Module 5: Supporting Relationships Between Children and Their Families

The goals of the three sessions in this module are to help foster parents understand the importance of the child's family relationships, to develop their skills to support these relationships, and to provide ways for participants to share the parenting role and to help birth parents.

Course Duration 9 hours
Course Delivery Self-Directed, Online
Course Provider Governors State University, Chicago IL
Course Type Self-Directed, Online

Session One offers participants ideas on how to manage diversity between children, their birth families, and foster families and how to respect the child's culture, traditions, and routines. Methods for helping children manage attachment and loyalty conflicts and issues related to the roles of siblings, extended family or kin, and friends are also covered in this first session.

Session Two provides foster parents with an understanding of the importance of supporting family relationships and ways to work with the family foster care team to meet the child's needs for family connections through visits and other contacts. Information en the goals of visits from each person's perspective and issues related to the location, frequency, and length of visits discussed. Participants learn ways to prepare children for their family visits, to provide support during and after visits, and how to support contacts other than visits.

Session Three focuses specifically on the concept of "Partners in Parenting.” After steps in the process of developing partnerships are presented, participants learn about the skills necessary to implement this concept and acquire information on how to share the parenting role and to support and help birth families.

Course Details

Course Type: Self-Directed, Online
Duration: 9 hours
P.R.I.D.E. Levels of Pay: All Levels
Recertification Required:
Provided by: Governors State University, Chicago IL
Training Type: CORE 1

Upcoming Events: Module 5: Supporting Relationships Between Children and Their Families

No upcoming course events at this time.

Related Courses

Module 5: Supporting Relationships Between Children and Their Families

The goals of the three sessions in this module are to help foster parents understand the importance of the child's family relationships, to develop their skills to support these relationships, and to provide ways for participants to share the parenting role and to help birth parents.

Module 3: Addressing Developmental Issues Related To Sexuality

This module, consisting of one three-hour session, provides information on normal sexual development and behavior in children and youth, identifies factors that indicate problematic sexual behavior, and outlines techniques for educating children about sexuality.

Module 6: Working As A Professional Team Member

The purpose of this module is to provide foster parents with an understanding of the professional team in working on behalf of children and families. The three sessions include information and skill development related to teamwork, the tasks of foster parents as professional team members, and conflict management.

Module 8: Promoting Permanency Outcomes

The intent of the four sessions in this module is to provide participants with a foundation for understanding permanency planning practice and to assist them in helping children and families achieve the desired permanency outcomes.