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Home / Preparing to Foster Teens

Preparing to Foster Teens

Foster-A-Teen is a program that seeks to place older youth in foster care in safe, stable, temporary homes. We are looking for families all over the state of Minnesota who might be able to meet this need.

This program has been created to educate current and potential foster parents about the higher needs of older youth in foster care. The below trainings will help you learn how to respond to the common needs and behaviors of teens in foster care.

Completing These Trainings Will Prepare You To:

  • Better understand trauma, attachment, and mental health challenges teens in foster care face.
  • Learn how to respond to the complex needs of teens in foster care in a therapeutic way.

View Training Videos:

Adverse Upbringings: What Parents and Caregivers Need to Know About Child Development
In this training, Brandon Jones, MA, focuses on how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), caused by toxic stress and environments. can negatively impact brain development and functioning throughout childhood and beyond. He discusses how disruptions in attachment, often caused by ACEs, also affect development and relationships. This training will describe what secure attachments look like, how they can be formed, and how to use these attachments to connect with young people who have experienced trauma and toxic stress. During this training, presenter Brandon Jones will examine how an understanding and appreciation of the lived experiences of youth can help create a healthy family dynamic.

Watch Here
Behavior as Language
In this training, Brenda Benning, LICSW, uses her parenting and professional experience to share Heather Forbes’ Beyond Consequences model. She starts by providing an overview of Beyond Consequences: Logic & Control principles and then narrows in on caregiver responses to stress-induced, challenging behaviors. Brenda provides tangible skills and strategies to consequence effectively and intervene in a relational, trauma-informed way.

Watch Here
Crisis Management and Safety Planning for Families with Children who Exhibit Violent Behavior
In this training, Wendy Wolff, M.A., school counselor, and adoptive mother, will discuss what trauma response looks like in children, why children display violent behaviors, and the impact these behaviors have on them and others. You will learn how to identify triggers and create a safety plan for your family when a child becomes violent. You will also learn how to help with emotional regulation and begin the process of healing for ourselves, and our children, when violence occurs.

Watch Here
Foster & Adoptive Parent Panel
In this training, a panel of foster and adoptive parents speak about their experiences as parents of youth who have been in foster care. Some topics that will be covered include parenting lessons they’ve learned, how to see past a youth’s diagnoses, and how to practice self-care.

Watch Here
Grief and Loss in Foster Care: How It Impacts All Involved
In this training Charley Joyce, LCSW, and co-author of the book Behavior with a Purpose, will deepen your understanding of how children in foster care and foster parents experience grief and loss. This training provides practical tools to help foster youth and foster parents process their grief and find resources to help along the way.

Watch Here
Healing Victims of Commercial Sex Trade for Foster Parents
In this training, we learn about teens who are in foster care that might have experience in sex trafficking. Cyreta Oduniyi informs us of signs to look out for, who the biggest targets are, and then what we can do to support these youth.

Watch here
Helping Caregivers Stay Connected and Effective with Challenged and Challenging Youth in Your Care
In this training, Dr. Anne Gearity will begin by discussing the difference between tolerable stress and toxic stress and will provide information about how youth in care experience complex trauma. In the second part of this training, Dr. Gearity will discuss memory and how children store memories that have meaning and support survival. The final part of this training will provide parents with hands-on strategies to stay engaged with their kids, rather than defeated and discouraged.

Watch Here
How to Surf Instead of Throwing in the Towel, How to Live in a Stressful Place and Refocus
During this training, Bob-e Simpson Epps provides context for caregivers to further understand how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) impact a person’s life. Additionally, she explores indicators of stress and trauma and how to recognize their impact on a child and in yourself. Finally, she offers ways to navigate through hard times as a parent, including guidance on how to remain steady and consistent in your caregiving.

Watch Here
Just Trying to Feel Something Else
In this training, Adam Arnold, a licensed psychotherapist, Co-Director of Enliven Psychotherapy, and foster parent, will discuss chemical misuse and mental health among adolescents—particularly youth who have experienced foster care. Adam will discuss early attachment experiences and how they impact relationships, emotions, and behaviors. He’ll describe the challenges of adolescence, what can lead to chemical use problems, and what foster parents can do to support youth in their homes.

Watch Here
Run Risk, Sexual Exploitation and The Safe Harbor Law/No Door Response Resources
During this training, Beth Holger, CEO of The Link, defines sexual exploitation, reviews signs to look for, and shares response and interventions options adults or caregivers have when they believe a young person is being sexually exploited or trafficked. Additionally, Beth will discuss run risks, indicators, prevention, and responses for caregivers. Finally, Beth will share a variety of resources and local programming available through The Link related to these issues impacting young people.

Watch Here
Supporting At Risk Youth in Education and the Juvenile Justice System
In this training, former Juvenile Probation Officer and current Special Education Teacher, Kaitlyn, will provide background on common diagnoses that might impact a child’s ability in school and different school programs/services. She then discusses what the juvenile justice system is and how to support a youth who is involved in the juvenile justice system.

Watch Here
Supporting LGBTQ Youth
In this training, Brianna Sigg, a licensed therapist, will provide an in-depth discussion about LGBTQ terminology, statistics regarding LGBTQ foster youth, resources for teens and adults, and tools for support/understanding LGBTQ youth in care. There will also be time for reflection to allow attendees to process their own emotions, experiences, and understanding of the topic.

Watch Here
Talking About Sexuality with Your Loved Ones: Part 1
In this training, presented by Kim Rossow, MPH, Parent/Caregiver Education Specialist from Mad Hatter Wellness, you will learn about creating connections and increasing communication during the early years. Training includes information about adapting material for individuals with disabilities.

Watch Here
Talking About Sexuality with Your Loved Ones: Part 2
In this training, presented by Kim Rossow, MPH, Parent/Caregiver Education Specialist from Mad Hatter Wellness, you’ll learn about how to talk about the “big things” with older kids, and how to handle problematic behaviors. This training includes information about adapting material for individuals with disabilities.

Watch Here
Teens and Social Media: Lessen the Fear and Embrace the Change
This training, Brandon Jones, MA, covers how social media has changed parenting over time, how technology impacts identity, at what age should a child have a phone, overall challenges with social media and things to watch out for, and tips for parents in navigating technology usage.

Watch Here

This program is made possible from a grant between Children’s Home Society of Minnesota and Dakota County Social Services that seeks to respond to the need to provide homes for teens in foster care.

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