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Session 8
Preparing for New Roles
Purpose
Objectives
Competencies
Purpose
This final session will review and introduce new responsibilities and roles of foster and adoptive parents including documenting important information about the child while they are in your care and interfacing with other systems. Participants will have an opportunity to hear more in-depth about the adoption process and ways to help a child document their life history.
Participants will:
- Be able to identify steps in the process of adoption via DHHS.
- Explain the guidelines and reasons for keeping daily/weekly records/logs and the importance of documentation of information regarding the child’s health, school progress and behavior.
- Recognize
the importance of maintaining a child’s life
story through the use of Life Books and Memory Boxes.
- Articulate their role in working with local school systems to advocate for education services.
- Describe the role of foster and adoptive parents in helping children to be safe and secure, and giving them an opportunity to live healthy and fulfilling lives.
Family Oriented Priorities (1.1)
Makes a strong priority of meeting family needs by treating every child in the home equitably and fairly, including making time for each child one-on-one and ensuring the home is a safe, warm, comfortable environment. To demonstrate that family is a priority means to show consideration for the needs of the family and the child in deciding about transitioning a child into or out of the household.
Collaboration (3.1)
Serves as a collaborative team member with all other professional and family members by willingly sharing information needed to make sound decisions, assisting in development of plans, and showing consideration to the needs and limits of other partners. To collaborate means to maintain a non-judgmental, open attitude when communicating with children, parents, and other team members.
Critical Thinking (3.2)
Forms independent judgments based on careful observations, discussion and research. A critical thinker searches for underlying reasons for behaviors and statements and verifies facts surrounding conflicting stories before making decisions.
Technical Knowledge (3.5)
Demonstrates familiarity with policies, regulations, laws and judicial processes that pertain to child welfare, including the roles and responsibilities of all others involved with the child and the need for documentation. The parent’s technical knowledge is enhanced by the partnership with others that occurs in planning, family team meetings and foster family events. The parent knows how to seek information regarding these technical aspects of practice.
Flexibility (3.8)
Shows willingness to change or revise plans quickly when necessary and can juggle attention between people and tasks effectively. A flexible parent can cope with the uncertainty of a child’s length of stay in their home and adjust to changes in the child welfare system. In the home, a flexible parent can acknowledge attempts, even when tasks are not done perfectly and is patient with the learning process, even for his or herself. Flexibility allows a parent to take advantage of learning opportunities when they arise.
Self-Development (3.9)
Continually improves parenting skills through training and learning resources and reflection on experience. A commitment to self-development means a parent stays open to new information and actively seeks it.
Cultural Sensitivity (4.5)
Understands the importance of recognizing and supporting the cultural, social and economic similarities and differences between a child’s birth family and foster/adoptive family.
