TRAINING FOSTER PARENTS (FROM FAMILIES TODAY: A RESEARCH SAMPLER ON FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, VOLUME II, P 837- 864, 1979, EUNICE CORFMAN, ED. -- SEE NCJ-146059)

• NCJ Number: 146069
• Author(s): P Ryan; V R Isenstein; W Krasner
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 28 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH-25044
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Eastern Michigan University's Foster Parent Training Project sought to improve the skills of foster parents by offering courses for 2.5 hours a week in 6-week sessions.

Abstract

Course schedules and sites were designed to be convenient for foster parents, and class size was kept small to maintain a personal atmosphere. The first eight courses dealt with child development, conditions leading to foster care placement, role of foster parents, consequences of separation trauma, influence of foster parents on children's behavior, needs of children with special problems, dealing with school problems of foster children, and community resources available to parents. These courses were then altered, expanded, and modified as information and demand increased. Courses focused on the importance of consistent parent attitudes and standards in dealing with behavior problems of children and on special training for foster parents of physically and mentally handicapped children. The project demonstrated the feasibility of providing comprehensive training and support for foster parents. An appendix contains the survey form used to assess foster parent attitudes, as well as materials and activities to train foster parents.