Department of Family Services – Children, Youth and Families

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
703-324-7500 TTY 711
12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035
Oriane Eriksen
Director

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Foster Care and Adoption – Trainings and Conferences

Foster Care and Adoption provides a variety of trainings and conferences for licensed Fairfax County resource parents occurring in 2025-2026. Dates are subject to change, so check back often.

If you have questions or need additional support, please reach out to one of the in-service trainers: Neda Ghodsi and Jennifer Woods.

Note: Some trainings may require attendance for multiple dates.

Guiding with Care: Positive Discipline Strategies for Resource Parents
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 
6-7:30 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom
Resource parents will learn about common behaviors for youth and adolescents in foster care. Attendees will develop useful skills and methods to improve communication with children. We’ll also explore various ways to approach discipline and how to defuse potentially difficult situations such as tantrums and power struggles. We’ll cover expected behaviors by age and a wide range of ways to solve common challenges. 

Participants will receive 1.5 hours of training credit. For more information email Wilmer Ramirez or call 703-324-7202. Register online by January 9, 2026. 


Foster-to-Adopt
Wednesdays, February 18 and 25, 2026 
6:30-9 p.m.
Virtual (2 sessions) 
Foster to Adopt training will help resource parents to identify adoption challenges that may affect your child’s life. We’ll define the unique roles of foster parenting and adoptive parenting. Other topics will include the impact of adoption, and levels of openness. There is also a presentation to prepare parents for the financial side of adoption (i.e., adoption subsidy). 

Participants will receive training credit. If you have questions, then please email Wilmer Ramirez or call 703-324-7202.


Mental Health First Aid presented by the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Service Board 
Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11, 2026
5 – 8:30 p.m. 
Virtual via Zoom
During this training, resource parents will learn the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health problems in youth and how to effectively help a youth in crisis. There is required pre- and post-work to complete this course.

Participants will receive over 10 hours of training credit and fulfill the annual family training requirement. If you have questions, then please email Dr. Patricia Aviles-Cubillos or call 703-324-7919. Preregister online by Tuesday, February 10.


Special Education
April 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
This training will explain the basics of special education rights and responsibilities as well as some very practical strategies for maximizing educational benefits for children in your care. Resource parents will get concrete strategies for improving delivery of their children’s individualized education program.


Foster Parent Appreciation Event/Raising Resilient Children Training
May 2026 (Date and Time TBD)
This is a celebration of our foster parents as well as a training that will provide an overview of biopsychosocial impacts upon children, adolescents, and their families while growing up in a time of societal challenges including the current pandemic and social justice concerns. The presenter will take a developmental approach examining how children and adolescents process information and then help the audience develop skills to help children and adolescents cope and reenter a world that has been unpredictable and scary. It will also facilitate understanding of screening, assessment, and identification methods to assist social workers and their families. There will be a discussion of how trauma may present in children and adolescents.
 

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