(Posted 2025 October)
The Virginia Department of Social Services has transitioned away from PRIDE and TOCC to the National Training and Development Curriculum for Foster and Adoptive Parents (NTDC) as the state endorsed foster parent curriculum officially as of October 1, 2025.
NTDC is considered to be a higher quality curriculum backed by promising research that demonstrates increased effectiveness and pathways to permanency. NTDC also has more up-to-date trauma-related and kinship-specific training materials.
There are three components to the NTDC training which will enhance the training experience for our resource parents:
Self-Assessments
Self-Assessments allow prospective resource parents to identify their strengths and identify areas where additional support and information are needed. NTDC’s non-relative resource family series has six classroom-based sessions, and the kinship series has five sessions.
Classroom-Based and Video-Based Training
Additionally, there is online coursework which utilizes updated videos and podcasts as resources. With NTDC, families will learn about the 14 “Characteristics of Successful Resource Parents” which are woven into every theme and are based on parent interviews, focus groups from different sources around the country and a review of literature.
Right-Time Training
Right-Time training includes 15 additional themes that are not covered in the classroom-based sessions; it will provide tools and information a resource parent will likely need in their fostering journey. Resource parents will be able to access Right-Time training content online anytime they need it.
Right-Time trainings may also be used for on-demand learning, like Foster Parent College. Please note that as of October 1, 2025, Foster Parent College will not be available. An update will be provided should this change in the future.
Fairfax County Department of Family Services is excited to begin training families utilizing NTDC as it will ensure resource families are provided the foundation to begin their fostering journey.
This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
Learn about what the Foster Care and Adoption program has planned for foster families - stay on top of trends, participate in trainings and learn about policy changes.