Course Catalog

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 click this link to read more about general guidelines for online trainings to make sure it is a good fit for you, and to register for your online training.

If you prefer to take the course in a classroom (conducted at various locations around the state) please continue reading and register below.

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

CCT Classroom Version

The 24-hour Caregiver Core Training is made up of eight sessions (each three hours long) and a field experience.

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 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.

The handouts that you need in class will be provided to you. Here are the handouts you will receive in class if you need them for future reference.

Here is the complete Participant Manual with resources and information. Feel free to save it to refer back to or to print it. If you do not have printer access and want a printed copy, let your trainer know that you will need a copy printed for you.

You have one year to complete the course including the online training, and field experience. 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.

Here are some testimonials from potential caregivers who completed Caregiver Core Training:

"I love the passion and the willingness of the trainers to share their stories. It helps to have them give so many examples and answer questions."

"I am a foster home licensor at a CPA in the community. I was also a CFWS social worker for 3 years. I was SO pleasantly surprised by how great this training was. Even though I knew most of the information, the trainers held my attention and gave real-life examples of the concepts. There is SO much to teach about working in child welfare, and for the most part, the trainings hit the highlights."

"This is, by far and away the best training course I have ever taken. The documentation was well thought out and easy to understand. Even though I usually hate them, the activities were fun! I really wish that they could take this on the road to local schools, businesses, non-profits, etc."

"This was by far one of the best training sessions I have had the privilege of attending in a long time. The course trainers did a fantastic job with knowledge and question answering. Most of this class should be taught to teachers in the education field. The trainer did a fantastic job presenting the topics and information and wanted feedback during the class."

"The knowledge level of the presenters was outstanding and their presentation skills were great.  They were interesting to listen to and made the information relevant. I began my classes in Wenatchee and then finished in Ellensburg. While the presenters had their own styles, the above remained true for all of them."

"I really appreciated the personal stories of the former foster youth and birth parents who had been involved in the system.  Their perspectives were important to hear.  Thank you for including them."

"I appreciated having the views and experiences of each of the trainers to help with understanding the needs I will have to meet for the children in my care."

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.

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 will 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 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.

Need technical help with registering for or completing CCT Online? Click here to submit a request.

This valuable class for foster parents, caregivers, and staff highlights Autism, current research, sensory-related characteristics, common behaviors, and related school interventions.  Join Larry Davis, special education advocate, as he shares a unique perspective of supporting kids on the spectrum at school and home by addressing anxiety related symptoms through emotional resilience strategies including science-based self-regulation techniques.

“This Workshop is one of the most inspirational, informative, and insightful presentations on this topic we have seen in years … what a breath  of fresh air.” [recent participant: Fall 2014].

In addition, Larry will share successful advocacy strategies for participants in support of Autism related IEP and 504 Plan interventions.    

This training is designed for caregivers who are pursuing or considering adopting and have knowledge beyond the introductory level.  The class will prepare you to recognize the issues related to trauma, grief, and loss for adopted children.  Participants will leave with resources to guide them in connecting with supports within and outside the department to assist in the creation of an adoptive family that encourages individual and family wellbeing.

Learning Objectives

Following the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the adoption process and identify your ideals and goals as an adoptive parent
• Identify the impact of trauma, loss, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on brain development
• Identify behaviors that are trauma based
• Understand the various types of attachment and how to work with you and your child’s attachment style
• Understand the resources available to adoptive parents and how to access supports for your family

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.

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 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 training for caregivers provides a foundation for understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and challenging or escalating behavior among children in out-of-home care.  The training provides specific behavior management skills for caregivers to deescalate and manage behavior including trauma informed caregiving, authoritative parenting, therapeutic environments, engagement, and more.  

This workshop will give caregivers practical tools to help manage behaviors such as:

• Oppositional defiance
• Property damage and juvenile delinquency
• Attention deficit hyperactivity
• Running away
• Power struggles and escalated tantrums
• Verbal and physical aggression

This 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers provides foster parents, caregivers, relatives and fictive kin with basic information on bullying and working with at-risk youth who have the potential of being bullied. The training will cover how to identify and determine if your child/youth is being bullied and how to work with at-risk youth who have the potential of being bullied.  Bullying basics are covered in layman’s terms.  During this workshop we’ll look at the true definition of bullying, discover ways to recognize it and understand why it happens.  You’ll learn ways to prevent it from happening and what to do when it does - both for the bully and the youngster being picked on.  

This 2 hour Coaching Session for Caregivers builds upon information contained in Caregivers Core Training (CCT) and provides in-depth training around the need for visitation from the child’s perspective, the caregiver’s role in visitation, and how caregivers can support the child to help visitation to be as successful as possible. Caregivers will more deeply understand the need to support children’s relationships with birth families and gain skills to successfully team with others involved in the child’s visitation. 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.

Coaching sessions are utilized to address a caregiver's specific needs and build specific skills at their convenience. Just contact us to request a time for session to be scheduled.

This 2 hour 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 (DCFS 15-313).  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 at their convenience. Just contact us to request a time for session to be scheduled.

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.

Additional Resources

In addition to the 6-hour, in-person training, you can also watch a 1-hour video, Working with Children Exhibiting Physically Aggressive Behaviors, with information to help manage a child who is physically acting out in your home, and to help you create a safe and nurturing environment.

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 sexual behaviors.  Participants will explore values and beliefs before reviewing typical child development and the impacts of trauma, abuse, and neglect on development.  Participants will then explore in-depth how sexual abuse specifically can impact various development domains, as well as the child’s self-image, and the household supporting them. Sexual development is explored throughout childhood including what is typical, what may be “red flags”, how some experiences can lead to sexual behavior problems, and how to intervene and respond safely.  Caregivers will learn about their role in promoting healthy sexual development, positive messaging, suggestions for prevention education, the importance of establishing house rules, and other ideas to maintain safety while also helping to prevent false allegations in their home.

Additional Resources

In addition to the 6-hour, in-person training, you can also watch a 1-hour video, Working with Children Exhibiting Sexual Behavioral Problems, with information to help manage a child who is sexually acting out in your home, and to help you create a safe and nurturing environment.

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.  

Would you like more compassion in your life? In your parenting? For you? For your children? This training is for you!

Discover what compassion really is, how it starts by being compassionate with ourselves and see the positive results with our families and others.

You’ll hear about and learn the roadblocks, hurdles and challenges that often prevent this kind of parenting and discover ways to move through them so you, and your children, win!

Topics include:

• Separating the children’s behavior from who they are
• How to not take what they do or say personally
• Being compassionate with ourselves supports positive results with our families
• Learn the roadblocks, hurdles, and challenges of this type of parenting and how to move through them.
• The role self-esteem plays in all of us

You’ll learn real world concepts that work!

This 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers provides information and skill building in the subject of cultural diversity to enable caregivers to meet the needs of your children/youth.  The training is interactive and experiential.

• Tools to facilitate understanding of multi-cultural & diversity sensitivity and awareness through experiential, didactic and familiarization of effective interaction and mindset
• Learning various culturally specific concepts and language

Participants in this two-day training will increase their knowledge and understanding of early childhood development, neuroscience associated with brain development in early childhood, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), attachment & relationships, and the effects of trauma and maltreatment on development. In addition, participants will gain skills to directly impact the development of this vulnerable population through case management activities and identifying resources and interventions available in communities across Washington State. The following six modules serve as the foundation of instruction, with a final focus on how to best support the development of young children in public child welfare, and locally accessible resources to support early childhood development in your community.

Module 1: Why Early Childhood Matters
Module 2: Understanding the Science of Brain Development
Module 3: Understanding the Science of Attachment
Module 4: Understanding the impact of maltreatment, stress, and separation on development.
Module 5: Helping Children Thrive
Module 6: Informing Child Welfare

If you have young children on your caseload, or you are caring for young children in your home, you will find the information in this training invaluable in supporting your work with children aged birth-five.

• 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

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 course is designed to help foster parents and caregivers gain a better understanding of our interaction with trauma and adversity in the children we serve.  

This workshop covers:  

• The healing power of living true to ourselves  
• Recognizing wounds, burdens and painful memories in ourselves and our children
• Understanding compassion fatigue in foster parents and caregivers  
• Finding fulfillment in Self-led parenting
• Building cooperative partnerships with you, your community and the children you serve

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.

This 90-minute in-service level course will help caregivers identify and support youth who are at risk for or are being commercially sexually exploited.  The training will provide a framework for understanding this issue that greatly impacts adolescents in the child welfare system, as well as for understanding the basic practices that support helping these youth reach positive outcomes. 

Learning Objectives:

• 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

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.  

Participants learn about infant communication, safe sleep environments, and the shaken baby syndrome to better care for infants placed in their homes.  Equipped with the information, participants are able to be responsive and provide safe care to the infant.  Participants will become familiar with the Period of Purple Crying as a strategy to help infants in their foster home.

An Introduction to Positive Discipline is a 2-hour in-service level training for foster, kinship and suitable adult caregivers.  This introductory training will help caregivers learn the basic parenting approach of the Positive Discipline model by providing several group activities and discussions based in real life scenarios.  Positive Discipline focuses on teaching valuable social and life skills to children instead of using any form of punishment, rewards, praise, permissiveness or logical consequences.  Positive Discipline focuses on helping participants learn how to use effective discipline that is kind and firm, creates connection before correction, is empowering and encouraging to children to believe in their own capability, and keeps the joy in caregiving.

In addition to this introductory course, the Alliance invites caregivers to attend the full 15-hour Parenting the Positive Discipline Way training series.

Additional Resources

Click one of the images below to hear about Positive Discipline from Dr. Jane Nelsen (author and co-founder of Positive Discipline), and Darcey Hancock (Statewide Administrator of the Division of Licensed Resources in Washington).  You will hear them discuss some of the foundational concepts of Positive Discipline; and how WA State Law around discipline fits with Positive Discipline techniques.

Registration is required.Need help? Call 1-866-577-1915 or email help@acwe.on.spiceworks.com
Please include your name, phone number or email, and the course title in your request for assistance.

Inscribirse para asistir a la clase es necesario.Si necesita ayuda favor de llamar al 1-866-577-1915 o mandar un correo electrónico a help@acwe.on.spiceworks.com
Por favor incluya su nombre, número de teléfono o dirección de su correo electrónico y agregue el nombre de la clase por la que está solicitando ayuda.

This 3-hour In-Service level training provides Caregivers with an introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), tribal sovereignty and the impacts on foster parenting.  The Indian Child Welfare Act obliges child welfare agencies and caregivers to take certain steps to protect and preserve the rights and cultural and familial connections of children covered by the act.  For non-Federally recognized tribes (and in other circumstances), Washington State enacted policy related to Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees (LICWACs) to staff tribal cases and these impacts and supports are also discussed.  This training explores the legal, historical, and social biases which have impacted and continue to have a disproportionate impact on Native American children and families.  Caregivers will review basic information and skills needed to work with families and children who are covered under ICWA and LICWAC.  The State of Washington’s legal and policy guidelines around placement and permanency preferences for children covered by ICWA and LICWAC are explored, as well as the various manners in which Tribes can take jurisdiction or chose to otherwise be involved in Child Welfare cases.  Skills and resources are also discussed to help caregivers support and develop a child’s cultural identity and tribal connection.

Required training for all caregivers in First Aid/CPR, Blood borne pathogens/HIV training. Training made available in English- and Spanish-speaking participants.

The Alliance contracts with certified trainers to provide CPR, First Aid, and Blood-borne pathogens/HIV training.

Keep the Beat offers this class to all caregivers of foster children free of charge.  This includes grandparents, babysitters, etc.  Keep the Beat provides these classes statewide and free of charge whether or not you are licensed.

The financial, legal, and emotional issues of raising a relative’s child can be challenging. Services and support when raising a relative’s child can be a lifesaver.  Kinship caregiving in all of its forms is becoming increasingly common.  Recent WA State child welfare data (Partners for Our Children-1/1/2015)   show that 41 percent of children in out of home care are living with a relative.  Many more children are living with relatives or other close family friends informally, without the ongoing supervision of the state’s foster care system. 

Often kinship caregivers do not access the benefits which are available to them. This class will address the issues that Kinship Caregivers struggle with most:

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

This 2.5 hour in-service 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.

This 1.5 hour 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.   

The financial, legal, and emotional issues of raising a relative’s child can be challenging. Services and support when raising a relative’s child can be a lifesaver.  Kinship caregiving in all of its forms is becoming increasingly common.  Recent WA State child welfare data (Partners for Our Children-1/1/2015)   show that 41 percent of children in out of home care are living with a relative.  Many more children are living with relatives or other close family friends informally, without the ongoing supervision of the state’s foster care system. 

Often kinship caregivers do not access the benefits which are available to them. This class will address the issues that Kinship Caregivers struggle with most:

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

This 90 minute webinar 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.

This 6-hour focused topic training for caregivers provides an in-depth exploration of the emotional trauma that children in out-of-home care have been through and how it can impact them.  The training focuses on strategic and practical skill building for caregivers to foster healing and resiliency in the children for whom they care. The takeaway from this training is how to identify and address the emotional wounds of the children in your care so healing can begin.

Luanne Hawley has been a licensed foster parent for 25 years, as well as a relative care provider and adoptive parent. She has been an advocate for Foster Parents and Care Providers having provided support services through the FIRST (Foster Intervention and Retention Support Team) program for many years

Parenting the Positive Discipline Way is a 15-hour in-service level series of trainings for foster and kinship caregivers which explores tools to teach valuable social and life skills to children instead of using any form of punishment, rewards, praise, permissiveness or logical consequences.  This six-part Positive Discipline series will help foster parents and kinship care providers to better understand why discipline with abused and neglected children is different from the discipline that typically works with children who have not been abused or neglected.  Participants will learn how to use effective discipline that is kind and firm, creates connection before correction, is empowering and encouraging to children to believe in their own capability, and keeps the joy in caregiving.  Participants will gain practice with experiential exercises, group discussions, and handouts to develop skills for getting into the child’s world to understand the belief behind behavior in order to motivate change.  Topics and techniques apply to all ages and many settings.

The Alliance also offers An Introduction to Positive Discipline for those who are interested in experiencing a 2 hour sample of Positive Discipline training around techniques and principles for your home.

Additional Resources

Click one of the images below to hear about Positive Discipline from Dr. Jane Nelsen (author and co-founder of Positive Discipline), and Darcey Hancock (Statewide Administrator of the Division of Licensed Resources in Washington).  You will hear them discuss some of the foundational concepts of Positive Discipline, and how WA State Law around discipline fits with Positive Discipline techniques.

Participants will learn how to identify the challenges of collaboration. This training provides Social Workers and Foster Parents/Relative Caregivers an opportunity to view teamwork from each other’s perspectives while encouraging reflection regarding the features and values of effective teaming. 

Training participants will:

• learn how to identify barriers to effective teaming,
• explore solutions to these barriers, and
• develop tailored approaches and practices that facilitate teamwork.

This training will share the data from the original Adverse Childhood Experience study and its effect on brain development, physical and mental health, education and life trajectory. Just as important is the research on how resilience reduces these negative effects. A caring adult using trauma informed strategies can significantly change these negative outcomes. Many strategies that increase resilience will be shared in this presentation as well. Presentation will be interactive. Share personal challenges and success. Take the ACEs test. Play the Resilience Trumps ACEs card game. Connect with others. Leave feeling enlightened, empowered and supported!

This 3 hour in-service training for caregivers is intended for those who are ready for, or have received their first placement, or have a new placement after some time without placements. The course focuses on understanding and planning for new placements. The course addresses both the emotional elements to new placements and the practical details of requirements, paperwork, forms and expectations.

Participants should leave with an understanding of what is expected during the first 30 days of a new placement including: mileage, reimbursements, visitation, court reports, documentation, medical care, accessing services, and how to get their questions answered as new issues arise.

This 90 minute in-service webinar training for caregivers is intended for those who are ready for, or have received their first placement, or have a new placement after some time without placements. The course focuses on understanding and planning for new placements. The course addresses both the emotional elements to new placements and the practical details of requirements, paperwork, forms and expectations.

Participants should leave with an understanding of what is expected during the first 30 days of a new placement including: mileage, reimbursements, visitation, court reports, documentation, medical care, accessing services, and how to get their questions answered as new issues arise.

This 4-hour focused topic training for caregivers and Social Service Specialists is a life-saving program developed to prepare anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper.

Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.

Since its development in 2006, safeTALK has been used in over 20 countries around the world, and more than 200 selectable video vignettes have been produced to tailor the program’s audio-visual component for diverse audiences. safeTALK trained helpers are an important part of suicide-safer communities, working alongside intervention resources to identify and avert suicide risks.

Training features:

• Presentations and guidance from a LivingWorks registered trainer
• Access to support from a local community resource person
• Powerful audiovisual learning aids
• The simple yet effective TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe
• Hands-on skills practice and development

safeTALK helps expand the reach of suicide intervention skills in communities around the world.

Recent research has shown that children have very complex understandings of differences and how they make meaning of stereotypes.  Far from being color-blind, most children are aware of how their own skin color is an advantage or disadvantage.  They also judge their peers based on these differences¬—even though many adults believe young children in today’s generation don’t stereotype.  Because of this, it is important to give children anti-bias messages, through actions and words that actively counter what they are internalizing and witnessing in the world.

In this workshop we will explore how children and youth learn and practice racism and privilege.  Participants will learn strategies to for acting on teachable moments and ways to create counter narratives. 

This training is presented by Dr. Caprice Hollins and/or Ilsa Govan, M.A., co-founders of Cultures Connecting, LLC. 

Dr. Hollins received her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in multicultural and community psychology in 1998.   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.

Ilsa Govan, M.A. has more than fifteen years of experience as a classroom teacher and anti-racist community activist. She began her work for social and environmental justice in high school with her involvement in advocating for Native American rights. Since then she has facilitated, organized and participated in numerous workshops, study circles and conferences across the country. Ilsa worked as an Equity and Race Specialist for Seattle Public Schools, addressing institutional racism in a large organization. She has also served on the planning teams of the Seattle Race Conference and the White Privilege Conference. Ilsa earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from Western Washington University and her Master’s Degree in Bicultural Human Development from Pacific Oaks College Northwest. For her thesis, she spent a year studying effective European American teachers of African American students in three Seattle elementary schools.

Comments from Caregivers who took this training:

“Fantastic! High energy, interactive and very knowledgeable.  Worth spending my Saturday afternoon and then some :-)  Non-judgmental, thorough, humorous, relatable, very professional.  I came away enriched.  Thank you!” 

“Student instructor was animated, experienced, kept the best mix of light/serious.  The personal anecdotes and photos help the lessons hit home. I like the practical takeaways too – teaching moment, media training – Thank you!” – (Caregiver referred by their Social Worker)

“Very informative and left with good resources.  Norms regarding conversations very helpful.  Connecting with present and other attendees was a huge bonus.” – (Caregiver referred by Private Agency)

“Learning about racial cognizance was very helpful… This is a skill that I think is going to take practice.  But thanks to this class I feel like I can make appropriate choices to move my thinking in that direction.” 

As a caregiver the very best thing you can do for those who depend on you is to take care of yourself!

Caregivers are expected to welcome children who have been traumatized into their homes and invest emotionally and physically into the children. Caregivers are expected to separate gracefully when the time comes for the children to move on. The caregiver’s responsibilities and personal sacrifices in caring for someone else can be challenging for even the most experienced caregivers.

This 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers teaches how to reduce your stress, find more energy and improve your resilience while you care for difficult children and demanding expectations.  The course includes opportunities for self-reflection and insight, short term goal setting and practical self-care and stress reduction techniques.

Luanne Hawley has been a licensed foster parent for 25 years, as well as a relative care provider and adoptive parent. She has been an advocate for Foster Parents and Care Providers having provided support services through the FIRST (Foster Intervention and Retention Support Team) program for many years.

The University of Washington READi Lab focuses on conducting research related to early identification and intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is also referred to as autism. Their work is important because early intervention and detection can change the lives of those impacted by autism. 

The Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence is excited to partner with The University of Washington READi Lab to offer the training “Understanding Autism (READi Lab Videos)” to caregivers for training credit.

The training focuses on “caregivers of newly diagnosed children, and provides helpful tips and strategies for the journey that lies ahead.”  “This DVD was developed by the READi Lab, through a grant funded by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, and in collaboration with Seattle Children’s Autism Center and Gigantic Planet. Many families and professionals contributed to its development…."

This course includes a welcome and five chapters; is available in English, and with Spanish subtitles:

• Welcome
• Chapter One: Understanding the Diagnosis  (Approximately 12 minutes)
• Chapter Two: Voices of Experience: Caring for Yourself and Your Family (Approximately 10 minutes)
• Chapter Three: Finding Help for Your Child (Approximately 11 minutes. Provides Washington State Resource Information.)
• Chapter Four: Setting Up a Treatment Program  (Approximately 22 minutes)
• Chapter Five: Voices of Experience: The Long View (Approximately 6 minutes)

The goals of this workshop include:

• Developing skills to manage children with behavioral challenges in a non-violent crisis intervention manner;
• Skill building for empathetic listening;
• Identifying children’s needs and creative strategies to help children manage their emotions in difficult situations.

This training is designed for caregivers who are pursuing or considering adopting and have knowledge beyond the introductory level.  The class will prepare you to recognize the issues related to trauma, grief, and loss for adopted children.  Participants will leave with resources to guide them in connecting with supports within and outside the department to assist in the creation of an adoptive family that encourages individual and family wellbeing.

Learning Objectives

Following the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the adoption process and identify your ideals and goals as an adoptive parent
• Identify the impact of trauma, loss, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on brain development
• Identify behaviors that are trauma based
• Understand the various types of attachment and how to work with you and your child’s attachment style
• Understand the resources available to adoptive parents and how to access supports for your family

This 2 hour Coaching Session for Caregivers builds upon information contained in Caregivers Core Training (CCT) and provides in-depth training around the need for visitation from the child’s perspective, the caregiver’s role in visitation, and how caregivers can support the child to help visitation to be as successful as possible. Caregivers will more deeply understand the need to support children’s relationships with birth families and gain skills to successfully team with others involved in the child’s visitation. 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.

Coaching sessions are utilized to address a caregiver's specific needs and build specific skills at their convenience. Just contact us to request a time for session to be scheduled.

This 3-hour in-service training will provide foster parents, caregivers, relatives and fictive kin with information about DLR/CPS and how DLR/CPS works with caregivers and the community to ensure child safety.  Participants will learn about mandated reporting, definitions and differences between allegations of abuse and/or neglect and licensing infractions, the flow of the investigative process when allegations are received, outcomes of investigations, and how caregivers can take steps to protect themselves in the process.

Registration is required. Need help? Call 1-866-577-1915 or email help@acwe.on.spiceworks.com
Please include your name, phone number or email, and the course title in your request for assistance.

Inscribirse para asistir a la clase es necesario.Call 1-866-577-1915 or email help@acwe.on.spiceworks.com
Si necesita ayuda favor de llamar al 1-866-577-1915 o mandar un correo electrónico a help@acwe.on.spiceworks.com l.

Participants in this two-day training will increase their knowledge and understanding of early childhood development, neuroscience associated with brain development in early childhood, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), attachment & relationships, and the effects of trauma and maltreatment on development. In addition, participants will gain skills to directly impact the development of this vulnerable population through case management activities and identifying resources and interventions available in communities across Washington State. The following six modules serve as the foundation of instruction, with a final focus on how to best support the development of young children in public child welfare, and locally accessible resources to support early childhood development in your community.

Module 1: Why Early Childhood Matters
Module 2: Understanding the Science of Brain Development
Module 3: Understanding the Science of Attachment
Module 4: Understanding the impact of maltreatment, stress, and separation on development.
Module 5: Helping Children Thrive
Module 6: Informing Child Welfare

If you have young children on your caseload, or you are caring for young children in your home, you will find the information in this training invaluable in supporting your work with children aged birth-five.

• 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

In this 2 1/2 hour training, caregivers become effective educational advocates by learning how to navigate education systems, including steps to take to address a youth's suspected disabilities and the basics of establishing/maintaining positive school relationships.

Perhaps more than any other population, youth in foster care are in desperate need of high-quality public education.  Unfortunately, most youth in foster care experience barriers that interfere with their ability to access that education.  Youth in foster care often have unmet learning needs before coming into care and once in care they may experience frequent moves prompting school changes continuing to create barriers to accessing appropriate school services.

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.

• 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

This 3-hour in-service training for caregivers provides an introduction to the adoption process including the homestudy, adoption support, the legal process and steps to adoption. This training is open to all participants: those who have not taken Caregiver Core Training, those who have, and those who are using the training as a field placement. This training helps caregivers consider their decisions around public and private agencies and whether to foster to adopt or pursue adoption only.  The focus of the training is understanding the process including the emotional impacts of commitment, changing your family, grieving and attachment. 

The training will also give information about:

• open adoptions
• the placement process
• resources
• and more.

This 6-hour focused topic training for caregivers provides an in-depth exploration of the emotional trauma that children in out-of-home care have been through and how it can impact them.  The training focuses on strategic and practical skill building for caregivers to foster healing and resiliency in the children for whom they care. The takeaway from this training is how to identify and address the emotional wounds of the children in your care so healing can begin.

Luanne Hawley has been a licensed foster parent for 25 years, as well as a relative care provider and adoptive parent. She has been an advocate for Foster Parents and Care Providers having provided support services through the FIRST (Foster Intervention and Retention Support Team) program for many years

Participants in this e-learning will learn about the role of mandatory reporters in identifying possible child abuse and neglect, and in reporting these concerns. The training reviews possible indicators of child abuse and neglect, and common situations that cause mandatory reporters to call in a report. Participants will consider the impact of biases on reporting possible child abuse and neglect, and learn about the problem of racial disproportionality in our state’s child welfare system. The federal requirement that Indian heritage and affiliation with Federally recognized tribes must be identified is also explained. Lastly, the training reviews how to contact Children’s Administration to make a report, what information to have available, and what happens once a report has been made are also addressed.

This eLearning for caregivers covers the correct way to administer, log, store, and dispose of medications.

This workshop will provide foster parents, caregivers, relatives and fictive kin with information to assist them in navigating the system, managing the investigative process of allegations, but more importantly, learn ways to minimize the risks of allegations.

• Share ways to minimize the risk of an allegation.
• Learn how the investigative process works.
• Review common practices and procedures.
• Explore and practice documentation and reporting.
• Discuss how best to survive the allegation process.

This training will cover:

• Procedures and paperwork
• Miscellaneous information
• Ways to minimize the risk of an allegation
• Documentation and reporting
• How best to survive the allegation process

Las personas que toman este curso digital aprenderán sobre su rol como denunciadores de abuso por mandato cuando se sospecha abuso o negligencia infantil y los pasos para reportar estas preocupaciones. Este entrenamiento provee información sobre los indicadores que pueden indicar que abuso o negligencia infantil está ocurriendo y las situaciones comunes que en que es necesario llamar a la agencia correspondiente para hacer una denuncia. Las personas tomando este curso también aprenderán a considerar el impacto de los prejuicios culturales cuando se hacen estas denuncias y el problema de disparidad racial representada en el sistema. También este curso explica los requisitos federales para reconocer el linaje de un niño/a con una tribu indígena o su afiliación a una tribu reconocida federalmente. Finalmente, este curso también repasa los pasos para comunicarse con la Administración de Protección Infantil y hacer una denuncia, la información que se necesita, y lo que ocurre una vez que la denuncia ha sido hecha e investigada. 

This e-learning on Prudent Parenting is for both Caregivers and Social Workers. This training discusses the parenting decisions that fall to the Caregiver according to the Prudent Parent Law, provides a few additional considerations when making prudent parenting decisions for children in care, and presents several scenarios that address frequently asked questions related to the Prudent Parent Law.

This 3 hour in-service training for caregivers is intended for those who are ready for, or have received their first placement, or have a new placement after some time without placements. The course focuses on understanding and planning for new placements. The course addresses both the emotional elements to new placements and the practical details of requirements, paperwork, forms and expectations.

Participants should leave with an understanding of what is expected during the first 30 days of a new placement including: mileage, reimbursements, visitation, court reports, documentation, medical care, accessing services, and how to get their questions answered as new issues arise.

This 90 minute in-service webinar training for caregivers is intended for those who are ready for, or have received their first placement, or have a new placement after some time without placements. The course focuses on understanding and planning for new placements. The course addresses both the emotional elements to new placements and the practical details of requirements, paperwork, forms and expectations.

Participants should leave with an understanding of what is expected during the first 30 days of a new placement including: mileage, reimbursements, visitation, court reports, documentation, medical care, accessing services, and how to get their questions answered as new issues arise.

As a caregiver the very best thing you can do for those who depend on you is to take care of yourself!

Caregivers are expected to welcome children who have been traumatized into their homes and invest emotionally and physically into the children. Caregivers are expected to separate gracefully when the time comes for the children to move on. The caregiver’s responsibilities and personal sacrifices in caring for someone else can be challenging for even the most experienced caregivers.

This 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers teaches how to reduce your stress, find more energy and improve your resilience while you care for difficult children and demanding expectations.  The course includes opportunities for self-reflection and insight, short term goal setting and practical self-care and stress reduction techniques.

Luanne Hawley has been a licensed foster parent for 25 years, as well as a relative care provider and adoptive parent. She has been an advocate for Foster Parents and Care Providers having provided support services through the FIRST (Foster Intervention and Retention Support Team) program for many years.

The University of Washington READi Lab focuses on conducting research related to early identification and intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is also referred to as autism. Their work is important because early intervention and detection can change the lives of those impacted by autism. 

The Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence is excited to partner with The University of Washington READi Lab to offer the training “Understanding Autism (READi Lab Videos)” to caregivers for training credit.

The training focuses on “caregivers of newly diagnosed children, and provides helpful tips and strategies for the journey that lies ahead.”  “This DVD was developed by the READi Lab, through a grant funded by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, and in collaboration with Seattle Children’s Autism Center and Gigantic Planet. Many families and professionals contributed to its development…."

This course includes a welcome and five chapters; is available in English, and with Spanish subtitles:

• Welcome
• Chapter One: Understanding the Diagnosis  (Approximately 12 minutes)
• Chapter Two: Voices of Experience: Caring for Yourself and Your Family (Approximately 10 minutes)
• Chapter Three: Finding Help for Your Child (Approximately 11 minutes. Provides Washington State Resource Information.)
• Chapter Four: Setting Up a Treatment Program  (Approximately 22 minutes)
• Chapter Five: Voices of Experience: The Long View (Approximately 6 minutes)

This 3-hour in-service course is designed to provide caregivers with the information needed to identify, support, and intervene with youth who are living in care and are at risk of running away.  Caregivers will learn the characteristics associated with youth who are at risk for running away, and key strategies to reduce the likelihood of them running.  Legal and procedural requirements are presented so caregivers can successfully partner with Social Service Specialists and understand what steps to take when a youth is missing from care, and when they return.  Caregivers will learn how to participate with youth and Social Service Specialists in the development of a Run Prevention Plan for youth identified as being at risk of running, and a Returning Child De-briefing to assess the youth's immediate needs upon their return to care.

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 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

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.

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.

This 6-hour focused topic training for caregivers provides a foundation for understanding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  The training develops caregivers’ understanding of the diagnosis (especially in those under 6 years of age) as well as covering Developmental Trauma Disorder for complex trauma events often experienced by youth in alternative care situations.  Dissociation and hyper arousal behavior patterns are explored as protective responses to challenges in the environment and methods to reduce the impacts discussed.  Strategies for healing and resolving trauma as caregivers are explored.

Randi Hankins, CSW, CMHS
Randi Hankins is an Associate Professor of Clinical Social Work in the Masters of Social Work program at Walla Walla College. She has worked in the community mental health system as a therapist and clinical director and has been a practicing County Designated Mental Health Professional for the past 28 years. She is a Certified Social Worker and is both a Child Mental Health Specialist and a Developmental Disabilities Mental Health Specialist. Her primary areas of clinical practice and expertise include sexually reactive children, adolescent disruptive behaviors, psychotropic medications, crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

This 4-hour focused topic training for caregivers and Social Service Specialists is a life-saving program developed to prepare anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper.

Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.

Since its development in 2006, safeTALK has been used in over 20 countries around the world, and more than 200 selectable video vignettes have been produced to tailor the program’s audio-visual component for diverse audiences. safeTALK trained helpers are an important part of suicide-safer communities, working alongside intervention resources to identify and avert suicide risks.

Training features:

• Presentations and guidance from a LivingWorks registered trainer
• Access to support from a local community resource person
• Powerful audiovisual learning aids
• The simple yet effective TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe
• Hands-on skills practice and development

safeTALK helps expand the reach of suicide intervention skills in communities around the world.

This valuable class for foster parents, caregivers, and staff highlights Autism, current research, sensory-related characteristics, common behaviors, and related school interventions.  Join Larry Davis, special education advocate, as he shares a unique perspective of supporting kids on the spectrum at school and home by addressing anxiety related symptoms through emotional resilience strategies including science-based self-regulation techniques.

“This Workshop is one of the most inspirational, informative, and insightful presentations on this topic we have seen in years … what a breath  of fresh air.” [recent participant: Fall 2014].

In addition, Larry will share successful advocacy strategies for participants in support of Autism related IEP and 504 Plan interventions.    

This training is designed for caregivers who are pursuing or considering adopting and have knowledge beyond the introductory level.  The class will prepare you to recognize the issues related to trauma, grief, and loss for adopted children.  Participants will leave with resources to guide them in connecting with supports within and outside the department to assist in the creation of an adoptive family that encourages individual and family wellbeing.

Learning Objectives

Following the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the adoption process and identify your ideals and goals as an adoptive parent
• Identify the impact of trauma, loss, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on brain development
• Identify behaviors that are trauma based
• Understand the various types of attachment and how to work with you and your child’s attachment style
• Understand the resources available to adoptive parents and how to access supports for your family

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 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

Participants in this two-day training will increase their knowledge and understanding of early childhood development, neuroscience associated with brain development in early childhood, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), attachment & relationships, and the effects of trauma and maltreatment on development. In addition, participants will gain skills to directly impact the development of this vulnerable population through case management activities and identifying resources and interventions available in communities across Washington State. The following six modules serve as the foundation of instruction, with a final focus on how to best support the development of young children in public child welfare, and locally accessible resources to support early childhood development in your community.

Module 1: Why Early Childhood Matters
Module 2: Understanding the Science of Brain Development
Module 3: Understanding the Science of Attachment
Module 4: Understanding the impact of maltreatment, stress, and separation on development.
Module 5: Helping Children Thrive
Module 6: Informing Child Welfare

If you have young children on your caseload, or you are caring for young children in your home, you will find the information in this training invaluable in supporting your work with children aged birth-five.

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 in-service eLearning is for foster parents and relative/ kinship caregivers who are interested in learning more about how child abuse, neglect and maltreatment effect the development of children in their care.  

This training is comprised of 5 sections:  Section 1 explores the foundational concepts of child development.  Section 2 reviews from birth to three years old.  Section 3 discussion children from ages three to five years.  Section 4 explores from five to 11 years.  Section 5 reviews from age 11 to 17 years.

This course is designed to help foster parents and caregivers gain a better understanding of our interaction with trauma and adversity in the children we serve.  

This workshop covers:  

• The healing power of living true to ourselves  
• Recognizing wounds, burdens and painful memories in ourselves and our children
• Understanding compassion fatigue in foster parents and caregivers  
• Finding fulfillment in Self-led parenting
• Building cooperative partnerships with you, your community and the children you serve

In this 2 1/2 hour training, caregivers become effective educational advocates by learning how to navigate education systems, including steps to take to address a youth's suspected disabilities and the basics of establishing/maintaining positive school relationships.

Perhaps more than any other population, youth in foster care are in desperate need of high-quality public education.  Unfortunately, most youth in foster care experience barriers that interfere with their ability to access that education.  Youth in foster care often have unmet learning needs before coming into care and once in care they may experience frequent moves prompting school changes continuing to create barriers to accessing appropriate school services.

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 points:

• School-readiness starts from birth. Early cognitive and social experiences play an important role in children’s early development.
• Children are particularly attuned to other people, and learn best from face-to-face interactions.
• Children are incredibly social.  Using eye-gaze, pointing, infant-directed speech, and contingent actions can draw children’s attention to their environment and support learning.

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 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.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Children take cues from other people to guide their emotions and behavior, especially in new situations (social referencing).
• Children even learn from interactions they’re not directly involved in – they pick up on emotional states of others just from watching and listening.
• In their second year of life, children begin managing their own emotions or behaviors (self-regulation), often using others’ reactions to guide their actions.

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 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.

This hour long class covers the following points:

• Babies have a biological need for loving care. They begin forming an emotional bond with their caregivers at birth. Infants form an attachment to primary caregivers by the end of their first year.
• The quality of attachment relationships is different for each child. Child and family factors can affect attachment quality.
• Attachment relationships during infancy can have lasting effects on children’s development. Yet, attachment quality can improve with proper support.

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:

• From birth, children show interest in other people. By late infancy, they engage with others through joint attention. Joint attention is sharing attention between objects and other people.
• Around one year of age, children recognize the importance of other people’s eyes. They begin to follow others’ eye gaze.
• Children’s gaze following predicts other developmental outcomes, like language development. Sharing eye gaze doesn’t come as naturally to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This can affect their language and communication 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:

• 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:

• The brain is primed to learn language in the first few years of life. As we age, it becomes harder to learn a second language.
• Language is the product of our experiences. The amount and type of language input determines our language outcomes. This is true whether we’re learning one or two languages.
• Bilingual and monolingual children develop language at the same pace.
• Bilingualism is associated with cognitive advantages, such as better flexible thinking 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:

• 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.
• Racism is like a conveyor belt and we are all on it. It is our responsibility to work actively to recognize and work against racism in our society. Otherwise we will continue to live as a member of a racist society.
• Kids are aware of race and observe and integrate ideas about race from those around them and reflect it in their own attitudes and behaviors.
• Kids form racial identities. They recognize that their race and racial group is part of who they are and how others see them.
• Research suggests that not talking about race with kids increases racist thinking and racism. Racial silence will never create racial equality, but talking about race can!

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:

• The brain learns musical information very early in development. Infants learn from listening to music in their environment and culture.
• Research suggests that infants have a sensitive period when their brains are particularly primed to learn the basic structure of musical components.
• Music and language share some key elements, such as pattern and rhythm. Practice with musical patterns and rhythms may help young children learn language patterns and rhythms.
• Musical experiences may help children build other skills, too. For instance, music training has been linked to executive function skills, and moving to a beat in time with another person can help build social-emotional 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:

• 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:

• Literacy is an important part of daily life. It helps empower a child’s educational, societal, and civic development.
• The best curricula for teaching children how to read include explicit instruction in phonological awareness. Explicit classroom instruction is a key part that builds on a strong foundation of phonological awareness.
• Some children have difficulty learning to read. Research tells us that it is important to identify struggling readers early on, and to provide them with extra support before they fall behind their peers.
• Early intervention helps struggling children build foundational skills and improve their reading ability. Effective programs encompass the school, home, and community.

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.

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:

• It is important to build children's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills starting at an early age so they become fluent.
• Parents/teachers can provide children with a variety of STEM materials and activities, and ask questions about what children observe and expect.
• Doing STEM activities with other people can help children enjoy STEM.

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.

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.  

Participants learn about infant communication, safe sleep environments, and the shaken baby syndrome to better care for infants placed in their homes.  Equipped with the information, participants are able to be responsive and provide safe care to the infant.  Participants will become familiar with the Period of Purple Crying as a strategy to help infants in their foster home.

Parenting the Positive Discipline Way is a 15-hour in-service level series of trainings for foster and kinship caregivers which explores tools to teach valuable social and life skills to children instead of using any form of punishment, rewards, praise, permissiveness or logical consequences.  This six-part Positive Discipline series will help foster parents and kinship care providers to better understand why discipline with abused and neglected children is different from the discipline that typically works with children who have not been abused or neglected.  Participants will learn how to use effective discipline that is kind and firm, creates connection before correction, is empowering and encouraging to children to believe in their own capability, and keeps the joy in caregiving.  Participants will gain practice with experiential exercises, group discussions, and handouts to develop skills for getting into the child’s world to understand the belief behind behavior in order to motivate change.  Topics and techniques apply to all ages and many settings.

The Alliance also offers An Introduction to Positive Discipline for those who are interested in experiencing a 2 hour sample of Positive Discipline training around techniques and principles for your home.

Additional Resources

Click one of the images below to hear about Positive Discipline from Dr. Jane Nelsen (author and co-founder of Positive Discipline), and Darcey Hancock (Statewide Administrator of the Division of Licensed Resources in Washington).  You will hear them discuss some of the foundational concepts of Positive Discipline, and how WA State Law around discipline fits with Positive Discipline techniques.

The University of Washington READi Lab focuses on conducting research related to early identification and intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is also referred to as autism. Their work is important because early intervention and detection can change the lives of those impacted by autism. 

The Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence is excited to partner with The University of Washington READi Lab to offer the training “Understanding Autism (READi Lab Videos)” to caregivers for training credit.

The training focuses on “caregivers of newly diagnosed children, and provides helpful tips and strategies for the journey that lies ahead.”  “This DVD was developed by the READi Lab, through a grant funded by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, and in collaboration with Seattle Children’s Autism Center and Gigantic Planet. Many families and professionals contributed to its development…."

This course includes a welcome and five chapters; is available in English, and with Spanish subtitles:

• Welcome
• Chapter One: Understanding the Diagnosis  (Approximately 12 minutes)
• Chapter Two: Voices of Experience: Caring for Yourself and Your Family (Approximately 10 minutes)
• Chapter Three: Finding Help for Your Child (Approximately 11 minutes. Provides Washington State Resource Information.)
• Chapter Four: Setting Up a Treatment Program  (Approximately 22 minutes)
• Chapter Five: Voices of Experience: The Long View (Approximately 6 minutes)

This training will address lying on several levels. Attitudes, values, beliefs and societal norms are examined and discussed. The caregiver will learn about factors which motivate children to lie. Suggestions will be offered to assist caregivers in responding to children when this behavior occurs and how to prevent its occurrence in the future.

This 1 hour in-service eLearning is designed to provide caregivers with the information needed to identify, support, and intervene with youth who are living in care and are at risk of running away. Caregivers will learn the characteristics associated with youth who are at risk for running away, and key strategies to reduce the likelihood of them running. Legal and procedural requirements are presented so caregivers can successfully partner with Social Service Specialists and understand what steps to take when a youth is missing from care, and when they return. Caregivers will learn how to participate with youth and Social Service Specialists in the development of a Run Prevention Plan for youth identified as being at risk of running, and a Returning Child De-briefing to assess the youth's immediate needs upon their return to care.

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.

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 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers provides information and skill building in the subject of cultural diversity to enable caregivers to meet the needs of your children/youth.  The training is interactive and experiential.

• Tools to facilitate understanding of multi-cultural & diversity sensitivity and awareness through experiential, didactic and familiarization of effective interaction and mindset
• Learning various culturally specific concepts and language

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.
• Racism is like a conveyor belt and we are all on it. It is our responsibility to work actively to recognize and work against racism in our society. Otherwise we will continue to live as a member of a racist society.
• Kids are aware of race and observe and integrate ideas about race from those around them and reflect it in their own attitudes and behaviors.
• Kids form racial identities. They recognize that their race and racial group is part of who they are and how others see them.
• Research suggests that not talking about race with kids increases racist thinking and racism. Racial silence will never create racial equality, but talking about race can!

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 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.

This 3 hour eLearning provides Caregivers with an introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), tribal sovereignty and the impacts on foster parenting.  The Indian Child Welfare Act obliges child welfare agencies and caregivers to take certain steps to protect and preserve the rights and cultural and familial connections of children covered by the act.  For non-Federally recognized tribes (and in other circumstances), Washington State enacted policy related to Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees (LICWACs) to staff tribal cases and these impacts and supports are also discussed.  This training explores the legal, historical, and social biases which have impacted and continue to have a disproportionate impact on Native American children and families.  Caregivers will review basic information and skills needed to work with families and children who are covered under ICWA and LICWAC.  The State of Washington’s legal and policy guidelines around placement and permanency preferences for children covered by ICWA and LICWAC are explored, as well as the various manners in which Tribes can take jurisdiction or chose to otherwise be involved in Child Welfare cases.  Skills and resources are also discussed to help caregivers support and develop a child’s cultural identity and tribal connection.

This 3-hour In-Service level training provides Caregivers with an introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), tribal sovereignty and the impacts on foster parenting.  The Indian Child Welfare Act obliges child welfare agencies and caregivers to take certain steps to protect and preserve the rights and cultural and familial connections of children covered by the act.  For non-Federally recognized tribes (and in other circumstances), Washington State enacted policy related to Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees (LICWACs) to staff tribal cases and these impacts and supports are also discussed.  This training explores the legal, historical, and social biases which have impacted and continue to have a disproportionate impact on Native American children and families.  Caregivers will review basic information and skills needed to work with families and children who are covered under ICWA and LICWAC.  The State of Washington’s legal and policy guidelines around placement and permanency preferences for children covered by ICWA and LICWAC are explored, as well as the various manners in which Tribes can take jurisdiction or chose to otherwise be involved in Child Welfare cases.  Skills and resources are also discussed to help caregivers support and develop a child’s cultural identity and tribal connection.

This training focuses on a law that mandates that race, culture, or ethnicity may not be used to prevent a child from being placed in a particular home, nor can it be used to delay the placement of a child.

Recent research has shown that children have very complex understandings of differences and how they make meaning of stereotypes.  Far from being color-blind, most children are aware of how their own skin color is an advantage or disadvantage.  They also judge their peers based on these differences¬—even though many adults believe young children in today’s generation don’t stereotype.  Because of this, it is important to give children anti-bias messages, through actions and words that actively counter what they are internalizing and witnessing in the world.

In this workshop we will explore how children and youth learn and practice racism and privilege.  Participants will learn strategies to for acting on teachable moments and ways to create counter narratives. 

This training is presented by Dr. Caprice Hollins and/or Ilsa Govan, M.A., co-founders of Cultures Connecting, LLC. 

Dr. Hollins received her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in multicultural and community psychology in 1998.   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.

Ilsa Govan, M.A. has more than fifteen years of experience as a classroom teacher and anti-racist community activist. She began her work for social and environmental justice in high school with her involvement in advocating for Native American rights. Since then she has facilitated, organized and participated in numerous workshops, study circles and conferences across the country. Ilsa worked as an Equity and Race Specialist for Seattle Public Schools, addressing institutional racism in a large organization. She has also served on the planning teams of the Seattle Race Conference and the White Privilege Conference. Ilsa earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from Western Washington University and her Master’s Degree in Bicultural Human Development from Pacific Oaks College Northwest. For her thesis, she spent a year studying effective European American teachers of African American students in three Seattle elementary schools.

Comments from Caregivers who took this training:

“Fantastic! High energy, interactive and very knowledgeable.  Worth spending my Saturday afternoon and then some :-)  Non-judgmental, thorough, humorous, relatable, very professional.  I came away enriched.  Thank you!” 

“Student instructor was animated, experienced, kept the best mix of light/serious.  The personal anecdotes and photos help the lessons hit home. I like the practical takeaways too – teaching moment, media training – Thank you!” – (Caregiver referred by their Social Worker)

“Very informative and left with good resources.  Norms regarding conversations very helpful.  Connecting with present and other attendees was a huge bonus.” – (Caregiver referred by Private Agency)

“Learning about racial cognizance was very helpful… This is a skill that I think is going to take practice.  But thanks to this class I feel like I can make appropriate choices to move my thinking in that direction.” 

This 4-hour focused topic training for caregivers and Social Service Specialists is a life-saving program developed to prepare anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper.

Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.

Since its development in 2006, safeTALK has been used in over 20 countries around the world, and more than 200 selectable video vignettes have been produced to tailor the program’s audio-visual component for diverse audiences. safeTALK trained helpers are an important part of suicide-safer communities, working alongside intervention resources to identify and avert suicide risks.

Training features:

• Presentations and guidance from a LivingWorks registered trainer
• Access to support from a local community resource person
• Powerful audiovisual learning aids
• The simple yet effective TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe
• Hands-on skills practice and development

safeTALK helps expand the reach of suicide intervention skills in communities around the world.

This training is designed for caregivers who are pursuing or considering adopting and have knowledge beyond the introductory level.  The class will prepare you to recognize the issues related to trauma, grief, and loss for adopted children.  Participants will leave with resources to guide them in connecting with supports within and outside the department to assist in the creation of an adoptive family that encourages individual and family wellbeing.

Learning Objectives

Following the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the adoption process and identify your ideals and goals as an adoptive parent
• Identify the impact of trauma, loss, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on brain development
• Identify behaviors that are trauma based
• Understand the various types of attachment and how to work with you and your child’s attachment style
• Understand the resources available to adoptive parents and how to access supports for your family

This 3-hour in-service training for caregivers provides an introduction to the adoption process including the homestudy, adoption support, the legal process and steps to adoption. This training is open to all participants: those who have not taken Caregiver Core Training, those who have, and those who are using the training as a field placement. This training helps caregivers consider their decisions around public and private agencies and whether to foster to adopt or pursue adoption only.  The focus of the training is understanding the process including the emotional impacts of commitment, changing your family, grieving and attachment. 

The training will also give information about:

• open adoptions
• the placement process
• resources
• and more.

This 3 hour eLearning provides Caregivers with an introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), tribal sovereignty and the impacts on foster parenting.  The Indian Child Welfare Act obliges child welfare agencies and caregivers to take certain steps to protect and preserve the rights and cultural and familial connections of children covered by the act.  For non-Federally recognized tribes (and in other circumstances), Washington State enacted policy related to Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees (LICWACs) to staff tribal cases and these impacts and supports are also discussed.  This training explores the legal, historical, and social biases which have impacted and continue to have a disproportionate impact on Native American children and families.  Caregivers will review basic information and skills needed to work with families and children who are covered under ICWA and LICWAC.  The State of Washington’s legal and policy guidelines around placement and permanency preferences for children covered by ICWA and LICWAC are explored, as well as the various manners in which Tribes can take jurisdiction or chose to otherwise be involved in Child Welfare cases.  Skills and resources are also discussed to help caregivers support and develop a child’s cultural identity and tribal connection.

This 3-hour In-Service level training provides Caregivers with an introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), tribal sovereignty and the impacts on foster parenting.  The Indian Child Welfare Act obliges child welfare agencies and caregivers to take certain steps to protect and preserve the rights and cultural and familial connections of children covered by the act.  For non-Federally recognized tribes (and in other circumstances), Washington State enacted policy related to Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees (LICWACs) to staff tribal cases and these impacts and supports are also discussed.  This training explores the legal, historical, and social biases which have impacted and continue to have a disproportionate impact on Native American children and families.  Caregivers will review basic information and skills needed to work with families and children who are covered under ICWA and LICWAC.  The State of Washington’s legal and policy guidelines around placement and permanency preferences for children covered by ICWA and LICWAC are explored, as well as the various manners in which Tribes can take jurisdiction or chose to otherwise be involved in Child Welfare cases.  Skills and resources are also discussed to help caregivers support and develop a child’s cultural identity and tribal connection.

The financial, legal, and emotional issues of raising a relative’s child can be challenging. Services and support when raising a relative’s child can be a lifesaver.  Kinship caregiving in all of its forms is becoming increasingly common.  Recent WA State child welfare data (Partners for Our Children-1/1/2015)   show that 41 percent of children in out of home care are living with a relative.  Many more children are living with relatives or other close family friends informally, without the ongoing supervision of the state’s foster care system. 

Often kinship caregivers do not access the benefits which are available to them. This class will address the issues that Kinship Caregivers struggle with most:

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

This 2.5 hour in-service 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.

This 1.5 hour 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.   

The financial, legal, and emotional issues of raising a relative’s child can be challenging. Services and support when raising a relative’s child can be a lifesaver.  Kinship caregiving in all of its forms is becoming increasingly common.  Recent WA State child welfare data (Partners for Our Children-1/1/2015)   show that 41 percent of children in out of home care are living with a relative.  Many more children are living with relatives or other close family friends informally, without the ongoing supervision of the state’s foster care system. 

Often kinship caregivers do not access the benefits which are available to them. This class will address the issues that Kinship Caregivers struggle with most:

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

This 90 minute webinar 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.

This training focuses on a law that mandates that race, culture, or ethnicity may not be used to prevent a child from being placed in a particular home, nor can it be used to delay the placement of a child.

This training is designed for caregivers who are pursuing or considering adopting and have knowledge beyond the introductory level.  The class will prepare you to recognize the issues related to trauma, grief, and loss for adopted children.  Participants will leave with resources to guide them in connecting with supports within and outside the department to assist in the creation of an adoptive family that encourages individual and family wellbeing.

Learning Objectives

Following the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the adoption process and identify your ideals and goals as an adoptive parent
• Identify the impact of trauma, loss, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on brain development
• Identify behaviors that are trauma based
• Understand the various types of attachment and how to work with you and your child’s attachment style
• Understand the resources available to adoptive parents and how to access supports for your family

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.

Additional Resources

In addition to the 6-hour, in-person training, you can also watch a 1-hour video, Working with Children Exhibiting Physically Aggressive Behaviors, with information to help manage a child who is physically acting out in your home, and to help you create a safe and nurturing environment.

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 sexual behaviors.  Participants will explore values and beliefs before reviewing typical child development and the impacts of trauma, abuse, and neglect on development.  Participants will then explore in-depth how sexual abuse specifically can impact various development domains, as well as the child’s self-image, and the household supporting them. Sexual development is explored throughout childhood including what is typical, what may be “red flags”, how some experiences can lead to sexual behavior problems, and how to intervene and respond safely.  Caregivers will learn about their role in promoting healthy sexual development, positive messaging, suggestions for prevention education, the importance of establishing house rules, and other ideas to maintain safety while also helping to prevent false allegations in their home.

Additional Resources

In addition to the 6-hour, in-person training, you can also watch a 1-hour video, Working with Children Exhibiting Sexual Behavioral Problems, with information to help manage a child who is sexually acting out in your home, and to help you create a safe and nurturing environment.

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 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 in-service eLearning is for foster parents and relative/ kinship caregivers who are interested in learning more about how child abuse, neglect and maltreatment effect the development of children in their care.  

This training is comprised of 5 sections:  Section 1 explores the foundational concepts of child development.  Section 2 reviews from birth to three years old.  Section 3 discussion children from ages three to five years.  Section 4 explores from five to 11 years.  Section 5 reviews from age 11 to 17 years.

• 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

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 course is designed to help foster parents and caregivers gain a better understanding of our interaction with trauma and adversity in the children we serve.  

This workshop covers:  

• The healing power of living true to ourselves  
• Recognizing wounds, burdens and painful memories in ourselves and our children
• Understanding compassion fatigue in foster parents and caregivers  
• Finding fulfillment in Self-led parenting
• Building cooperative partnerships with you, your community and the children you serve