Training & Events
There are many ways to get involved! Whether you’re a foster parent, adoptive parent, volunteer, social worker, or simply wanting to help in some way, you can be a part of helping.
Information & Orientation Meetings
Looking for meetings in Idaho?
Visit our Fostering Idaho Events page for more information on general foster care. We hold information meetings every 8 days.
Visit our Wednesday's Child Events page for more information on Adoption.
Conferences
IFC Conference
Every year, the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare and the Family Resource & Training Center hold a two-day conference where foster/adoptive families, DHW staff, and community partners come together for professional and personal development. It is held in Idaho's North, East, and West Hubs, usually during March and April. Click the button below to learn more.
IFC Conference
Hope for the Journey, a Trauma-Informed Care Training
Parenting is hard—no questions asked. And while our journeys can be exhausting and challenging, there is much beauty and hope to experience as well. Children and teens need to know they are safe, secure, valued, and loved, yet key developmental and relational needs are often overlooked with traditional parenting models. Hope for the Journey is a five-session simulcast designed to equip parents, caregivers, church leaders, and professionals with the tools to build connection and trust with the children and teens in their care.
RegisterTrainings
Foster Care Training Courses
Before Licensure
During the process of becoming a foster parent, you will be invited to FIRST, Fostering Idaho Resources & Skills Training. FIRST is a competency-based and trauma-informed model founded on the belief that resource families need special strengths, knowledge, skills, and a community of support to succeed. The curriculum is based on competencies that promote the understanding of how to help children who have been abused and/or neglected and also to strengthen all families. The classes clarify what resources parents are expected to know and can provide for children in their care.
After Licensure
Once you are licensed, our support doesn't end. We offer a diverse range of monthly Training and Support Groups both in-person and online, to cater to your needs and preferences. These sessions, led by subject experts and our dedicated training team, cover a wide range of topics relevant to foster parents, including managing holidays, understanding behaviors, practicing self-care, and trauma-informed approaches. Additionally, you can access online flex learning allowing you to learn at your own pace through the Idaho Training Portal.
Our trauma-informed training classes, TBRI®, Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, and NCTSN, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, are designed to provide you with practical skills and knowledge. These classes serve as a gateway to trauma-informed parenting, instilling hope for the future of the children in your care, and boosting your confidence in handling children from challenging backgrounds. The participant workbook is a valuable resource, offering additional insights, a space for note-taking, and a platform for reflection between sessions.
For questions or technical difficulties, please use the Contact Us button. We are happy to help.
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