PRIDE

The PRIDE pre-service training program, "Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education", generally involves ten three-hour sessions, provided over a three month period.

The PRIDE program provides the information prospective foster parents need to make an informed decision about whether foster care is the best choice for them before a child is placed in their home. Applicant participation in the PRIDE training helps to provide a common ground to discuss feelings and ideas about customary, kin or foster care, as well as agency expectations.

Successful foster parents have knowledge and skills in six basic areas called competency categories. They are:

Protecting and Nurturing Children

Children placed with foster and adoptive families need to live in a safe and nurturing environment where the parents demonstrate care, respect and acceptance. Some children who have not been kept safe or cared for may not accept or understand your efforts to do so at first. Others may be in need of much attention. Understanding children's feelings and reactions to separation from their families and being able to help them deal with these feelings is important.

Meeting Children's Developmental Needs and Addressing Developmental Delays

For most of us, growing up is a natural, predictable developmental process. Often children who need foster or adoptive families did not have the opportunity or encouragement to grow by learning and are behind in their development. Understanding the reasons for these developmental delays and differences, helping children cope, and believing in their ability to develop to their potential, are all key to helping children meet their developmental milestones.

Supporting Relationships Between Children and Their Families

Maintaining birth family, kin and community relationships are essential to a child's sense of over all well being and belonging. Even infants who have never been held by their parents have a prenatal, birth and hospital history. The memories, experiences and attachments children bring with them will vary, but they all come with the child. Helping a child deal with his/her history and supporting continued relationships that are important to the child is an important role for foster and adoptive parents.

Connecting Children to Safe, Nurturing Relationships Intended to Last a Lifetime

All children are entitled to permanent, lifetime family and significant other relationships. When children must be separated from their birth family either on a temporary or permanent basis, the role of foster and adoptive parents in connecting children to lifetime relationships is very important.

Participating as a Member of a Professional Team

Whatever a child's circumstances, needs, or past experiences, the agency, foster and adoptive parents, and community services work together for the child's benefit.

Reinforcing a Child's Heritage and Cultural Identity

Respecting and reinforcing each child's heritage and cultural identity is a very important aspect of providing nurturing care for children. The PRIDE program helps foster and adoptive parents understand how to support children in this aspect of their lives.