You must complete Orientation training to become a certified caregiver.
You can also take Orientation training to help you decide if foster care is the right step for you and your family.
Thank you for your interest in providing safety, care and connection for children and youth.
Step 1 - Complete required trainings
There are specific required trainings and timelines for Resource and Relative Resource Parents. Click on each area below to learn about the required trainings. To access each training, create a Workday Learning account.
All resource and relative resource parents certified by ODHS Child Welfare are Mandatory Reporter of child abuse. Learn about the requirements of mandatory reporters in recognizing and understanding signs
of child abuse, when and how to report abuse, and information to share when reporting abuse.
Mandatory reporting training
Resource parents should understand safe sleep practices to help prevent sleep-related injuries and deaths among infants in their care. Following these practices ensures that babies have a safe, nurturing environment that supports their healthy development and well-being.
Safe Sleep training
The Resource and Adoptive Family Training (RAFT) is a live delivered training series for all non-relative resource parents. Relative resource parents are not required to take RAFT but are encouraged to join one or many of the RAFT sessions. RAFT is three 9-hour sessions and is offered over Zoom several times a month and throughout the year.
Step 2 - Explore suggested trainings and materials
Become familiar with the bill of rights documents that impact children and young adults in foster care, certified resource parents and relative resource parents.
Still deciding if becoming a resource parent is right for you? Review these on-demand courses from our
Being a Resource Parent series to learn more:
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Birth and Resource Parent Partnership: What we know is that the most successful resource parents understand that their role goes beyond supporting the children in their care to supporting the children’s families as a whole. In this training module we will explore the Birth and Resource Parent Partnership – WHY a partnership is essential; WHAT is needed for a partnership to be successful; and HOW to begin building a partnership. The bottom line is that co-parenting partnerships are beneficial to the child and youth experiencing foster care and reduces their trauma.
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Caring for Teens: Learn about your role in caring for tweens and teens, discussions you may have with them and how to help them learn daily living skills that prepare them for launching into adulthood.
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Honoring Identity: Learn about your role in understanding, acknowledging and supporting all identities of a child you may be caring for.
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How does RAFT connect to my role as an Adoptive Parent: RAFT is the foster care certification training curriculum for resource parents, relative resource parents, pre-adoptive parents, and guardians. The RAFT training contains critical information about the kind of specialized parenting needed to meet a child’s needs, regardless of the age of the child. In this training, you will hear how RAFT can prepare you for parenting a child who has experienced trauma, separation and loss and equip you with the skills necessary for your adoption journey!
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Introduction to Adoption: Provides prospective adoptive families a brief overview of the common paths toward adoptions, opportunities for reflection and information on next steps.
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Making the Decision: Covers what it means to be a resource parent and how being a resource parent impacts your entire family.
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The Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard: Learn how the Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard supports you with day-to-day decisions and managing challenging behaviors.
Resource Family Training Catalog
ODHS Child Welfare offers many free training topics. Explore the Resource Family Training Catalog for on-demand and live trainings.
Course catalog