PLEASE NOTE - All workshops have been approved for foster parent credit. Some of our workshops have also been approved for Social Worker CEUs and are noted next to the training titles listed below.
Session A (Friday 8:30am-10:30am)
A1
In Touch Parenting: Foster Parents as Mind-Readers
The most effective and nurturing caregivers are those who are “in touch” with their child. These parents focus on understanding the child inside and out. In effect they mind-read their infants and young children, and spur the development of the child’s mind. Unfortunately, trauma often leaves children insecure and their mind-reading skills underdeveloped. Among other things, trauma harms the child’s social brain, including self-awareness, empathy for others, and ability to express feelings in words rather than through acting-out behavior. This workshop will emphasize how foster parents can help children develop an understanding of emotions and an ability to verbalize and regulate their thoughts, feelings and intentions. Presenter: Richard Delaney, Ph.D. (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
A2
Foster Families as a Life Raft: Understanding ACEs and Helping Children Stay Afloat
Children exposed to ACEs may experience chemical and structural changes in brain architecture and function that lead to serious complications with physical, social, and emotional health, as well as learning and behavior. Participants will hear an overview of the basic concepts of ACEs and the brain, potential consequences and learn tools to help you identify, address, and treat issues that may arise from childhood trauma. Presenter: Amy Shriver, MD (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
A3
Resilient Family Caregivers: Building on the Unique Strengths and Challenges of Kinship Connections in Foster Care and Adoption
Through an interactive discussion and participation in self-reflective activities, the unique dynamics of kinship families and children involved in this type of care and adoptions will be examined. Knowledge and information shared will be designed to further strengthen kinship caregiver’s abilities and resiliency and professionals who support these types of families. Attendees will learn specific strategies to help children make sense and cope with specific kinship related challenges. We will further explore keeping a healthy connection to the child’s biological family as a kinship caregiver or adoptive parent while establishing boundaries and fostering attachment in your own family. Presenter: Alyssa Shepard Caldbeck, LMSW (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
A4
It is a Matter of Justice: Strategies for Working with Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
It has been reported that as many as 70 percent of children in the foster care system have been exposed to alcohol prenatally. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is a range of physical, cognitive and behavioral problems that can occur in individuals exposed to alcohol prenatally. The research suggests that children on the spectrum are at high risk for a disrupted school experience and coming into contact with the criminal justice system. This presentation will provide an overview of FASD, challenges that are common when raising a child that is impacted, and will explore practical strategies for addressing FASD at home, in the school, and in the community to work towards better outcomes.
Presenter: Ruth Richardson, JD (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
A5
Sensory Processing Activities for Parents, Caregivers and Education Providers
This workshop offers information for foster and adoptive parents to assist with poorly regulated children and how to function in their daily lives. The lecture will focus on activities to assist children with but not limited to: autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder. Participants will gain a new understanding of the impact of state regulation, sensory integration and how it changes a child’s life. Participants will also learn new approaches and activities to assist children in developing self-regulating skills. Presenters: Deb Spenner, OTR/L & Jen Parrish, OTR/L (Approved for SW CEUs)
Session B (Friday 12:15pm-2:15pm)
B1
Fostering Changes: Understanding and Addressing the Eight Most Common Behavior Problems in Foster and Kinship Children and Youth
Children who have experienced "complex histories" can be exhausting and bewildering for families to care for. This workshop will focus on seeing behavior problems as opportunities to better understand the foster or adopted child. We will explore how understanding the purpose of behavior problems leads us to better interventions and solutions within the family context. We will address eight of the most common behaviors including lying and manipulation, anger and aggression, stealing, running away, fire-setting and self-injurious behavior. Presenter: Richard Delaney, Ph.D. (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
B2
Celebrating the Challenge: Partnering with Birth Parents
In this session,we will celebrate the challenges that foster parents and adoptive parents have when caring for someone else’s child. Our challenge is to prove we love unconditionally, which means celebrating who the child is starting from birth and including the child’s important connections. This experiential workshop will help participants examine practical ideas for building working partnerships between foster parents and birth parents to effectively share parenting and celebrate the challenges and successes of partnering for children. Presenters: Donna Foster & Heather Craig-Oldsen, MSW, CSW (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
B3
Cultivating Opportunities for Regulation in Children with Trauma and Attachment Concerns
This session will facilitate learning of interventions and framework to build and guide emotional and self-regulation in children who have experienced trauma. Participants and presenter will engage in a dialogue/ conversation based exchange of information. Session content will be focused on how to be an attachment figure that can set the tone for or mirror regulation and provide adult containment when a child is dysregulated. Presenter: Alyssa Shepard Caldbeck, LMSW (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
B4
It is a Matter of Justice: Strategies for Working with Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
It has been reported that as many as 70 percent of children in the foster care system have been exposed to alcohol prenatally. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is a range of physical, cognitive and behavioral problems that can occur in individuals exposed to alcohol prenatally. The research suggests that children on the spectrum are at high risk for a disrupted school experience and coming into contact with the criminal justice system. This presentation will provide an overview of FASD, challenges that are common when raising a child that is impacted, and will explore practical strategies for addressing FASD at home, in the school, and in the community to work towards better outcomes.
Presenter: Ruth Richardson, JD (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
B5
Trauma and Race
This presentation will view clips that highlight significant points of cultural trauma. You will actively converse about parallels that are still seen with historical and modern people of color. Concerns, fears, and successes we have had when addressing our own “stuff” with race will be shared. We will educate one another on how to heal and deal with our perceptions of people of color and apply this knowledge to strengthen culturally responsive parenting of children in foster and adoptive families. Presenter: Breanne Ward, CRC, T-LMHC (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
Session C (Friday 2:30pm-4:30pm)
C1
Eating and Food-Related Problems of Foster and Adopted Children
Foster children and children adopted from foster care often show unusual eating problems and food-related issues. These problems may include: excessive eating, eating non-food issues, taking food without permission, hiding and stockpiling food. In this workshop we will address the patterns of odd eating problems and food issues and the reasons that lie behind them. We will explain ways of viewing the problems non-judgmentally and through the lens of trauma history. Interventions that side step power struggles around food and eating will be presented. Attendees will come away with a framework for understanding behavior problems related to eating and food. Presenter: Richard Delaney, Ph.D. (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
C2
Celebrating the Challenge: Partnering with Birth Parents (This is a repeat of Workshop B2)
In this session,we will celebrate the challenges that foster parents and adoptive parents have when caring for someone else’s child. Our challenge is to prove we love unconditionally, which means celebrating who the child is starting from birth and including the child’s important connections. This experiential workshop will help participants examine practical ideas for building working partnerships between foster parents and birth parents to effectively share parenting and celebrate the challenges and successes of partnering for children. Presenters: Donna Foster & Heather Craig-Oldsen, MSW, CSW (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
C3
Repair Parenting for Attachment and Trauma
In order to strengthen the concepts of attachment, regulation, and competency in the children we care for and parent, this session will focus on looking at these elements from an adult/caregiver perspective. Format will be a back and forth question and answer style in addition to delivery of the related information. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in personal exploration exercises to apply the material and develop a plan to be intentional as well as parent in a therapeutic and integrative way. Presenter: Alyssa Shepard Caldbeck, LMSW (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
C4
Building Resilience: Understanding the Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
Please join this session for an in-depth look at how exposure to domestic violence impacts children’s ability to develop their brains and their relationships with others. We will discuss both the impacts on a child and the key factors that help them to build resilience in the face of domestic violence in their home. This session is ideal for anyone working with or caring for children who have witnessed this violence who is looking for ways to understand their trauma and interventions that may be helpful. Presenter: Leah Vejzovic, LMSW (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
C5
Crisis Intervention and Communication Skills
This workshop offers the opportunity for participants and the presenter to converse about identified crises experienced with traumatized children, especially when involved with foster care and the adoption process. The workshop will educate participants on how to identify a crisis, use effective communication skills, and to provide safety through the Psychological First Aid principles. The end of the workshop will focus on self-care techniques to implement so caregivers can get back to themselves after a crisis. Presenter: Breanne Ward, CRC, T-LMHC (Approved for Social Work CEUs)
