Resource/Foster Family Training

Together we can make a difference with PRIDE

As a young boy and girl walked along a beach at dawn, they noticed an old man ahead of them picking up starfish and tossing them into the sea. Catching up with the man, the girl asked why he was doing this. The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun. "But the beach goes on for miles and there are thousands of starfish," exclaimed the girl. "How can you alone make any difference?" The old man looked at the starfish in his hand and then tossed it safely into the waves. He turned to them, smiled and said, "I made a difference to that one."

(Based upon the writings of Loren Eiseley)

Goals of the Resource Family Training Initiative:

• Meet the perspective, developmental, cultural, and permanency needs of children placed with foster and adoptive families.
• Strengthen families, whether they are families of origin, blended families, extended or kinship families, adoptive families, or members of a tribe or clan.
• Strengthen the quality of family foster care and adoptive services by providing a standardized, structured framework for pre-service training and mutual assessment; for foster parent in-service training; and for ongoing professional development.

What is PRIDE?
PRIDE stands for Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education. PRIDE is Idaho's standardized curriculum for foster and adoptive parents and the new model of practice developed by Child Welfare League of America.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and partner universities have entered into an arrangement providing for Resource Family Trainers to be on staff, serving all areas of Idaho to provide standardized core training to pre-licensed foster parents statewide.

The PRIDE model is designed to strengthen the quality of foster care and adoption services. It provides a standardized framework for the competency-based development and support of resource families. Consistent with the philosophy of teamwork, PRIDE training is co-facilitated by a team made up of university partners, regional Health and Welfare staff, and experienced foster parents.

PRIDE Pre-Service Training is for those interested in becoming foster or foster/adopt families. It is geared to prepare families for the all important task of caring for children who have been removed from their homes. These training sessions also include kinship families providing temporary or permanent care for their relatives. A total of 27 hours of class time is offered in a variety of locations and times.

This statewide program has been developed to address regional training needs. For regional training schedule and contacts, see the IDHW Service Region Map and the Training Calendar.

What is the RPM Program?

The Recruitment Peer Mentoring (RPM) program is a recruitment effort in the state of Idaho that engages experienced foster, adoptive, and kinship parents to meet with individuals and groups to talk about the role of resource families (foster and adoptive) and to assist them through the application and assessment process. As Recruiter Peer Mentors (RPM's), they also provide mentoring and resources for new foster and pre-adoptive families.

As local foster, adoptive, and kinship parents, Recruiter Peer Mentors help individuals become a resource family by:

• Guiding them through the foster and adoptive parent applicant process,    
• Providing on-going support to licensed resource families, and
• Connecting them with community resources, and support groups.

The RPM program is implemented statewide and consists of a regional committee which includes Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Program Managers, RPM Program Chairs, the regional RPM's, Idaho Child Welfare Research and Training Center, University Partners, Navigators, Supervisors, Tribal representatives, and community members as appointed by the committee. 

Please contact us if you need assistance or additional information. Comments and suggestions regarding training and services are always welcome!

This statewide program has been developed to address regional training needs. For regional training schedule and contacts, see the IDHW Service Region Map and the Training Calendar.