Going the Extra Mile
In Utah, each kinship family is required to participate in standardized training before becoming a licensed foster home. This is called “pre-service training” and comes in two parts: online video training and one in-person class. These two parts are required. Additionally, there is a longer, more in-depth series of in-person classes to which you will be invited, but not required, to attend.
During training, you’ll be introduced to skills that will help smooth the rough patches and speed the healing of a child in crisis—not to mention family ties and friendships. Online Video Training Classroom Training Manuals & Other Resources Online Video Training
Classroom Training
The Original Interactive Learning Space
Required…
One night a month a class is offered specifically for kinship families. This class is required for all parents—whether in a single- or a two-parent household.
Encouraged…
Beyond the kinship-focused class, kinship families are strongly encouraged to attend as many of the remaining seven monthly classes as practicable.
Each in-class session provides unique insights into the kinship family experience, situations you may encounter, solutions to typical problems, and many other topics important for those preparing to care for a child they know.
Class schedules are available from your Kinship Family Consultant (KFC).
Class Subjects
- Orientation/Team Building/Kinship
- Child Development
- Trauma & Its Effects/Sexual Abuse
- Minimizing the Trauma of Placement
- Understanding Primary Families
- Managing Emotions & Behaviors/The Effects of Caregiving
- Long-term Separation/Adoption Issues for Families
- Transcending Difference in Placements
Online Video Training
Vital Information at Your Pace
Required.
There are several videos that are required for licensure and they’re divided into two courses. There is a quiz for each of the courses.
Course 1: Principles & Perspectives
Watch the videos below, then take quiz 1.
Pro-tip: right click “quiz 1” and select open link in new tab to have both your quiz and video open at the same time. Mark your answers while watching the videos.
- Child Development & Parenting Perspectives | 17 Min
- Culture & the Foster Family | 13 Min
- Working with Primary Families | 17 Min
- Trauma: A Compassion-driven Approach | 14 Min
- Self-care: What I Wish I had Known | 17 Min
- Effective Discipline: A Trauma-informed Approach | 23 Min
- ReMoved (Movie Short): On Grief, Loss, & Attachment | 13 Min
Course 2: Policies & Procedures
Watch the videos below, then take quiz 2.
Pro-tip: right click “quiz 1” and select open link in new tab to have both your quiz and video open at the same time. Mark your answers while watching the videos.
- Fostering Healthy Children | 33 Min
- Office of Licensing Rule | 35 Min
- Practice Guidelines of the Utah Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS) | 108 Min
- 1) Rights & Responsibilities | 16 Min
- 2) Incidental Care, Child Care, & Respite | 9 Min
- 3) Out-of-state Travel & Normalcy Laws | 9 Min
- 4) Emergency Situations, Allegations, & Safe-to-sleep | 11 Min
- 5) Foster Care Payments & Tax Issues | 10 Min
- 6) Advocacy, Schools, & Court | 14 Min
- 7) Foster Family Support | 19 Min
- 8) Assessment | 20 Min
If you prefer, you can watch Course 2 videos all in a row.
Manuals & Other Resources
Deeper Dives on Foundational Policies
- DCFS Practice Guidelines [PDF]
- DCFS Policy
- Office of Licensing
- Office of Licensing Code of Conduct [PDF]
- Office of Licensing Home Safety Checklist [PDF]
- Office of Licensing Rule [PDF]
- Office of Licensing Forms
- Educating Youth in State Care [PDF]
- Children with Special Health Care Needs
- Utah Foster Adoptive Families Association [Facebook]
- Utah Family & Children Engagement Tool [PDF]
- Child Welfare Statutory Time Requirements Report [PDF]
- A Child’s Journey Through the Child Welfare System [PDF]
- Time Requirements for Dependency, Neglect, and Abuse Cases [PDF]