We’ve all thought it, and maybe said it aloud. Hey, you’ve probably even seen the meme on social media that starts with, “If I had just one week at home with nowhere to go, I could finally (fill in the blank).”
Well, 2020 taught us THAT was a lie! All along, the barrier to getting things done wasn’t the need to be at home more or to have more downtime!
Ultimately, how we spend our time comes down to our motivation, right?
So, coming out of a challenging and unprecedented COVID-fueled year and a half, it turns out that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
COVID-19 forced our Foster Care and Adoption training and recruitment staff to be flexible and adaptable. Trainings and Info Meetings that previously were held in-person shifted to virtual. This was no mean feat to accomplish, and it made it as easy as the click of a button to participate.
As a result, you’d expect our training numbers to be at an all-time high.
Not quite – while some foster parents embraced the ease of attending in-person trainings, according to Amanda Macaulay, Resource and Support supervisor in the Foster Care and Adoption program, there are others who still need to boost their training hours.
Virginia requires foster parents to complete 30 hours of training – that’s 10 hours each year – every three years. It sounds totally doable.
Fairfax County’s Foster Care and Adoption program offers a full slate of trainings to make hitting that goal easy. Parents can use the following resources to get their hours:
- Trainings offered by DFS such as Reflections, Supporting Teens, Healthy Touch, and Cultural Awareness.
- Self-paced trainings offered online by Foster Parent College. Some of these classes are offered in both English and Spanish. These courses are FREE to foster families certified through Fairfax County.
- Annual conferences such as the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) Conference and the National Foster Parent Association Conference.
- Trainings offered by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) such as the FCPS Special Education Conference.
- Trainings offered by the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) such as Mental Health First Aid.
These courses provide tangible information parents can take home and apply. There is something for everyone.
How to Find Out About Classes?
Foster Parent College – staff recommends a different online training course offered through in each monthly Foster Family Newsletter.
DFS Trainings – staff emails a detailed workshop description with registration information to foster families at least a month before each training offered by DFS:
- A reminder email follows two weeks before the class.
- Upcoming classes are shared through the monthly Foster Family Newsletter.
- The annual calendar of training classes is posted online.
If all else fails, you can talk to Macaulay’s staff or your resource worker for more suggestions about courses that may help to support your needs.
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.