuring progress versus compliance in cases; transition planning for children; knowing when to file for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR); understanding the court process and when to change permanency plans; understanding the adoption process; understanding parent/child visitation plans (supervised, monitored, etc.); understanding reasonable efforts versus active efforts for ICWA cases.

Coaching for Supervisors provides a one-on-one professional development opportunity and is an essential element in supporting the daily work supervisors do with their units and staff. Sessions can be scheduled in 30 minute intervals and can cover:

• Observation and feedback on monthly supervisory case reviews
• Use of Supervisor Review Tool in FamLink
• Documentation / Assessment review and approvals
• Observation and feedback on skills used to engage with staff
• Organization and Prioritization of work

This training is for licensed and unlicensed caregivers and relative / kinship providers to learn to support children and youth in their care who may be questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity or who may identify as LGTBQ+. It is good for all caregivers to receive this training because it is important that all children and youth in care feel safe, accepted and supported.

Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and two spirit (LGBTQ+) youth are overrepresented in the foster care system. LGBTQ+ youth in out of home care face additional challenges such as discrimination, stigma and bullying. LGBTQ+ children/youth feel unsafe and face rejection from their families, schools and community. Many times, LGBTQ+ youth do not have access to appropriate health care and mental health resources.

This eLearning course was developed from Connecting, a prevention-focused program specifically for foster parents and relative caregivers, and teens in out of home care. Connecting was created using input and advice from social workers, caregivers, and LGBTQ+ foster youth.

This eLearning will provide caregivers an overview of the:

• Myths and stereotypes about LGBTQ+ children/youth and will provide facts and realities;
• Fundamental facts and terms about LGBTQ+ children/youth;
• Provide opportunities for activities for caregivers and children/youth;
• Address safety issues and develop plans for children/youth safety; and
• Learn how to promote the health, safety and well-being of the children/youth in care.

This eLearning will allow the caregiver to complete activities on their own as well as together with the children/youth in their care if they agree.

Participants will learn about the importance of contract monitoring, the Contract Monitoring Team, the purpose of a Compliance Agreement, and what to do if there are concerns about a contractor’s performance.

Este curso de aprendizaje electrónico para cuidadores brinda la base para la crianza y el control del comportamiento de niños de crianza fuera del hogar que enfrentan problemas de comportamientos físicamente agresivos. Explorará los posibles efectos del trauma y el maltrato relacionado con el apego, el comportamiento y el desarrollo, así como también los factores de riesgo de los comportamientos violentos en niños. Analizará el Código Administrativo de Washington (Washington Administrative Code, WAC) en relación con la disciplina y comparará los principios de la disciplina y el castigo positivos. La formación de habilidades se centrará en crear un plan para prevenir una crisis, en las distintas formas que puede tomar la agresión y cómo identificar los signos de cuando un niño está agitado o alterado, en cómo intervenir durante una crisis, y en cómo controlar los comportamientos agresivos en curso o explosivos mediante la enseñanza de habilidades de afrontamiento y resolución colaborativa de problemas. También se proporcionan recursos y apoyos para los jóvenes y el cuidador.

This course is also available in English at https://allianceforchildwelfare.org/content/caregiving-children-physically-aggressive-behavior-concerns-elearning.

This training is designed for social workers who are serving children placed with Kinship Caregivers, and their supervisors.  The class will prepare you to recognize and address the issues that Kinship Caregivers are most likely to confront, and those that often lead to placement disruption or impact child wellbeing.  Participants will leave with a host of written resources that may be helpful as they talk with caregivers about their needs and about the child’s needs, and as they guide caregivers in connecting to resources within and outside the department that will decrease stress and increase support for them and their families.  Participants will also practice discussing issues of concern with relative caregivers, so that they can be best prepared to have these discussions frequently and successfully with Kinship Caregivers.

As an administrative professional you are important, and so is your safety!  This eLearning will help you learn how more effectively manage a situation that has become a crisis and may involve threats to someone’s safety. The key insights in this course are identifying a crisis, verbal strategies to help de-escalate situations and managing your own reaction, as well as specific stay-safe strategies and considerations during and after a crisis. There are many opportunities within the course to examine real-life situations and practice applying the information. Upon completing the course, learners will be better prepared to respond in a crisis and prevent safety issues from occurring. They also will have a better understanding of what to do when worker safety threats do occur, and what to do after such incidents.

As a meeting facilitator you have an important role in achieving safety, permanency and well-being for children in out of home care. Permanency planning meetings can be emotionally charged. This eLearning will help you learn a range of prevention behaviors that can keep tense situations from turning into crises. You'll learn about understanding where anger comes from and what it looks like, tools to help others stay calm and communicate what they need, helpful communication strategies for tense situations, acknowledging individual and cultural differences and how they affect communication, and understanding how to manage your own emotional responses to hard situations. There are many opportunities within the course to examine real-life situations and practice applying the information. Upon completing the course, you will be better prepared to manage your own and other people’s responses to tense situations, helping everyone stay calm and safe.

The Dependency Petition eLearning is an interactive and independent learning activity integrating brief legal instruction and practical application/skill building regarding Dependency Petitions.

Working with families impacted by Domestic Violence can be challenging, nerve wracking, and sometimes inspiring.  You may often wish that you had more guidance about how you should approach this work.  In this course, you’ll learn more about the policy and legal guidance for child welfare work with families experiencing domestic violence.  More importantly, you’ll learn the best practices for this work and get to practice applying these best practices.  In Washington we are lucky to have an entire manual outlining these best practices, “The Social Worker’s Practice Guide to Domestic Violence.”  This guide will be heavily relied upon in this course and you’ll become familiar with most of its contents.  The course aims to build your knowledge and skills across four core areas: universal and periodic screening for domestic violence, conducting a specialized DV assessment, engagement and accountability with DV perpetrators, and case planning in families experiencing DV.  In addition, you’ll learn about the different types of protection orders that may exist and the implications of each, as well as the process of domestic violence safety planning with adult DV victims.              

This 6-hour focused topic training for caregivers covers how to recognize and support disordered eating and recovery from disordered eating.  Participants will learn when and how to seek professional help, feeding practices to encourage a positive eating environment for all ages, and reasons that hoarding occurs and how to respond to it.

Meaghan Ormsby, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian with 15 years of experience treating disordered eating and child feeding issues. She sees male and female clients of all ages in her private practice in Edmonds, WA. Her graduate thesis focused on the benefits of a positive relationship with food related to healthy habits and sustained healthy eating practices.  She has experience with food insecurity as a respite foster care provider and an adoptive mother. Meaghan is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor.

This is Section 5 of the 3-hour in-service level training for Social Workers that explores the principles of child development across the age ranges of birth to three years, three to five years, five to 11 years, and 11 to 17 years.  In each age range, factors that affect development across physical, social, emotional, cognitive and reproductive domains, as well as the developmental effects of abuse and neglect on those domains are examined through videos, worksheets, and case scenarios.  Information is provided about services and resources to support Social Workers and children in care.

Participants can view and get credit for completion of all or only specific sections of the elearning:

• Section 1: Foundational Concepts of Child Development (30 minutes)
• Section 2: Birth to Three Years (60 minutes)
• Section 3: Three to Five Years (30 minutes)
• Section 4: Five to 11 Years (30 minutes)
• Section 5: 11 to 17 Years (30 minutes)

This is Section 4 of the 3-hour in-service level training for Social Workers that explores the principles of child development across the age ranges of birth to three years, three to five years, five to 11 years, and 11 to 17 years.  In each age range, factors that affect development across physical, social, emotional, cognitive and reproductive domains, as well as the developmental effects of abuse and neglect on those domains are examined through videos, worksheets, and case scenarios.  Information is provided about services and resources to support Social Workers and children in care.

Participants can view and get credit for completion of all or only specific sections of the elearning:

• Section 1: Foundational Concepts of Child Development (30 minutes)
• Section 2: Birth to Three Years (60 minutes)
• Section 3: Three to Five Years (30 minutes)
• Section 4: Five to 11 Years (30 minutes)
• Section 5: 11 to 17 Years (30 minutes)

This is Section 3 of the 3-hour in-service level training for Social Workers that explores the principles of child development across the age ranges of birth to three years, three to five years, five to 11 years, and 11 to 17 years.  In each age range, factors that affect development across physical, social, emotional, cognitive and reproductive domains, as well as the developmental effects of abuse and neglect on those domains are examined through videos, worksheets, and case scenarios.  Information is provided about services and resources to support Social Workers and children in care.

Participants can view and get credit for completion of all or only specific sections of the elearning:

• Section 1: Foundational Concepts of Child Development (30 minutes)
• Section 2: Birth to Three Years (60 minutes)
• Section 3: Three to Five Years (30 minutes)
• Section 4: Five to 11 Years (30 minutes)
• Section 5: 11 to 17 Years (30 minutes)

Social Service Specialists who complete this eLearning will understand how and why to request an exception or extension to a required Initial Face to Face (IFF) meetings with a victim or child related to an intake. They will practice developing documentation that supports their supervisor through the decision-making process, as well as any additional guidance for reasonable efforts to locate these children and their families.

Facilitated Cohort Learning Sessions To Support ICWA Practice provides former cohorts from RCT and SCT classes that are working on Indian Child Welfare cases to expand their knowledge beyond core training curriculum and gain application within live cases. Topics of the sessions are identified by the cohort members and learning activities are organized and facilitated by Alliance staff. These sessions will review current WA State ICWA practices while providing opportunities to apply critical thinking to the overall complexities of child welfare work. 

Tailored topics may include:

• Initial Intake (ICW Procedures at initial contact) 
• Tribal/State Agreements 
• Inquiry and Verification of Child’s Indian Status 
• Disclosure of Confidential Records/Information to Tribes
• Child Protective Services for Indian Children 
• Active Efforts
• Casework Activities for Court Proceedings – forms Legal Notice, FamLink Response from NAIR eLearning, Monthly Progress report 
• Indian Child Placement Preferences and Relative Search
• Adoption
• Interstate Compact on the Placement of Indian Children
• Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees 
• Casework Services for Children and Families of Non-Federally Recognized Tribes and Canadian First Nations

Family time is an essential part of supporting a child’s ongoing relationships while they are in out-of-home care. When a parent is incarcerated, there are specific policies and processes that need to be followed to ensure continuation of family time. This training will help you understand from start to finish the process of completing a visitation at a Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) prison, and how to supplement contact in other appropriate ways.

This eLearning will walk you through the myriad requirements and details involved in these types of visitations, in an easy-to-understand way. You will learn how to navigate DOC websites, schedule visitation, and which forms you will need to secure and why. You also will review the requirements and steps to arranging electronic/telephonic contact, which are additional tools you can use to support the connection between parent and child. You will have multiple opportunities throughout to test your knowledge with real-life scenarios.

The course also covers information you will need to prepare a child, the caregiver and the family time supervisor in advance of a visit to an incarcerated parent. This learning includes why it’s important to “debrief” with the child after family time.

At the close, you will get the complete resources you will need going forward, and you will take a final quiz to ensure you have fully grasped all of the information.

This online learning course will help you develop skills to support virtual family time. In this training you are provided with structured support, guidance and training to:

• Connect with the caseworker to prepare for remote supervised visits that will, to some extent, include both parent and foster/relative caregiver(s)
• Prepare the parent(s) for positive remote supervised visitation with their children
• Prepare the foster or relative caregiver(s) for how to support the child in their care in having positive remote supervised visitation with their parent(s)
• Hold a virtual Family Time Partnership meeting between the parent(s) and foster/relative caregiver(s) prior to supervised visits taking place to plan and prepare for virtual visits by getting to know one another, setting expectations and agreements and plan for and provide some structure for the remote visits
• Support the parent(s) and caregiver(s) in having positive and productive remote supervised visits and supervise the visits
• Create a plan to debrief one-on-one with the parent(s) and the caregiver(s) to celebrate success

In addition, two videos developed by Fostering Connections for Families will be shared that model a family time partnership meeting as well and an example of what a virtual family time could look like. 

Grief for children is the disruption of a bond, and in any foster situation, significant bonds have been disrupted or broken. This makes foster children more emotionally vulnerable when other losses occur. A friend may move, a pet dies, or a teacher goes on maternity leave. All these events placed the foster child in a very precarious position. This training will help you to understand that a lot more is on their emotional plate then on other children. You will learn how to address and support the child in a time of transition.

This training will cover:

• The stages of grief
• A condensed developmental understanding of how children grieve at different ages and understandings.
• How to communicate with children
• How transition, grief and loss might trigger old feelings for the child and caregiver
• Developing a plan and skills to support children in times of transition.

This 6-hour mandatory course will provide participants with an understanding of substance use and when it affects the safety of children in the family, how to plan for safety with families who have children of all ages (0-18), how to support clients in their treatment programs, and how to measure progress sufficiently to mitigate the safety threats to the children.

This 3-hour webinar is part 2 of a 2-part series, and will provide participants with an understanding of substance use and when it affects the safety of children in the family, how to safety plan with families who have children of all ages (0-18), how to support clients in their treatment programs, and how to measure progress sufficient to have mitigated the safety threats to the children.

Participants are required to complete the Part 1 webinar before attending the webinar for Part 2.

Without memories, how do you understand who you are? These slices of life are tied to emotions, learning and growth, and help us maintain connections to our personal history and life story. 

Often we use tools like photographs or stories or memorabilia to recall feelings or look back on events. The new training “Honoring Their History: Memory Preservation for Children in Care” focuses on how to support a child’s well-being through the recording of memories and other parts of their life during their time away from their family. 

This course introduces the idea of memory preservation as central to a child’s welfare, because it provides many benefits to emotional and mental health. You will be guided through how to start the process and the different methods of preservation, and will be encouraged to think about which would work best for you and your family. You also will explore a variety of ways to gather information from both the child and other important adults in the child’s life. 

At the close of this training, you will have an individual plan for documenting and preserving memories in a way that honors the child’s past and present. 
 

All children deserve the best start in life and new scientific discoveries deepen our understanding of how to create the best environments for children. The Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington (I-LABS) is an interdisciplinary center dedicated to discovering the fundamental principles of human learning, with a special emphasis on early learning and brain development.

The Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence is excited to partner with the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences in order to offer the I-LABS online training modules to caregivers for training credit. These I-LABS are available in Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, or English.

Each I-LAB module explores a particular topic in child development, such as brain development, language acquisition, or imitation. Modules share evidence-based information about how young children learn. The modules are useful for understanding everyday interactions with children and for informing systems-level programs and policies.

Currently there are 18 online modules ranging from 20-25 minutes and covering a variety of relevant topics such as a child’s first days, early interactions, learning, emotions, language, attachment, temperament, race and equality, music, literacy and more.

Commercial sexual exploitation impacts many children and families that the child welfare system is meant to support.  In this course, you will learn more about the dynamics of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), risk factors and warning signs, and impacts of this experience on survivors.  You will learn policy requirements to identify, document, and offer services to these young people, as well as the best practices to engage and support them. The importance of trauma based and culturally relevant work with this population is a theme throughout the course. While the focus is on children and young people, you will likely gain a better understanding of parents you work with who may also have experienced commercial sexual exploitation.

Coaching sessions are utilized to address a caregiver's specific needs and build specific skills. Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after the session.

This Coaching Session provides in-depth support around specific topics identified by the caregiver as needed. The topics covered may include:

1. Understanding the child welfare system, regulations, expectations, and how to navigate available resources
2. Navigating crisis
3. Understanding and supporting child development
4. Effective communication (with birth parents, extended family, social workers, and the child in your home)
5. Self-care, secondary trauma, and healing

Coaching sessions are utilized to address a caregiver's specific needs and build specific skills. Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after the session.

This Coaching Session for Caregivers builds upon information contained in Caregivers Core Training (CCT) and provides detailed training related to the writing and submitting of the Caregiver’s Report to the Court. Participants will understand the caregiver’s role in the court process and how to effectively communicate with the court and other parties through the Caregiver’s Report to the Court. During the session the caregiver will have the opportunity to compose an actual court report about the child in their care and receive specific feedback from the Child Welfare Trainer.

This Coaching Session for Caregivers covers the financial, legal, and emotional challenges of raising a relative’s child. Services and support when raising a relative's child can be a lifesaver. Often kinship caregivers do not access the benefits which are available to them. This coaching session will address the issues that Kinship Caregivers struggle with most at an individual level:

1. Financial Needs
2. Legal Challenges
3. Navigating public service systems
4. Needing more social services
5. Information about resources/caregiving

This class is designed for licensed and unlicensed caregivers caring for children currently or previously involved in the dependency system. Caregiver Core Training (CCT) is not a prerequisite. However, this course is supplemental to CCT for kinship caregivers, and can be a field experience during CCT.

If it’s been a while since you cared for an infant or if you’ve never cared for one before, this is the class for you. This 2.5 hour webinar provides the basic information you’ll need to care for babies ages birth to 12 months and keep them safe. You will practice identifying the infant behaviors that are the clue to understanding your baby’s needs. You will then apply this knowledge with some of the fundamental tasks of infant care (holding, feeding, diapering, sleep and medical care) while considering how trauma may impact how you provide care in these areas. Finally, you will learn about elements of infant safety, including safe sleep and the Period of Purple Crying.

The Period of PURPLE Crying will provide social workers with an understanding of the importance of assessing for both prolonged crying in infancy and the caregiver’s ability to manage long periods of crying. Emphasis will be placed on safety in terms of the connection between prolonged crying and child abuse/neglect, as well as completion of the Period of PURPLE Crying Training Certification through dontshake.org (if not previously completed). The focus of this course is to provide instruction around assessment, and opportunities for demonstration, practice, and feedback pertaining to meeting the practice and policy requirements for this component of the Infant Safety Education and Intervention Policy.

Using objective evidence, recognizing patterns of behavior, considering families’ perspectives, and utilizing collaterals can improve decision-making in child welfare.  Skills to ensure incorporation of new information and to identify biases, including confirmation bias, will be examined in this course to improve decision making.

This is Session 1.2 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

Participants will learn critical information about how to make screening decisions using the standardized tools in FamLink – the sufficiency screen and the SDM for Intake. Participants will learn about the state definitions of child abuse and neglect, and the SDM Intake tool, which helps ensure accurate and consistent screening decisions for screened in CPS Intakes. During much of the training, participants will be applying what they have learned to a series of intake scenarios, and will receive feedback on their work.

This is Session 1.4 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

This training will identify the problem of racial disproportionality in our state’s child welfare system, focusing on disproportionality at intake. The importance of Cultural competence for intake workers is presented, and practical tips related to Intake’s role in child welfare are provided. Participants will learn how they can work to best serve persons with Limited English Proficiency. Additionally, the training will provide guidance about Intake’s role in complying with the Indian Child Welfare Act and in supporting early identification of children who are Native American.

This is Session 1.6 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

This brief e-leaning will orient you to some basic considerations related to screening intakes which involve licensed or other state regulated facilities.

This is Session 2.2 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

This e-learning will help you ask the screening questions most likely to provide you with information about domestic violence if its occurring, identify domestic violence based upon the information you have gathered, consider the impact of identified domestic violence on the child’s safety, and adequately document the information you obtain.

In this eLearning participants will review the stages of an adult FVS/CFWS interview and the information they need to gather in each stage; read a case summary; and view an interview with the parents related to the case.