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On-demand Training for Certified Caregivers

Self-paced skill development to support your training plan

Use these training materials alone or with live/online scheduled training sessions to meet required hours and training credits for certification renewal.

ODHS on-demand training Other on-demand training

ODHS on-demand training

 You will need a Workday Learning Account to register for these classes. Be sure to complete your account setup before you register.

Initial recommended trainings ODHS Child Welfare processes
Adoption and guardianshipEducationExperience as a caregiverExperience of the childIdentity and cultureKin and relative caregiversParenting tools for challenging behaviorsTeens and tweensUnderstanding trauma

Initial recommended trainings

​​Description​: All About Me Books are a tool that helps kids in foster care understand their life story, feel more connected, and build self-esteem. Learn about your role as a resource parent in making these books with them. ​

Description: Learn more about the role of a resource parent in caring for tweens and teens, discussions you may have with them and considerations to help a teen learn daily skills to prepare them for adulthood.​

Description: Learn more about the role of a resource parent in understanding, acknowledging and supporting all identities of a child you may be caring for. 

Description: Learn what it means to be a resource parent and how it impacts your entire family.​

Description: Learn more about the role of the resource parent in applying the Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard. This standard allows resource parents to make day-to-day parenting decisions and manage challenging behaviors. 

Learn about what it means to expand your parenting paradigm and consider ways to prepare yourself and your family to become resource parents. This training is not specific to Oregon. There are two versions of this training; choose the one that’s right for you:


​​​​Description: Learn how RAFT can prepare you for parenting a child who has experienced trauma, separation and loss. RAFT is for all resource and pre-adoptive families - learn how RAFT is applicable to those on the adoption journey. ​

Description: Receive a general overview of the Child Welfare system related to how it came into existence, and its main functionality. This training is not specific to Oregon.​


Description: Learn about the different types of transitions that children in foster care may experience, and ways resource parents can support the child before, during, and after a transition.

​​​Description: This training will cover what the rules are related to becoming a licensed resource parent, why the rules are important and how to interpret the rules.​


ODHS Child Welfare processes

Description: The Child Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment is a required assessment for all children in foster care. Learn more about the CANS Assessment, the kind of information you will be asked as a resource parent, and what happens after the assessment is completed. ​​

​​Description​: When a CPS Assessment occurs in a resource parent home, it can feel challenging. Learn more about the process, the roles of Child Welfare staff during an assessment, and what a resource parent can expect.​

Description: The Oregon Judicial Department’s CRB is Oregon’s unique solution to getting community and citizen input on sensitive and confidential foster care cases and the state foster care system. Learn about this unique court program, how it functions, and how resource parents can participate and best utilize CRB reviews to benefit their family and youth in their care.​​

​​Description: Family Time (Visitation) is an important part of connection for children in foster care. Gain a broad overview of what family time is and the role of resource parents in encouraging Family Time.​

​​​​Description: Explore what types of medical services children in foster care will access, how to prepare for appointments, and when to involve ODHS in medical service planning. ​

​​​Description​: Learn about the steps ODHS Child Welfare follows to prioritize the safety of children and young people throughout the life of their case. ​

​​​Description​: Child Welfare frequently interacts with​ the Oregon Juvenile Court system. Learn more about the types of court hearings and your role as a resource parent during court hearings.


Adoption and guardianship

​​​Description: This computer-based training provides an overview of the entire adoption process, from applying to finalizing the adoption. It's perfect for prospective adoptive parents who are not caring for children known to them or planning to be a resource parent. You'll gain practical knowledge and insights into each stage of the process.

​​​​​Description: This module provides an overview of some of the common thoughts and feelings experienced by children and adolescents who have been adopted. Examples include believing they were responsible for removal from their birth family, internalizing the message that they should be grateful or that they should feel lucky to have been adopted, feeling guilty about mixed loyalty issues and experiencing a sense of loss. The theme provides strategies parents can use to support their children and help them address and make sense of the thoughts and feelings they may be experiencing.

​Description: Recognize the benefits for children being aware of their adoption story and maintaining connection with their birth families; gain​ strategies for maintaining and promoting connections; learn to negotiate relationships with birth families; recognize the impact on children's loyalty and identity toward birth parents and parents who are adopting.

​​Description: The Guardianship Overview training helps provide information on types of guardianships, who can request changes, roles of the guardian and more. This course is a great addition to RAFT training and support conversations with the child's team.

​​​​Description: Provides prospective​​ adoptive families a brief overview of the common paths toward adoptions, opportunities for reflection and information on next steps.​

​​​Description: Learn about the process ODHS Child Welfare takes in referring families to the mediation process for children who are experiencing foster care and will be entering into Adoption or Guardianship. This module provides an overview of the plan for communication and contact between birth and adoptive/​guardian families.​​


Education

​Description: Learn about some of the educational challenges that children in foster care may experience.​

​Learn how the six core principles of IDEA shape special education and active participation in the process can support students with disabilities.


Experience as a caregiver

​​Description​: This module describes how to become an advocate for children in your home to ensure they receive the services and supports that they need. Emphasis is placed on being a life-long learner, recognizing the importance of developing a support network (school, community supports, friends, medical), and learning about the types of services and supports that the child and/or the family that is fostering or adopting might find beneficial.​​

Description: This training module will focus on an introduction to caring for children in care for new resource parents and for anyone who is thinking about becoming a resource parent. Hear from youth about their experiences in care and learn about different aspects of caring for children entering foster care.

​Description: ​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.

​​​Description​: This module discusses the importance of self-care for parents who are fostering or adopting as well as practical ideas on how to incorporate it into their daily routines. The theme will help parents learn why maintaining their own mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being is so important when caring for children who have experienced trauma, separation or loss.​

​​​Description: This training teaches the SMART (Simple and sustainable, Mindful, Accessible, Renewing; rejuvenating Timely and Tuned) approach to relieving stress.

This course gives resource parents helpful ways to talk with the youth in their care using kind, clear, and age-appropriate approaches. You’ll learn practical tools to handle tough conversations especially with youth that are in your care while building trust, connection, and confidence.​​

​​​​​Description: This module provides an overview of the impact fostering or adopting can have on family dynamics including the impact on marital relationships, biological children, foster or adoptive children already living in the home and extended family members. The theme helps parents who are fostering or adopting gain insight and increased understanding of how their family may need to adjust, as well as strategies that they can use to support healthy family dynamics.​

​​Description​: Introduces a branch of behavioral health called occupational therapy. Covers how occupational therapy can help children complete their everyday activities such as: showering and getting dressed, regulating their emotions, ​reaching developmental milestones, playing ​and learning. This module covers the following topics:

  • What occupational therapy is
  • Signs and behaviors that a child may benefit from occupational therapy
  • How to access occupational therapy as a resource parent

​​Description: Whether it is called co-parenting, shared parenting, partnership parenting, resource (foster) parents are expected to partner with the child's parents to facilitate reunification when possible. In this course, we discuss ways to develop a healthy relationship. This course is from Creating a Family, and includes instructors Carrie Sgarlata, an educator, mom, resource mom, and resource parent trainer and recruiter; and Andrea Leaman, a social worker with the Foster Care Licensing and Placement Program with Children’s Wisconsin Community Services and trainer in partnership parenting.

This course covers the following learning objectives:

  • List 3 reason why shared parenting is best for children.
  • Explain common emotions that birth parents feel when they first meet the foster parent of their child.
  • List 5 ideas for how to develop a healthy relationship with the child in your care.
  • Explain the importance of establishing healthy boundaries.

This course is audio only (similar to a podcast).​

​Description: ​This podcast is brought to you by the ODHS Child Welfare Division. The podcast covers a variety of topics related to Oregon's Child Welfare system and is designed to help current resource parents and people interested in learning more about foster care.​

Note: After listening to a Foster Points Podcast episode, please contact your certifier to ensure you receive training credit hours for each episode as applicable.

​​Description​: How does prenatal exposure to alcohol damage the brain of the developing fetus? What type of behaviors are typical from children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)? What parenting techniques are effective for helping a child with FASD reach their full potential? This course is from Creating a Family. In this course, hear from Suzanne Emery, a Nurse Practitioner and Program Director at FASCETS (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Consultation, Education and Training Services).

This course covers the following learning objectives:

  • Explain how alcohol impacts the developing fetus.
  • List 4 primary behaviors that are caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol.
  • List 4 secondary behaviors that may result from the frustration caused by having your brain dysfunction not understood.
  • Identify 3 parenting techniques that are helpful when raising a child exposed to alcohol prenatally.

This course is only audio (similar to a podcast).


Experience of the child

​​​​​​​​​Description: This module helps parents who are fostering and adopting understand concepts and definitions related to enhancing the resilience of children who have experienced trauma, separation, or loss. Protective factors are described along with strategies on how to build upon these factors to support children develop their identity, self-esteem, and skills toward self-advocacy.​

​Description: Watch a recorded webinar learning about what Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children means. 

​Description: This course will discuss Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), including what they are and the impacts to a child's brain, development and behavior. It will also include parenting strategies to support children with FASD.

​​​Description: This module helps adoptive parents understand the importance of having ongoing conversations with their children about their birth and adoption story. The theme discusses how empowering children with the missing pieces of their story can help them build trust in family relationships, help with healthy identity formation, and can lead to stronger connections with birth family members. In this theme, adoptive parents learn how to have on-going conversation with their children about their life story that is done in an inclusive, open fashion.​

​Description: This module provides an overview of the impact transitions, both planned and unplanned, have on children who have experienced trauma, loss or separation. The theme discusses strategies parents can use to make these transitions less traumatic and disruptive. Strategies for making children feel welcomed and connected before, during, and after transitions occur are shared.

​​​Description: Hear from Amanda Purvis, a Training Specialist at the Karyn Purvis Center for Child Development, about practical tips for disciplining while maintaining attachment. Amanda is a social worker, and a parent to five children, some of whom have experienced early life trauma. This course is from Creating a Family.

This course covers the following learning objectives:

  • List 2 reasons why spanking, shaming, and time-outs are not effective disciplinary techniques for children who have experienced trauma.
  • Explain what the acronym IDEAL means as far as an approach to disciplining children.
  • Identify two reasons to allow children to have a do-over when they have misbehaved.
  • List two ways to handle triangulation.

This course is only audio (similar to a podcast).

​​​​Description: This module provides an overview the importance of children maintaining visits with their family and how to check in and address concerns, questions and emotions children may encounter before and after the visits. The theme provides strategies on how to help children name and validate the range of feelings they may experience before, during and after a visit and understand the role that parents who are fostering or adopting play in these visits.​

​​​Description​: This module highlights some of the difficulties children who have experienced trauma, separation or loss can have in regulating themselves. The theme reviews the different phases of crisis and provide parents who are fostering or adopting with strategies to proactively prevent a crisis from occurring. This theme reviews ways to keep the children safe when they are having a crisis and strategies that can help to de-escalate the situation.​​

​​​Description: This module briefly explores how early childhood trauma and neglect may impact a child’s ability to interact successfully with their outside world – sensory integration. This theme provides parents who are fostering or adopting with the ability to identify behaviors related to sensory integration difficulties and strategies to aid a child with sensory integration challenges in the home, school, and community.​

​​​​Description​: Access up to 5.5 hours of training on your role as a parent or caregiver in prevention child sexual abuse. Take one or all five modules, including: Stewards of Children, Protecting Children from Sex Trafficking, Protecting Children through Active Bystanding, Healthy Touch for Children and Youth, and Talking with Children abo​ut Safety from Sexual Abuse.​

​​​Description: This module provides an overview of some of the emotional needs of children who have been sexually abused. The theme highlights some of the unique challenges in parenting children who have experienced this type of abuse and safety measures to put in place to ensure all children in the home are safe. The theme also provides information on seeking effective therapy for children who have been sexually abused to minimize risk of re-victimization, minimize risk of children re-enacting abuse on other children and maximize healthy sexual development.​​

​​​​​Description​: Youth who go through hard things, like losing someone, being separated from family, or experiencing trau​ma may have mental health challenges. This training equips resource parents with the knowledge and tools to recognize, respond to, and support the mental health needs of youth in their care.

​​​Description: Learn more about applying the guiding principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI) to typical parenting situations. This course is from Creating a Family, and includes instructor Kari Dady, a Regional Training and ​Consultation Specialist with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. Kari is also an adoptive parent who uses the TBRI® approach daily in their family.

This course covers the following learning objectives:

  • List the 3 guiding principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®.
  • Explain how trauma impacts the developing child.
  • List 2 types of trauma that can impact children.

This course is only audio (similar to a podcast).

​​Description: Learn to recognize Substance Use Disorder (SUD) as a disease, identify what recovery includes, be equipped to support children and families, and hear from someone with lived experience.

  • Register​​

​​​Description: Learn more about Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI) from the perspective of the book, The Connected Parent, by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Lisa Qualls, with great assistance from Emmelie Pickett. This is a course from Creating a Family, where​ authors Lisa Qualls and Emmelie Pickett share their thoughts about connected parenting and provide tangible tools on how to use TBRI® with your family.

This course covers the following learning objectives:

  • Understanding the foundations of attachment.
  • List ways to implement Trust-Based Relational Intervention®.
  • Understand how to cope with chronic fear in your children.
  • Describe how to discipline the TBRI® way.
  • Understanding how sensory issues can be confused with attachment issues.

This course is only audio (similar to a podcast).


Identity and culture

​​​​Description​: Learn about the history and legal requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Oregon Indian Child Welfare Act (ORICWA) and why these laws are needed today. Understand the intent of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the differences and protections involved in an ICWA case and a non-ICWA case. Lea​rn how to cultivate relationships with a Tribe and enhance their understanding of why cultural engagement is important for Tribal children.​​

​​​Description: Celebrating and exploring a child’s cultural identity is essential for their strength, resilience, and sense of pride. Learn more about Cultural Continuity Agreements in relation to caring for American Indian/Alaskan Native youth, how these agreements are developed, and the importance of ongoing cultural connection.​

​​​​​Description: This module provides an overview of healthy sexual development and how to talk to children about healthy sexual development and relationships. The theme addresses some of the needs children who have experienced trauma, loss or separation may have in developing a positive, healthy identity relative to their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) and sexuality. The theme also highlights strategies parents who are fostering or adopting can use in supporting the child’s sexual development.​

​​Description: Explore how to support youth in care by honoring their full identity—including their culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

​​​​​Description: Learn from Abraham Bearpaw of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma as he discusses wellness that incorporates gratitude, mindfulness and self-care using traditional Cherokee practices for adults and children.​


Kin and relative caregivers

​​​Description: This computer-based training is for Resource Families who are beginning the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) process of being approved to have an out-of-state child placed in their home. The ICPC process is managed by the Child Welfare Cen​tral Office ICPC program which follows federal guidelines.​​

​Description: Being a relative caregiver has its strengths and can feel challenging. Learn from Dr. Joseph Crumbley, a nationally known expert in kinship care, who will share ideas and strategies that have helped relative caregivers. This is a seven part video series. 


Parenting tools for challenging behaviors

​​​​Description​: Learn ways to support youths’ important connections and sense of connectedness and understand the impact of secondary trauma ​on parenting and self-care.

​​​​Description: Learn the impacts of loss and grief on youths and learn how to enhance attachment and strengthen your relationship with them.

  • Register​​

​​​Description: Children who have experienced trauma have unique feeding and nutrition challenges that can impact their growth, development and overall health. Understanding these challenges and addressing them with trauma-informed strategies allows caregivers the opportunity to improve nutrition and mealtimes and create resilience in the children in their care.

The course is self-paced and introduces the six principles of trauma-informed feeding and nutrition; discusses nutrition and mealtime challenges specific to children who have experienced trauma and offers guidance in addressing these challenges using trauma-informed principles.

Note:​ After completion, please contact your certifier to add this Oregon State University course to your Workday Learning transcript.​

​​Description: Learn skills in coping and managing your own emotions while parenting a youth with challenging behaviors.

  • Register​​

Teens and tweens

​​​Description: This module provides an overview of the common skills that youth will need to effectively navigate as an adult and provide strategies on how families who are fostering or adopting can prepare youth to successfully transition into adulthood. The theme highlights the variance that can exist between chronological and developmental age for children who have experienced trauma, separation and loss and how this can impact the transition to adulthood. Some of the challenges that youth may face during this transition are highlighted.​​​


Understanding trauma

​​This course will provide an introductory overview of domestic violence, what domestic violence is, how it affects individuals—especially children.

​​Description: Learn how fear changes the way youth think, feel and act, and learn trauma-informed techniques for parenting a youth based on their emotional age and development.

​​​Description​: Learn how traumatic stress and adversity impac​ts a youth’s development, and the importance of responding to the underlying causes of the youth’s behaviors and promoting well-being.​​



Other on-demand training

 These courses are not in the ODHS Workday Learning system. Learn how to self-report non-Workday training.

​ Oregon Family Support Network - Connects, empowers and educates families and their communities to improve outcomes for children and youth experiencing significant behavioral health challenges.​

Washington State Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network (FAS DPN) - Focuses on screening, diagnosis and prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome. They are a network of five community-based clinics with a core clinic at the University of Washington.​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​Brain Development and Nurturing Children's Growing Minds

Fosterparentscope Training - An interactive website with fun and easy lessons on child develo​pment and parenting. 

​​​​​​​​​​​Missing Child/Young Adult Guide - For OD​HS Resource Parents and Relative Resource Parents

Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act - A 2014 summary from the Congressional Research Service

What is Human Trafficking? - A publication from the US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Trafficking in Persons

Bought and Sold: Recognizing and Assisting Youth Victims of Domestic Sex Trafficking - A publication from the US Department of Health and Human Services​ Family & Youth Services Bureau

​Developmental Disabilities Administration - Information on parenting a child with developmental disabilities.

Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy - Children do not always show immediate signs of cerebral palsy. Learn about the risk factors and symptoms that are associated with the different types of CP.

RISE Services​ - Services to support children, adults and their families to achieve unlimited success.

Washington State Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network (FAS DPN) - Focuses on screening, diagnosis and prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome. They are a network of five community-based clinics with a core clinic at the University of Washington.​

FACT Oregon empowers families, youth, and communities to navigate disability systems. They offer on-demand trainings so you can learn at your own pace.

  • Click the training you want to take.
  • Choose Resource Parent as your role.
  • A certificate of completion will be sent automatically when the course is finished.

​​​​Understanding Special Education: Introducing the Six Core Principles of IDEA​ - Learn how the six core principles of IDEA shape special education and active participation in the process supports students with disabilities.​

​​​​Overview of Developmental Disability Services in Oregon​ - An overview of Oregon’s DD services, how to access them, and how they support individuals with I/DD and their families to live full lives.​

More FACT Oregon trainings - To take more trainings from FACT Oregon, register and choose "Certificate of Attendance (Families Only)." Use the coupon code: ODHSCW and the certificate fee will be waived. You’ll receive a certificate of completion email typically within 5 - 7 days.

​​​​​​​16 Ways to Create Safe Spaces​ - An educational resource from the SMYRC Bridge 13 Community Education program

Family Acceptance Project - A research, intervention, education and policy initiative to prevent health and mental health risks and to promote well-being for LGBTQ youth

How to Support LGBTQ Children​ - The Child Mind Institute covers how to support LGBTQ children and keep them safe 

All Children - All Families - An online learning archive from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation​

Gender Spectrum - Hosts online groups for pre-teens, teens, parents, caregivers and other family members

​Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC) - Culturally specific support for LGBTQIA2S+ youth

​​​Adoption.com - Resource parent training and education including books, newsletters, articles and online training

Creating a Family - Offers online courses for foster, kinship and adoptive families; a weekly podcast; articles, tip sheets and support groups with training and support curriculum.

Foster Care and Adoptive Community - Online training offers hundreds of courses (some interactive) with new topics added continuously. Certificates are generated immediately after passing a course test, and are either emailed or downloaded directly. Certificates contain your name, course title, hours credited and date.

Foster Parent College - Interactive training courses for resource parents, adoptive parents and relative resource parents.

FosterParentTraining.com - Online training site for licensed resource parents

KEEP - An evidence-based support and skill enhancement program for foster and kinship parents of children (KEEP Standard) and teens (KEEP SAFE™).

Fentanyl exposure myths​ - A breakdown of common fentanyl myths, including whether fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin or accidentally inhaled by emergency responders.​

Fentanyl facts - Covers illegal manufacturing and distribution, reducing overdose risks and other help and resources.

Opioid misuse and overdose - Facts, figures and resources for reducing opioid overdose and misuse.

Prevention and wellness​ - Oregon Health Authority prevention and wellness resources on substance use.

​​ReMoved​ - A powerful short film told through the eyes of a young girl taken from her home and placed in foster care

Parenting a Child Who has Experienced Trauma - A fact sheet from the Child Welfare Information Gateway

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) - Resources for families and caregivers

Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) - Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

Child Trauma Academy - Provides education, research and innovation