April 25, 2008 Work Group 3 Notes

Current Training and Needs
Concrete needs assessment for training
Training at different levels
- administration
- individuals
- foster parents
- biological parent
Mentoring programs for social workers, foster parents
Need link between department, foster parents, association and service providers (website) that is maintained and updated

Courts
- “baby courts” – IMH
- Training for judges, others on how decision making affects kids

Foster Parents
Therapeutic foster homes – interventions (Delaware training)
E.P.U. training matrix
Training for foster parents based on the needs of kids they’re caring for
Interagency support
- inform foster parents about resource in community
Specific training on how behaviors of abused/neglected kids are different from other kids
FFA v. county foster homes –all trainings must cover these issues
- same type of training
- same opportunity for training
Infant/toddler training and certification for foster parents
In-home services/training delivery
Teen foster youth with babies – training of foster parents of teens on how to care for baby together. SB 500 – targeted.

Social Workers
Basic information for young staff
- developmental information – pre-service
- baseline knowledge of normal stages for assessment
- how to remove kids
Training that is related to changes in how work is done
On-site technical assistance, follow-up on training so that it becomes applied to actual practice
Relevant, hands-on
Embedded as part of policy change
Infant-toddler treatment team – weekly inter-departmental meeting – staffing a couple of cases per week
Incorporate perspective of clients
Include foster parent trainers in case worker training
Foster parent trainings are open but not many social workers ever come
Specialized units for more in depth training
- liaison like R.C. liaison
- other specialists – early intervention
Turnover of social worker staff is an obstacle
Everyone needs basic understanding of development despite turnover
Embed training in supervision
- tools
- reflective supervision
- mentoring, one on one
Focus on kid as a child, not case
Social workers need a nurturing environment in order to nurture children and families

Side Issues
Needs more CASAs
Shortage of mental health services
Problem: as kid improves, s/he is moved out of specialized home