Training for the foster parent journey
From initial training to get started through courses to maintain your foster parent license—We are here to provide essential training throughout your time as a foster parent.
In your first year as a foster parent, you will attend two onboarding courses as part of the licensing process.
Orientation
Orientation is the first step to becoming a foster or adoptive parent in Alaska. The orientation will:
- Explain the mission and function of the Office of Children’s Services (OCS)
- Define the term “resource family”
- Outline the steps to become licensed
- Review the application process
- Clarify available supports
Core Training for Resource Families course
Core Training prepares you for what to expect from the journey and the roles of a resource parent. It will also help you gain an understanding of the needs of the children and youth, including the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting a young person who has experienced trauma.
Not sure where to start?
Let our specialists help! We would be happy to put together a specialized training package for you. Please contact us to get started. We are excited to support your learning.
Ongoing training
Annual foster parent requirements: When you are issued a foster license, the licensing worker will discuss what training is needed to meet the needs of the child or children in your home. These needs will be determined through a conversation between you, the caseworker, and the licensing worker. Then, an Individualized Training Plan (ITP) will be developed specifically for your family. Training should be completed before the end of that licensing year.
Each following year of licensure, a new ITP will be developed based on the children in your care and your previous experience and training. The ITP is a specific form that is used to plan, document, and track the completion of training.
We are here to assist you in recording the training completed for your ITP. If you complete our training offerings and submit a “test” for credit, your training credits will be automatically entered into your record. For training completed outside of ACRF, you will need to complete an ITP universal questionnaire and submit documentation. If your training is accepted, it will be entered into a database and made available to you or your licensing worker upon request.
Types of training we offer
Find dates for live web-based trainings hosted by members of our team. Check out the calendar to see what is coming up and how to register for training.
Find trainings specific to your ITP in a variety of formats, categorized by training topic.
Recorded online trainings that allow you to gain credit for virtual webinars and conferences on your own time.
Access our wide variety of books and articles from our library. You can browse our full collection and request materials to check out. To earn credit for your ITP from lending library materials, please make sure to complete a universal ITP form.
If you have taken training outside of ACRF that you believe should count toward your ITP credit, please make sure to submit an alternative training form.
We offer a number of resources for foster and adoptive families to continue learning about topics that matter to you. View our curated list of publications.
