Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon Department of Human Services Search Site

On-demand Training for Certified Caregivers

Learn on your own time. Choose an option to get started.

  • Workday training: Log in to your Workday account to register for courses and earn training credit.
  • Quick learning: Explore short, 5-10 minute trainings designed for resource parents.
  • Other training: Find trainings offered by organizations outside ODHS.

Training credit for learning outside of Workday: You can receive training credit for Quick Learning and other trainings completed outside Workday by recording them in your Workday account. Follow our Guide to Self-Report Training for step-by-step instructions.

 ODHS Workday training ODHS quick learning Other training

ODHS Workday 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. 

​Description: Prepares to plan for, respond to, and recover from emergencies while keeping children safe and supported. Learn trauma-informed planning, crisis communication, and how to meet child welfare expectations during emergencies.

​​​​​​Description: ​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: 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: ​The ODHS Child Welfare Core Parenting Tools are grounded in the values of safety, connection, permanency, and trauma informed care. These values shape how we work with children, youth, and families across the system. Gain an overview about these core tools that use trauma-info​rmed engagement strategies, regulation techniques and connection-focused approaches that ODHS Child Welfare has to offer for resource parents.

​Description: Successful foster care placem​ents begin with preparation. Welcoming a child into your family is more than a transition - it’s an opportunity to build trust, healing, and connection. Learn how to prepare your household to offer stability, kindness, and a sense of belonging from day one.​

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 meetings facilitated by ODHS are a col​laborative, engaging process that support case planning through core values that are trauma-informed, build on family strengths, honor culture, and ensure the process is family driven and youth guided.

​​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: Curious about the adoption process with ODHS Child Welfare? Learn about the entire process, from application to finalization. This training is most helpful ​for prospective adoptive parents who are not caring for children related to them or planning to be a resource parent.

​​​​​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.​​

Description: This two-part course for resource and adoptive parents provides an overview for Resource Families on how to prepare for adoption and guardianship assistance application completion. The content of this course largely duplicates ODHS - CW - Resource Family Adoption and Guardianship Assistance Programs for Resource/Adoptive Parents (live​ training); this training is a recorded webinar.


Education

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

​​​​​​​Description: ​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​: ​Understand the types of services available and how to ask for them.

​​​​​Description​: Explore adult attachment, including the history of attachment theory and how adult attachment styles impact parenting. Learn strategies to support secure attachment and build stronger connections with children in your care.

​​Description: Learn about what it means to care for children in foster care. This is a​ great opportunity for those considering becoming a resource parent to learn more.

​​​​Description​: Learn ​the importance of self-care for parents who are fostering or adopting as well as practical ideas on how to incorporate self-care into your daily routine.​

​​​Description: This course explores how resource parents can build strong, supportive partnerships with a child’s parents beginning from the very first day of placement. By approaching families with compassion, resource parents can help reduce trauma, strengthen trust, and create a more stable experience for the child. Together, we will look at practical, tangible ways to partner with parents, such as comfort calls, video chats, shared photos, school updates, and involvement in appointments, activities, and special moments. Finally, the course highligh​ts why partnership is essential: it decreases divided loyalty, supports cultural and identity connections, and fosters a united network of adults working in the child’s best interest.​

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

​Description: Explore common ways families blend children by birth and adoption, along with practical tips for parents who adopt after having biological children.

​​​​​​​Description: ​Learn kind, clear, and age-appropriate ways to talk with youth. Learn practical tools to handle tough conversations while building trust, connection​ and confidence.​​

​​​​​​Description: Learn about 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.​

​​​​Description​: Learn about a branch of behavioral health called occupational therapy and how it can help children complete their daily ​activities.

​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​: Learn how prenatal exposure to alcohol damages the brain of the developing fetus and how to identify and manage behaviors that are typical from children with ​Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).


Experience of the child

​​​​​​​​​​Description: Learn the concepts and definitions related to enhancing the resilience of children who have experienced trauma, separation, or loss.​​

​​​Description: Learn about CSEC and how youth in foster care are at a higher risk of exploitation.​

​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: Parental substance use is the most common reason for Child Welfare involvement, which is why it is important resource parents understand what it is and the impacts to children. This course will explain what substance use disorder is and why it is hard to qu​it, it will explore the impacts to children and how this affects their behavior, and it will provide practical strategies resource parents can use to support children.

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

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

​​​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: This course empowers resource parents with the knowledge and practical strategies to create a safe, supportive home where LGBTQIA2S+ youth feel valued and respected. You’ll learn how to provide emotional safety, use inclusive language, advocate in schools and communities, and offer the stability and acceptance every young person deserves. Together, we’ll explore ways to help youth ​thrive during their journey of self-discovery and build resilience for a brighter future.

​​​​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

​​​​​​​​Description: ​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.​​

ODHS quick learning

Explore parenting topics with short trainings designed for resource parents. Each training takes 10 minutes or less, and no registration is needed.

If you’d like to add these trainings to your learning transcript in your Workday account, follow the Self-Report Training Guide. 

Description: Learn what a calming corner is, how it can support a child's regulation, and simple ste​ps for creating one that is safe, supportive, and responsive to the child's individual and cultural needs.

Description: Check out easy to use strategies for supporting balanced and safe screen use while strengthening connection and minimizing daily digital distractions. 

Description: Explore simple conversation starters and steps for navigating family conversations when there are disagreements or misunderstandings to problem solve solutions as a family.

​Description: Consider ways to observe a child's behavior, notice patterns and identify ways to support the child you are caring for. 

Description: Creating ​visual schedules can help create predicable routines that reduce anxiety and support smoother daily transitions. 

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

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

​​​​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.

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