Ensuring Educational Stability for Foster Care Children in SC (2 Contact Hours)
DSS policy staff requested SCFPA offer this training for foster parents Foster parents will be able to: recognize the educational challenges for students in foster care and the importance of educational stability, identify the Title I, Part A Foster Care Educational Stability Provisions, describe how local education agencies (LEAs) and local child welfare agencies (CWAs) can support the implementation of foster care provisions at the local level, describe the LEA and CWA point of contact’s responsibilities before, during, and after a best interest determination meeting, identify the factors that should be considered in determining whether remaining in a child’s school of origin is in his/her best interest, as it relates to school stability, describe the process for immediate enrollment of students in foster care if it is determined that it is not in their best interest to remain in the school of origin.
Health Care Oversight for Children in Care Psychotropic Medications (3 Contact Hours)
Participants will learn healthy forms of treatment and interventions to seek out for youth in their care with emotional and behavioral problems, especially focusing on the use of psychotropic medications and psychosocial interventions. After this training, participants will be able to: appreciate the role of trauma in masquerading as psychiatric diagnosis, understand the issues around the use of psychotropic medications, know available psychosocial interventions, understand role and services provided by different medical providers, understand some of the required screens and assessments, and understand consent and confidentiality. In addition, participants will learn questions they can ask of medical providers to be better advocates for health care of children in care.
“Homework 101: Tips for Parents” : (1.5 Contact Hours)
The primary purpose of homework is to reinforce the information and skills your child learns at school. It has been reported that teachers of all grades are increasing the amount of homework they assign. This makes homework time-consuming both for parents and children. It is helpful when parents can help their children develop strategies to complete homework assignments in stress-free and learning-friendly ways. It is important that parents and children find a plan that works for their family and stick with it. Come get some tips to use to help you and your child develop homework strategies that work!"
Let’s Eat—Or Not, Eating Problems in Foster Children (2 Contact Hours)
This training is intended to help participants be familiar with eating problems and disorders most commonly seen among children in care, understand how eating problems have developed and are manifest in children in their care, deal with “fussy” eating, hoarding, and other common problems and know when to get professional help
Sex Trafficking information for foster parents (3 Contact Hours)
This training is designed to teach foster families about Human Trafficking, Sex Trafficking and the Welfare System. We will share important terminology from this field, explain the difference between human trafficking and sex trafficking and provide an understanding of the scope of the problem both internationally, domestically with an emphasis placed on South Carolina. We will discuss the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual trauma experienced by the victims of sex trafficking. Methods used to recruit and control the minds of these vulnerable children. Understanding trafficking from the perspective of the victim and the multiple needs of survivors. Proper protection measures and safe guards for foster children and when, where and how to report runaways.
SMART Goal setting and Healthy Habits: (1.5 Contact Hours)
Success in any area depends on designing an effective goal-setting strategy. By developing a clear picture of exactly what you hope to accomplish and determining what specific actions you need to accomplish it, you can more easily tell when you've succeeded in reaching your goal. Goal setting can become a healthy habit. In our day-to-day lives, habits can often be tough to build, as there are plenty of distractions that can lead us off the “straight and narrow” and right back to our old ways. To alleviate some of those troubles we can examine some academic research on motivation, discipline, and habit building, and break down their findings into actionable steps that any aspiring habit-builder can put into place.
Water Safety for Children (1.5 Contact Hours)
This training is intended to help participants understand why it’s crucial to know about water safety for children, look at the scope of hazards involving children and water, learn safety strategies to prevent drowning and other water disasters