Alliance Course Catalog

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

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

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

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

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

This 6 hour focused topic training for caregivers will focus on how children with substance abuse in their life have an increased chance of experiencing many effects, such as poor social, cognitive and emotional development, physical, mental and health issues, depression, anxiety, concentration and learning difficulties, trouble controlling their responses, as well as other traumatic issues. The goal of this workshop is to identify and address the impacts drugs have on children and setting up a successful environment and coping skills. The takeaway from this training is feeling empowered to care for a drug impacted child as they grow through childhood, teenage years and beyond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Versión en línea de la CCT

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pautas generales de la CCT en línea

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

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

Caregiver Core Training (CCT) is the mandatory training for Washington State’s caregivers to become licensed.

Due to state mandated requirements during the health crisis, Caregiver Core Training is only offered as an online eLearning. Please click this link to register for your online training.

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.

This 90 minute webinar training for caregivers covers what you should know about why Family Time matters for all those involved in a dependency case. The course will teach you a wide range of how you can support Family Time including preparing children for visits, supervising visits, providing transportation, sharing information with the birth family, and much more. You will learn why Family Time matters and the range of possibilities for what Family Time may look like including location options, frequency and length of visits, and level of supervision. As a caregiver you play a role in making Family Time successful and this training will teach you how.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This training is for licensed and unlicensed caregivers and relative / kinship providers to support LGTBQ+ youth in their care.

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

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

This eLearning will provide caregivers an overview of the:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• ProFirstAid: CPR Skills Evaluation - 1 hour

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

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

The eLearnings are available in English or Spanish.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

This 1 hour class covers the following:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following key points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

This hour long class covers the following points:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This 3-hour in-service 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

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

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.

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 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.

Parenting the Positive Discipline Way is a series of six 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 six sessions are each 2.5 hours and may be taken individually or in any order. 

Session 1: What Do You Want For Your Children? Session 1 explores what you want for your children, curiosity questions, hugs for connection, and the introduction to Positive Discipline tool cards.

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.

In addition, the Alliance offers individual coaching sessions around implementing Positive Discipline techniques.  The coaching session requires that a participant has completed at least one of the sessions of Positive Discipline.

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.

Parenting the Positive Discipline Way is a series of six 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 six sessions are each 2.5 hours and may be taken individually or in any order. 

Session 3: Not So Perfect Parenting. Session 3 explores the belief behind the behavior, the idea that it is not your job to make your children happy, and sibling rivalry and birth order.

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.

In addition, the Alliance offers individual coaching sessions around implementing Positive Discipline techniques.  The coaching session requires that a participant has completed at least one of the sessions of Positive Discipline.

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.

Parenting the Positive Discipline Way is a series of six 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 six sessions are each 2.5 hours and may be taken individually or in any order. 

Session 5: Connection Before Correction. Session 5 explores connection before correction, encouragement versus praise, and the wheel of choice.

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.

In addition, the Alliance offers individual coaching sessions around implementing Positive Discipline techniques.  The coaching session requires that a participant has completed at least one of the sessions of Positive Discipline.

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.

Partners Make Better Decisions brings together social workers and caregivers in a dynamic environment of dialogue, small-group activities and scenario discussions. This course mimics the way the child welfare process works, with many voices at the table, with the goal of building understanding and relationships through finding commonality and mutual respect.

Building partnerships and finding common ground with others is integral to achieving the best outcomes for children and families. When approaching decision making, it is vital that you can work effectively with all parties involved, and this training provides you the foundation for making that happen.

You will start the training by sharing and hearing from other participants about why they do the work they do, likely finding many shared values. The training also will guide you through a conversation about communication and potential barriers and breakdown points, with special consideration of the high stakes and complicated dynamics involved in this work. Finally, you will learn some tools and strategies for working together and remaining focused on the “main thing,” the interest of the child, even when distractions or disagreements arise.

When you leave the training, you will have a new understanding of and appreciation for your partners on the child’s care team, and a plan for communicating and working together.

As a caregiver you play a key role in helping youth in your care transition into adulthood. During this course you will review the impact of childhood trauma on foster youth. You will explore the rights of youth in care and recognize your responsibilities for insuring those rights are met. You will explore ways to engage youth in conversations and activities in your home and community to develop life skills for launching into adulthood.

When a child is in need of out-of-home care, the Department should be actively seeking placement of children with relatives. The goal of this training is to help Caregivers understand the process as it impacts placements and long-term permanency.

You made the choice to step in and provide care for a child when they needed it. This choice changed the day-to-day rhythms of your life, and the life of the child or children you are caring for. The changes that come with assuming full time care of a child bring with them a host of feelings and often added stressors. In this course, we will explore how this experience is impacting you and how to cope and care for yourself through the inevitable ups and downs. Then, we will shift our focus to understanding the feelings and behaviors the children are experiencing. It is common for them to have conflicting feelings about their parents, the situation and even you. We will consider how to accept their feelings, respond to their statements and questions, and support them as they navigate this. Lastly, we will review resources and sources of support, particularly support for children of all ages who are challenged by this transition and need support to not just survive but to thrive.

Getting a new placement is a big transition, and there are many ways you can prepare for and navigate the process make it as successful as possible for yourself, your family and the youth or child. This webinar addresses both the emotional elements to new placements and the practical details of requirements, paperwork, forms and expectations.

You will focus on four areas: Getting Ready; The First Day, Week and Month; Settling In; and Working With the System. You will share ideas with other participants around how to prepare for a new placement, including ways to make them feel comfortable and safety precautions to take. A big part of this training is understanding which forms you will receive and what they mean; what meetings, appointments or hearings you need to be aware of; and who the key players are during this time.

You will leave the training with an understanding of what is expected during the first 30 days of a new placement. You also will know how to access resources when you have questions – you will probably have many, but there is a great community of support available to you and the new child in your care.

Treehouse Education Advocates work with schools, caregivers, social workers and youth in foster care statewide to resolve difficult issues and remove barriers to school success.

In this training, learn how to access education-related support services; including special education services; and how to advocate for youth who may experience discipline or behavioral issues at school. Treehouse facilitators will also discuss the importance of stabilizing school placements and the educational rights of students experiencing foster care. Finally, caregivers will have the opportunity to learn about the basics of establishing and maintaining positive school relationships in order to create educational success for children and youth in foster care.

TBRI® is an attachment-based approach to parenting that is designed to meet the complex needs of children. TBRI uses the Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors.

This module focuses on attachment, which is the most important dynamic system that a child experiences during development. This module covers several topics including the attachment cycle, infant attachment classifications, what happens when things go wrong in attachment, adult attachment styles, and applying your knowledge through TBRI Connecting Principles using Mindful Engagement, Choices, Compromises, and Life Value Terms.

This training is the first of a three-part series.

TBRI® is an attachment-based approach to parenting that is designed to meet the complex needs of children. TBRI uses the Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors.

This module is designed to help participants learn skills that can be used to manage children’s behavior. The goal for this training module is to help participants understand how children learned ‘survival behaviors’ (fight, flight, freeze) and how they can disarm those behaviors, teaching them adaptive, new skills for life.

This training is the third of a three-part series.   You must complete the first two modules before enrolling in this module.

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

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.