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.

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.

For social workers, difficult conversations are part of a broad landscape of interactions necessary to achieve the best outcomes for children, youth and families. The updated training “Advanced Guidelines for Difficult Conversations” will give you the tools to feel prepared to manage these exchanges effectively and with respect.

By definition difficult conversations bring together opposing opinions and high stakes, with the potential for conflict and negative emotional reactions. Though challenging, these interactions are essential to working through problems and finding solutions, something at the core of carrying out effective social work practice. They are part of communicating well with families, and can also surface in professional environments. 

This course will begin by taking you through a self-assessment of your own comfort level, and help you understand your own emotions and how to maintain objectivity. You will then engage in discussions around how to develop a goal or mutual purpose for these conversations, considering what all parties want to achieve. You also will talk about how to develop a safe space for having these conversations, a vital element in creating open dialogue. You will break into small groups with other participants to work through scenarios with all the skills you have just learned. 

At the close of the training, you will know how to create mutual purpose and ensure safety when having difficult conversations as you move forward. This will give you the tools to develop conversation goals to strategize case planning for families you work with.

This 4-hour focused topic training for caregivers, social workers and supervisors teaches participants to understand the complexity of caring for African American and biracial hair and skin.  Participants will gain skills and knowledge to be culturally responsive to the needs of the children/youth in their care.  The provider will demonstrate how to properly wash, dry and style (including braiding) for African American children and youth in their care.  The provider will give resource tools on how participants get the appropriate hair and skin products for children/youth.  The participants will gain knowledge, skills and tools to utilize with the children/youth in their care.  Participants will learn how to seek necessary resources and support to promote a healthy self-concept for the children/youth in their care.

SAKS Salon Owners – Theresa Johnson & Shelly Gaines are Washington State Board Licensed Cosmetologists with over 27 years of experience.  They are Avalon Hair Technicians with experience as trainers for of all products and application to all types of hair.  They have advanced training including:  Dudley’s University, Mizani Certified, Affirm, KMS, John Paul Mitchel and Nioen Hair Care Systems, and specializing in Natural Haircare, biracial haircare and African American hair and skin care.

In this course, you will learn about present danger. You will apply your understanding of this concept to many scenarios, building a robust understanding of what is and is not present danger.   A framework for assessing for and responding to present danger across cultural difference is provided, and you will apply this framework to practice scenarios, helping prepare you to serve families more equitably.

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 more about how Washington State defines and responds to physical abuse.  You will learn about a program connecting DCYF staff to local physicians with expertise in child maltreatment (MedCon) and hear two doctors describe the program and their roles.  You will read the policy on photographic documentation and use a scenario to ensure that you understand how, why, and what to take pictures.  In addition, you will consider how you may work with law enforcement in responding to cases of suspected physical abuse. Lastly, you will consider what steps you are required to take to work effectively with people who are not proficient in spoken English and resources to support you.

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 session, you will learn about indicators and dynamics of serious physical abuse which produces injuries that require medical care and can cause long-term consequences or death.  This includes strangulation, abdominal injuries, abusive head trauma, burns, and fractures.  You will learn about identifying injuries or patterns that are related to each.  You will have a chance to apply this information to scenarios and discuss the best ways to move forward in situations when serious physical abuse is suspected.

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 and 2.2 will not be allowed to participate in 2.3.

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

Both neglect and sexual abuse can be difficult to identify.  In this course, you will practice distinguishing between medical child abuse, medical neglect, starvation and failure to thrive.  You will learn the indicators and dynamics of child torture and how these differ from what is typically seen in neglect or chronic maltreatment cases.  You will learn more about how to talk with children, including skills for responding when a child spontaneously discloses abuse.  You will also build on your understanding of what young people might expect when visiting a Child Advocacy Center.  This will help you respond appropriately to questions or concerns from young people and their caregivers about ‘what happens next?” 

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

Afterhours staff spend time driving with and caring for children. You will learn how to select, install, and fit a car seat correctly in this course. You will also review basic consideration for caring for youth with behavioral or medical needs. Considerations for your own safety, both in the field and when caring for young people who are in need of placement, are reviewed. Lastly, you will learn about a federal law called the Indian Child Welfare Act, which outlines the rights of federally recognized Tribes, Indian Children, and their families. The historical context and present need for this law is discussed.

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

In this course, you will identify and discuss possible worker safety threats, both in homes and while supervising youth, and options to promote everyone’s safety. You will learn how to document your work in case notes. In particular, you will learn about including relevant, objective information in your documentation and avoiding bias. You will also receive guidance on coding case notes correctly. Specific requirements related to caring for infants and assessing and supporting their caregivers is reviewed, including policy related to safe sleep, period of purple crying, and the plan of safe care.

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 and 4.2 will not be allowed to participate in 4.3.

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

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 will focus on how children with substance abuse in their life have an increased chance of experiencing many effects, such as poor social, cognitive and emotional development, physical, mental and health issues, depression, anxiety, concentration and learning difficulties, trouble controlling their responses, as well as other traumatic issues. The goal of this workshop is to identify and address the impacts drugs have on children and setting up a successful environment and coping skills. The takeaway from this training is feeling empowered to care for a drug impacted child as they grow through childhood, teenage years and beyond.

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 CA’s domestic violence policies and best practices, found in CA’s 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”.

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.

Many children in foster or kinship care have a history of exposure to trauma. Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Workshop for Resource Parents (RPC) Session 1 is a 4 module, 6 hour focused topic training which includes nine case studies of representative foster children from the ages of eight months to 15 years, as well as cases of secondary traumatic stress in parents.

Many children in the foster care system have lived through traumatic experiences.  Understanding how trauma affects children can help you make sense of your child’s sometimes baffling behavior, feelings and attitudes.  Once you understand why your child behaves the way he or she does, you’ll be better prepared to help him or her cope with the effects of trauma.  In this workshop, you’ll improve your ability to communicate with your child, learn skills and techniques to influence your child’s behavior and attitudes, and learn ways to reduce the stress of parenting a traumatized child.  The goal of this workshop is to make you a more effective resource parent, and to enable you to have more of the positive experiences that make being a resource parent so worthwhile.

Session 1 is a 4 module, 6 hour training, including:

• Module 1: Intro on Trauma Informed Parenting
• Module 2: Trauma 101
• Module 3: Understanding Trauma’s Effects
• Module 4: Building a Safe Place

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 in-service webinar training will provide instruction on the principles and application of research-based child interviewing, effective testimony, and interviewing skills with cultural considerations. It will address the special challenges of working with vague allegations, resistant children and adolescents, non-offending parents and alleged offenders. The purpose of this training is to enhance child interviewing skills. You will have the opportunity on the webinar to participate in intensive interview skill building exercises with trained actors. The training will provide individualized feedback concerning dealing with complex situations, and working with children who are reluctant to talk or have special needs.

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.

This is a webinar version of the classroom and will cover the same content.  The two different CPS pathways, Family Assessment Response (FAR) and Investigations will be discussed. This training includes learning modules on: Interviewing members of a household to assess safety, including children, parents and Subjects; Collateral information gathering; Protocols when working with Law Enforcement (LE); Working with Child Protection Medical Consultant Network (MEDCON) and local medical providers; Utilizing the Child Safety Framework; completing the Investigative Assessment (IA) & the Family Assessment Response Family Assessment (FARFA); Following Indian Child Welfare Act policies (ICWA); and other policy & legal requirements. Also covered in this webinar training will be requirements for reasonable efforts to prevent placement, addressing Domestic Violence, CSEC, Infant Child Safety; and more. Participants will be asked to review several examples of CPS intakes and the information in the course will be presented through using these case examples. On the last day, there will be a panel made up of Children’s Administration Investigative and FAR staff and a Parent Ally. This course is required for all first year CPS Case Workers as well as caseworkers and supervisors transferring to a CPS position who have not attended the CPS track within the past two years.

Coaching for Area Administrators provides one-on-one skill building sessions using a Learner Centered Coaching Model. Coaching provides essential professional development opportunities to support the daily work you do as an Area Administrator to support the supervisors in your office or program. Topics that can be covered are integration of the Quality Matters Series, use of the Learner Centered Coaching Model, skill building opportunities for integration of Coaching into daily work, or observation and feedback on skills used to engage with staff. Sessions can be scheduled in 30 minute intervals and based on your need.

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. 

Case Organization and Prioritization field based coaching topics include:

How to prioritize the daily work, including:  using outlook, desk calendars, and reminders; prioritization of caseload activities, assessments and due dates for different programs; reassessing safety and updating safety assessments at pivotal points in the case.

Coaching sessions are an opportunity for participants to receive training and support on critical topics that is flexible enough to respond to their current needs.  Coaching sessions can involve one or several workers, and may be delivered in person, on the phone or by other real time collaboration (face-time, etc).  Preferably, they allow material to be understood within a context of an actual case, and completion of current work.

This coaching session opportunity for staff will aim at compliance with ICWA, give recommendations for working with Tribes and Tribal families, revisit the Federal Act, State ICW codes and current policies/procedures when ICWA applies or is being considered.  

This session will revisit current practices in CA, specialized units and steps available for staff, including tailored topics such as:

1. Initial Intake (ICW Procedures at initial contact) 
2. Tribal/State Agreements 
3. Inquiry and Verification of Child’s Indian Status 
4. Disclosure of Confidential Records/Information to Tribes
5. Child Protective Services for Indian Children 
6. Casework Activities for Court Proceedings – forms Legal Notice, FamLink Response from NAIR eLearning, Monthly Progress report, 
7. Indian Child Placement Preferences and Relative Search
8. Adoption
9. Interstate Compact on the Placement of Indian Children
10. Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees 
11. Payments for Services for Children in Tribal Care or Custody
12. Casework Services for Children and Families of Non-Federally Recognized Tribes and Canadian First Nations

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 support LGTBQ+ youth in their care.

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 LGBTQ+ children/youth in their care.

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.

If you are a first time foster parent you are required to complete a CPR/First Aid and Blood Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) class. This class is a blended online course with three parts – two online eLearnings and a skill based in person class. The BBP online course covers what you need to know as a caregiver when in contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials. The CPR/First Aid online course provides the knowledge needed when dealing with the range of problems that can arise from minor everyday instances such as cuts and headaches to the more serious emergencies such as allergic reactions, heart attacks and strokes. Once both eLearnings are completed, the final part is the skill evaluation with an instructor where you will get to apply and practice the techniques you have learned. A certificate will be issued once all three parts are successfully completed and will be valid for two years. The BBP class only needs to be completed once for the initial license.

PLEASE NOTE: Each participant MUST REGISTER SEPARATELY in order to receive their certification.  If a couple or group plans to complete the training together, each member must still register and go through the online course individually. You must be logged in and on the course page to see the registration button.

This Foster Parent Initial Licensing: CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogens Certification consists of the following 3 classes:

• ProBloodBorne: Healthcare Bloodborne Pathogens (eLearning) - 1 hour

Bloodborne Pathogens Training is an OSHA mandated training program for any person who may be reasonably anticipated to face contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials as the result of performing their duties as a caregiver. ProBloodborne is for individuals who must comply with OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.1030. This course is aimed specifically at those in the healthcare industry and applies to Caregivers in WA state who are seeking to be a licensed Foster Parent for the first time. The BBP certification only needs to be completed once for the Foster Parent licensing process.

• ProFirstAid: CPR + First Aid for All Ages (eLearning) - 4.5 hours

ProFirstAid is a blended training where students complete an online course for CPR, First Aid, and AED usage and then later schedule a skill evaluation with an instructor. Once the instructor has confirmed a passing score, the student will receive their electronic CPR Certification card via email with an option to request a physical copy mailed to them within 7-10 business days. CPR certification is valid for 2 years.

• ProFirstAid: CPR Skills Evaluation - 1 hour

Note: Due to limitations for classroom trainings related to COVID-19 public health considerations, the CPR skills evaluation is currently on hold per DCYF. Those seeking their first foster care license may complete the BBP and CPR eLearnings and submit their certificates for licensure. Once the CPR skills assessment is opened back up, you will be required to return here to complete the skills assessment to be certified in CPR.

Foster Parent Initial Licensing: CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogens Certification follows the latest American Heart Association and ECC/ILCOR guidelines and is nationally accredited.

The eLearnings are available in English or Spanish.

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 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, learners will be better prepared to manage their own and other people’s responses to tense situations, helping everyone stay calm and safe.       

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 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, you will be better prepared to respond in a crisis and prevent safety issues from occurring. You will have a better understanding of what to do when staff safety threats do occur, and what to do after such incidents.

This training focuses on domestic violence in child welfare cases, and the policies and best practices outlined in the “Social Worker's Practice Guide to Domestic Violence.”  Participants will gain knowledge and skills specific to four core areas: universal and periodic screening for domestic violence, conducting a specialized DV assessment, engagement and accountability with DV perpetrators, and safety planning with families experiencing DV. Participants will learn knowledge as well as skills for applying the knowledge.

Drug testing practices and their use in child welfare assessment of safety and risk is covered in this course.  Participants learn the guidelines for the frequency and duration of testing, practices at drug collection sites, detection of adulterated samples and interpreting drug test results. Participants will know what to test and how to include this in the assessments of parents involved in the child welfare system, focusing on the behavior of parents, and knowing what a drug test can tell us is emphasized.

This course focuses on DCYF Education Policy and Procedures to achieve positive educational outcomes through solid education planning throughout the child's experience in out-of-home care. Caseworkers will understand education case planning and documentation requirements as well as how to engage with schools on enrollment, transportation plans, and potential cost sharing agreements. Information sharing processes and Post-Secondary Education and Training resources are also provided.

***Supervisors: This eLearning may be completed individually or as a group during a unit meeting. If the eLearning is completed as a group, be sure to contact an Alliance coach to input completion of the eLearning training in LMS for all participants.

Supervisors may use the Supervisors Guide to Education Policy and Case Planning eLearning available here to promote discussion after caseworkers have taken the eLearning. (this is an optional activity)

This is Section 2 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 1 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)

• Form stronger friendships with peers
• Have higher self esteem
• Regulate their moods more easily
• Be more successful in their problem solving skills
• Bounce back from emotional events more quickly
• Get sick less often

This course will prepare you to lead and guide permanency planning meetings. You will learn about the permanency planning meeting process and participant engagement. The term “participant” is used rather than just parent engagement as the success of enhanced permanency planning meetings is dependent on the engagement of all parties: parents, youth, relatives, caregivers, significant supports, key case participants, and the assigned caseworker. As you progress through the sessions, you will learn how to build your own facilitation toolkit that can be applied to all interactions. In the final session there will opportunities to practice new facilitation tools and skills by using role play based on a case scenario.

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. 

This 12 hour in-service training delivered via webinar will prepare new Family Voluntary Services (FVS) caseworkers and experienced FVS caseworkers who wish to improve their practice to engage parents and families from the point of transfer or case assignment. You will learn how to make the most of the first meeting and monthly visits with the parent in building a working relationship geared to reducing or mitigating safety threats and risk. You will be provided opportunity to improve the quality of case plans by linking services to behavior changes. You will learn policy expectations and good practice strategies for family engagement.

“Growing a Leader” In Service training for DCYF employees is designed for child welfare social service employees who are interested in advancing to leadership roles within the Department. This course is for those who are not yet supervisors or in leadership positions. Participants will learn about their potential new role, what it means to be a supervisor and a leader in the child welfare system, their leadership styles and the responsibilities of the supervisory or leadership positions.

The training focuses on gaining an understanding styles of leadership and management; hiring and on-boarding new employees; supervisory case management expectations; providing feedback and effective communication with employees; tracking and documenting employee performance; engaging with community partners; and managing and resolving conflict.

Growing A Leader is a comprehensive training program containing three (3) in person training sessions over a three month period, laying the foundation for continuous on-the-job learning and professional development critical to developing competent, confident, and effective child welfare professionals.”

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 webinar 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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This 1 hour class covers the following:

• How brains are built. An enormous amount of brain development occurs in the first five years.
• Early childhood experiences shape the physical development of the brain.
• The strength of connections formed in a child’s brain depends, to a certain extent, on the frequencies of experiences they have in their lives.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following key points:

• From the first day of life, children watch others and imitate their actions to learn about the physical world and their culture.
• As they grow older, they can remember actions for longer (deferred imitation), and use them to navigate situations (generalizations).
• Children’s brains seem ready to imitate-studies have found similar changes in infants’ brain activity whether they are doing an activity or just watching it.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Language learning begins before birth. A young brain is particularly ready to learn language.
• When listening to language, infants engage in statistical learning. This helps them become sensitive to the specific sounds of their native language.
• Face-to-face interactions are critical for language learning. In the first year of life, social interactions expose children to language. They also prepare the infant brain for speaking.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Attachment is a dyadic relationship. This means that an attachment relationship depends on both the adult and the child.
• Attachment security is on a continuum. Children’s attachment behavior can be more or less secure. Their behavior depends on the caregiving they receive.
• A child is more likely to form a secure attachment when her caregiver provides consistent and sensitive care.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Babies begin making vowel-like sounds soon after birth. They soon add consonant sounds. Then they transition to syllables, words, and finally sentences. This pattern is similar across different cultures and languages.
• Children use different strategies to learn words and word combinations. During the process of learning, they sometimes make errors in word or sentence use. As they hear more language, their use of words and sentences becomes more adult-like.
• Language learning begins at birth! Those children who hear more language and experience more high quality interactions tend to produce more words and longer sentences.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Babies are born with different temperaments or ways they approach everyday events and challenges. Biology helps determine temperament, but environment and experiences also influence a child’s temperament and development.
• Temperament consists of three dimensions: positive reactivity; negative reactivity; and attention, soothability, and regulation. Each dimension is a continuum, meaning a child can show more or less of a behavior.
• You cannot change a child’s temperament, but you can adapt your behavior and environment to meet the child’s needs. This is creating goodness of fit between your expectations and a child’s temperament.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Race is meaningful in our social world and racism still exists today.
• Our actions matter - what parents do – or don’t do – is a strong indicator of children’s attitudes about race.
• Our words matter too! Research suggests that not talking about race with kids increases racist thinking and racism. But talking about race can be one of the best ways to counteract racism.
• Kids are aware of race, form racial identities and observe and integrate ideas about race from those around them and reflect it in their own attitudes and behaviors.
• Preventative and Reactionary ‘race chats’ are an effective way to discuss race and racism with children. These conversations with evolve and change over time, as a child grows.
• We do not need to have all the answers to have effective ‘race chats’ with children. We just need to be open, and be able to offer a safe space to talk.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Spoken language skills serve as the foundation for literacy development. Literacy involves years of systematic instruction and practice.
• Children may enter kindergarten with a range of pre-literacy skills. It is important for teachers to provide a rich literacy environment for all children. Reading to and with children is a great way to boost pre-literacy skills.
• The brain is not born to read. With practice, our brains learn to recognize words, match words with sounds, and associate those words with meaning.
• Some people have more difficulty learning to read than others. But this does not mean that they won’t ever learn how or that they are less intelligent. Many different factors contribute to a child’s pre-literacy skills.

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 team at I-LABS creates new and effective ways to bridge the gap between the science and the practice of learning by disseminating the latest science of child development. Our team shares the latest scientific discoveries in relevant and actionable ways with those who can best put it into practice: early learning professionals, parents, and policymakers. Partners use cutting-edge research to create evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that grow the next generation of lifelong learners.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• In the first year of life, babies already start to make predictions about what things are causes and what are effects.  By the time they are in preschool, children are proficient causal learners, ready to engage in and learn from causal lessons.
• Children of all ages learn how to make things happen on their own from watching what other people do.  They do this even if the people they are watching make mistakes or things don’t work perfectly.
• Cause-and-effect relations also occur between living things. Figuring out how to cause people to change their behavior is important for children’s social development.  
• Lessons about cause-and-effect happen at home and in the classroom all the time, with little or no need for special tools, toys, or preparation.

• Know the legal definition of commercial sexual exploitation of children
• Understand how commercial sexual exploitation might happen to a youth
• Understand how experiencing commercial sexual exploitation may impact a youth
• Be able to spot signs that youth are at risk for becoming (or are) commercially sexually exploited
• Have strategies for caring for youth who are at risk for becoming (or have been) commercially sexually exploited

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.

Participants will be engaged to consider their own thoughts, beliefs, and biases about mental illness; understand basic definitions associated with parental mental illness and child safety; and identify family assessment strategies that can focus on the intersection between parental mental illness and child safety. Additionally, ideas and tools for drafting effective case plans and objectives to achieve child safety with parental mental illness is a factor will also be discussed. Finally, participants will receive resources for services and interventions that promote the reduction of risk associated with parental mental illness and enhance protective factors for family well-being.

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.

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 additional training around the importance of visitation. Caregivers will learn their role in visitation, including how they can support the child, and will more deeply understand the pivotal role that visitation plays in supporting children’s relationships with birth families. Participants will gain skills to successfully team with others involved in the child’s visitation, and will explore how to be a resource to birth families. This coaching session includes activities that allow the caregiver to assess the effects of visitation on the child(ren) in their care and create a plan to address any concerns which may arise in the future.

This Caregiver Core Training (CCT) Coaching Session builds upon information contained in the online CCT training and provides in-depth support around any of the elements of CCT identified by the caregiver as needed.  The topics covered will include how caregivers will use effective discipline in their homes to manage behaviors, resources and supports that the caregiver will utilize, cultural competency and keeping children culturally connected, advocacy and identifying future training needs.

This Caregiver Core Training (CCT) Coaching Session builds upon information contained in the online CCT training and provides in-depth support around any of the elements of CCT identified by the caregiver as needed.  The topics covered will include how caregivers will use effective discipline in their homes to manage behaviors, resources and supports that the caregiver will utilize, cultural competency and keeping children culturally connected, advocacy and identifying future training needs.

This Caregiver Core Training (CCT) Coaching Session builds upon information contained in the online CCT training and provides in-depth support around any of the elements of CCT identified by the caregiver as needed.  The topics covered will include how caregivers will use effective discipline in their homes to manage behaviors, resources and supports that the caregiver will utilize, cultural competency and keeping children culturally connected, advocacy and identifying future training needs.

This 3 hour In-Service level eLearning for Caregivers focuses on Infant Safety and Care and the ways that the 0-12 month old population is most vulnerable, has their own language and development, and requires specific knowledge and skills to create and maintain safety and care.  You will learn about observing infant behaviors and cues, as well how to establish home and sleep environments for the improved safety of the infant.  You will learn how some infants experience prolonged periods of persistent crying – known as the Period of Purple Crying – so you can develop strategies for infant soothing and caregiver self-management to prevent harm to the infant.  You will learn about child car seats, including installing and using different types of car seats, and how to schedule local, in-person trainers from the community.  

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.

Qualifications of presenter: Dee Wilson has worked in the child welfare field since 1971. Mr. Wilson worked as a caseworker in public child welfare in Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1971-74 and in Canon City, Colorado from 1974-78. From 1978-2004, Dee Wilson worked in various capacities for Washington State's child welfare system: CPS caseworker (1978-85), CPS supervisor (1985-89), area administrator in the Spokane office (1989-1995), training director (1995-97) and regional administrator in southwest Washington (1997-2004).  Since 2004, Mr. Wilson worked at the University of Washington and then went to work at Casey Family Programs as a consultant in child protection.