Crossroads is pleased to partner with the Department of Children and Family Services to offer Equipped to Care in an interactive virtual format. Equipped to Care is the pre-service curriculum for individuals and couples interested in becoming certified to foster and/or adopt.

The training provides for participants to:

be able to make informed decisions about fostering/adopting for their family
understand their important roles and commitments as a member of the Department of Children and Family Services professional foster care team
be prepared to navigate the foster care system
be prepared to provide quality parenting
offer normal childhood or youth experiences and trauma-sensitive care to the foster children and youth in their home
participate in the mutual selection and assessment process

This training consists of 8 units. Each Unit consists of 2 different types of content:

1. Learning Together:
3 hour live zoom module, including interactive teaching, videos, and activities. Engagement is a key component of this part of the course, and is monitored by your participation in the chat and polls. This module is followed by a post-test/quiz, which will be available at the end of the zoom module. Participants must complete each zoom module and pass each quiz with at least 80% accuracy to continue in the course. If a live session is missed, participants will be able to make up the session the following day by watching the recorded video (Please note, a maximum of 2 sessions can be “made up” by watching the recording). Watching the video and taking the quiz must be completed prior to the start of the next unit. Participants must attend at least 6 out 8 training sessions “live,” though 8 out of 8 is preferred.

2. Independent Learning
0.5-1 hours per unit, to be done individually after each zoom module, and prior to the start of the following unit.

Completion of this course is a prerequisite for foster parent certification, and all course sessions, quizzes, and independent learning must be completed in order to receive credit for this training.

Course Schedule:

Unit	Zoom date (and time)	Independent Learning
1. Understanding DCFS	Thursday 10/2 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	10/2-10/8
2. Understanding the Impact of Stressful Experiences	Thursday 10/9 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	10/9-10/15
3. Understanding Attachment and Mindfulness	Thursday 10/16 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	10/16-10/22
4. Caregiving and Engagement Strategies	Thursday 10/23 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	10/23-10/29
5. Cultural Humility in Caregiving	Thursday 10/30 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	10/30-11/5
6. Sexual Development, Disruption, & Healing	Thursday 11/6 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	11/6-11/12
7. Empowering Principles: Physiological & Ecological Strategies	Thursday 11/13 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	11/13-11/19
8. Correcting Principles: Proactive & Responsive Strategies	Thursday 11/20 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)	11/20/-11/28

Registration Fees

There are no registration fees required for this course