Foundations of Foster and Adoptive Caregiving
Foundations of Foster and Adoptive Caregiving is designed to provide foster and adoptive caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to support children and youth in their care. Developed using training modules adapted from the National Training and Development Curriculum (NTDC), this curriculum has been customized to address the training topics prioritized by caregivers in the 2024 Texas Post-Permanency Needs Assessment. It is intended to be implemented by child-placing agencies as part of their caregiver training programs.
The curriculum consists of seven modules, each addressing an essential aspect of caregiving to promote the well-being and development of children in care. These modules cover:
- Understanding child development and attachment
- Addressing trauma and supporting children with trauma-related behaviors
- Promoting mental health and providing support through grief, loss, and separation.
Please contact erika.settles@austin.utexas.edu with questions.
This curriculum overview is intended to support professionals who will implement the curriculum in their agency. Included in this online guide are:
- the adapted curriculum and module materials
- Implementation recommendations
Curriculum Modules & Content
1.5 hours. Provides an understanding of child development, developmental delays, and strategies to meet children’s needs at different developmental stages.
Module Materials
Child Development Facilitator Classroom Guide
Separation Grief and Loss Module Powerpoint
Participant Handouts
Handout 2 – Broad Developmental Themes From Birth to Age 21 Years
Handout 4 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 0-1 years old
Handout 5 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 1-2 years old
Handout 6 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 2-3 years old
Handout 7 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 3-5 years old
Handout 8 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 6-8 years old
Handout 9 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 9-11 years old
Handout 10 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 12-14 years old
Handout 11 – Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development 15-17 years old
Additional Resources
2 hours. Explores how caregivers can enhance relationships by understanding the importance of their own attachment history, fostering safety and attunement, and supporting children’s primary attachments.Â
Module Materials
Download all the module materials
Attachment Facilitator Classroom Guide
Module Videos
Relationship-focused Discipline
Participant HandoutsÂ
Handout 1 – Cycles of Attachment
Handout 2 – Examples of Relationship Promoting ActivitiesÂ
Additional Resources
Finding and Working with Adoption-competent Therapists
Summary of the Seven Core Issues in Adoption Seeking Meaningful Therapy
2 hours. Explores the impact of loss on children’s feelings and behaviors, highlights the differences in how children and adults grieve, and addresses ambiguous loss, ongoing support, and grief as a root cause of behaviors.
Module Materials
Separation, Grief and Loss Facilitator Classroom Guide
Separation, Grief and Loss Module Powerpoint
Module Videos
Participant HandoutsÂ
Handout 1 – Developmental Stages of Grief
Handout 2 – Theories of Stages of Grief in Foster Care and Adoption
Handout 3 – Ambiguous Loss Haunts Foster and Adopted Children Â
Handout 4 – Addressing Darren’s Grief
Handout 5 – Addressing Darren’s Grief – For Kinship Caregivers Â
Additional Resources
2 hours. Examines how childhood trauma affects brain development, behavior, and coping strategies. Explores trauma-related triggers, survival responses, and how fear and threat influence thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Module Materials
Download all module materialsÂ
Trauma Related Behavior Classroom Facilitator Guide
Trauma Related Behaviors Module PowerPoint
Module Videos
Participant Handouts
Handout 1 – Identifying States
Handout 2 – Christmas Dinner Scene
Handout 3 – Predicting Escalating and De-escalating Behaviors Chart
Additional Resources
2 hours. Provides trauma-informed parenting techniques for addressing challenging behaviors and highlights the impact of trauma on attachment and relationships. Emphasizes the importance of managing caregiver emotions, using empathy, and distinguishing discipline from punishment.
Module Materials
Trauma Informed Parenting Facilitator Classroom Guide
Trauma Informed Parenting Module Powerpoint
Module PodcastsÂ
NTDC Right Time Podcast – Trauma Informed Parenting with Bruce Perry
NCTSN Podcast – The Emotional Container in Real Life
Participant Handouts
Handout 1 – The Three R’s – Reaching The Learning Brain
Additional Resources
Parenting a Child or Youth who Has Been Sexually Abused- A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents
1 hour. Explores the complexities of diagnosing mental health conditions in children affected by separation, loss, and trauma. Provides guidance on accessing information about mental health and psychotropic medications and using accurate, sensitive language to describe symptoms and diagnoses.
Module Materials
Download all module materialsÂ
Mental Health Considerations Facilitator Classroom Guide
Mental Health Considerations Module PowerPoint
Module VideosÂ
Addressing Children’s Mental Health Needs
Participant HandoutsÂ
Handout 2 – Role of Parents Who are Fostering When Psychotropic Medication Has Been Prescribed
Additional Resources
Everything Means Something To Me…
2 hours. Focuses on creating routines and consistent limits to provide security for children, offering strategies to foster safety, communicate effectively, and understand how a sense of safety impacts behavior.
Module Materials
Download all the module materials
Creating a Stable, Nurturing and Safe Home Facilitator Classroom Guide
Creating a Stable, Nurturing and Safe Home Module PowerPoint
Module VideosÂ
Creating a Stable, Nurturing and Safe Home Environment Part 1
Creating a Stable, Nurturing and Safe Home Environment Part 2
Participant HandoutsÂ
Handout 1 – Reasonable And Prudent Parenting – Promoting Normalcy
Handout 2 – Beginning to Know You
Handout 3 – Safety And Support Plan
Handout 4 – Sample Safety and Support Plan
Handout 5 – Parent Guide to Talk About and Fill Out The Safety And Support Plan.
Handout 6 – Parent Tip Sheet – Dos and Don’ts to Manage Escalated Behaviors
Handout 7 – Parent Tip Sheet – FAQs on Self-harming Behaviors
Handout 8 – Managing Challenging Behaviors Case Study Examples Activity
Additional Resources
Parenting Children & Youth who Have Experienced Abuse or NeglectÂ
Download all 7 Modules (5.20GB)
Implementation Recommendations
This section provides practical recommendations for effectively delivering and implementing the curriculum.
Decide on Delivery Format:
- Flexibility: Assess caregivers’ needs and your own capacity, the curriculum is flexible and has in-person or online delivery options. Choose the option that best fits current needs and capacity.Â
- Scheduling: A session can consist of one topic or topics can be grouped into a series based on the time available for each session. It will be most helpful to complete all nine topics within 3-6 months for each cohort.Â
Preparation:
- Review Materials: Familiarize yourself with each training module’s content and objectives by reviewing accompanying PowerPoints, handouts,videos, and resources.
- Set Goals: Define desired outcomes for each training session, such as increased caregiver knowledge or improved confidence in handling trauma-related behaviors.
Participant Support:
- Pre-session Overview: Provide caregivers with an overview of the training topics and any materials they may need to review or have on hand in advance.
- Post-session Review: Share additional resources to deepen learning, such as articles, videos, or local services.
Assessment and Feedback:
- Evaluation Tools: Use pre- and post-training surveys to measure knowledge gains and gather feedback.
- Continuous Improvement: Incorporate participant suggestions to refine future sessions.