(1) Building Ladders
MORNING KEYNOTE SESSION

Full

(2)  Teamwork
 This workshop provides caregivers and caseworkers the skills to improve communication with all stakeholders. Participants will gain skills to prevent children from playing caregivers against each other, the birth family or county worker. It will also help plan for cooperation with hot button issues such as visits and the holidays. It will also help children, caseworkers and foster parents be able to communicate effectively so that the children in their care will grow into healthy adulthood..  

(3)  Psychotropic Medications and Children: Who, What, When and Why
The purpose of this course is to educate child protective workers on medication use in the treatment of mental disorders among children and adolescents.  Specific attention will be paid to answering the questions most people ask, or should ask, regarding psychotropic medication.

(4) Overcoming Trauma: The Process of Recovery
This workshop will give you an intimate look into the recovery process from the perspective of an incest survivor. Learn what worked for one survivor to transformation from childhood incest victim, to teen drug abuser and runaway, to young adult with the courage to face down the pain and heal - emerging many years later as a woman raising a healthy family and embracing a career to speak out about child abuse.

(5) Medical Advocacy
This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the realities of parenting a child with complex health and development needs. Participants will; explore the impact of chronic illness and disability on children and families, become familiar with common diagnoses and medical technology needs seen in the foster care population, problem solve preparing their home for a child with special needs, gain insight into acquiring skills needed to care for this population of children, address the challenges of working with a wide range of professionals,  learn strategies for promoting cognitive and emotional development, and discuss approaches to working with birth families around visitation and permanency planning as it relates to the child's ongoing care needs.

(6) Managing and Preventing Placement Disruptions
Every child deserves a stable and lasting family life and should not be deprived of it except for urgent and compelling reasons. This principle of family stability was first espoused almost one-hundred years ago at the 1909 White House Conference on Dependent Children. Far too many foster children continue to be denied this advantage. Placement instability remains a significant problem for thousand of foster children who are left behind in public foster care. Any movement of a child from home to home is troubling to families and traumatic to the child.

(7)  Teamwork
 This workshop provides caregivers and caseworkers the skills to improve communication with all stakeholders. Participants will gain skills to prevent children from playing caregivers against each other, the birth family or county worker. It will also help plan for cooperation with hot button issues such as visits and the holidays. It will also help children, caseworkers and foster parents be able to communicate effectively so that the children in their care will grow into healthy adulthood. 

(8)  Psychotropic Medications and Children: Who, What, When and Why
The purpose of this course is to educate child protective workers on medication use in the treatment of mental disorders among children and adolescents.  Specific attention will be paid to answering the questions most people ask, or should ask, regarding psychotropic medication.

(9) Overcoming Trauma: The Process of Recovery
This workshop will give you an intimate look into the recovery process from the perspective of an incest survivor. Learn what worked for one survivor to transformation from childhood incest victim, to teen drug abuser and runaway, to young adult with the courage to face down the pain and heal - emerging many years later as a woman raising a healthy family and embracing a career to speak out about child abuse.

(10) Medical Advocacy
This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the realities of parenting a child with complex health and development needs. Participants will; explore the impact of chronic illness and disability on children and families, become familiar with common diagnoses and medical technology needs seen in the foster care population, problem solve preparing their home for a child with special needs, gain insight into acquiring skills needed to care for this population of children, address the challenges of working with a wide range of professionals,  learn strategies for promoting cognitive and emotional development, and discuss approaches to working with birth families around visitation and permanency planning as it relates to the child's ongoing care needs.

(11) Managing and Preventing Placement Disruptions
Every child deserves a stable and lasting family life and should not be deprived of it except for urgent and compelling reasons. This principle of family stability was first espoused almost one-hundred years ago at the 1909 White House Conference on Dependent Children. Far too many foster children continue to be denied this advantage. Placement instability remains a significant problem for thousand of foster children who are left behind in public foster care. Any movement of a child from home to home is troubling to families and traumatic to the child.

(12) Wearing The Mask
 EVENING KEYNOTE SESSION

(13) Same Team Is What I Mean
Caregivers and Social Workers are both on the same team of Child Welfare but play different positions.  When disagreements or misunderstandings arise, divisions can form that may split the team. Learn the steps to communicate teamwork with Social Work Staff and know how to identify and avoid team-destroying behaviors.

(14) Anxiety Disorders Among Children And Adolescents: Recognition and Interventions
The purpose of this course is to educate participants on the diagnosis and treatment of child and adolescent anxiety disorders.  DSM IV diagnostic criteria and evidence-based treatment practices will be of primary focus.  

(15) Financial Resources for Foster Parents Considering Adoption
Participants will learn about the eligibility criteria and procedures to apply for each of the four types of subsidies available to families. Participants will receive an overview of the federal and state adoption tax credits and will gain information on benefits for adoption that many businesses offer. They will also explore that financial help that may be available for their foster or adopted teens as they explore colleges.

(16) Extra-Ordinary Parenting
This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the realities of parenting a child with complex health and development needs. Participants will; explore the impact of chronic illness and disability on children and families, become familiar with common diagnoses and medical technology needs seen in the foster care population, problem solve preparing their home for a child with special needs, gain insight into acquiring skills needed to care for this population of children, address the challenges of working with a wide range of professionals,  learn strategies for promoting cognitive and emotional development, and discuss approaches to working with birth families around visitation and permanency planning as it relates to the child's ongoing care needs.

(17) Dealing With the Explosive Child
Explosive children frequently display rage and blatantly disrespect adult supervision and guidance. Explosive children get the attention of anyone involved and those in close proximity to the situation. This workshop will provide participants with intervention strategies that have proven effective in curbing a child’s aggression.

(18) Childhood Medical Disease 101
This six hour workshop provides some selected information on chronic childhood illnesses in general, and information regarding asthma, diabetes, and sickle cell disease in particular. Symptoms, management issues, and treatment issues of the specific diseases as well as child protection aspects of chronic illness will be addressed. A variety of training modalities (e.g., lecture, video, group discussion, case example) will be utilized.

(19)Dealing w/Difficult Behaviors in the Professional Setting:  Getting The Best Out of Anyone
This workshop focuses on identifying, and understanding individuals who display difficult behavior.  By using evidence-based practices, one will learn more about themselves, uncover why individuals exhibit unwanted behaviors, and explore effective tools to not only minimum the effects of behaviors, but to help individuals understand that more productive behaviors might help one meet six basic human needs.

(20) Build a Bridge to Healthy Relationships  
Face fears and bust through barriers that commonly arise in relationships between foster parent, biological parents, caseworkers and teachers. See a “style show” that reveals the secrets for communicating effectively in each relationship. Learn and practice practical skills that will build trust and cooperative working relationships at every stage of contact.

(21) Same Team Is What I Mean
Caregivers and Social Workers are both on the same team of Child Welfare but play different positions.  When disagreements or misunderstandings arise, divisions can form that may split the team. Learn the steps to communicate teamwork with Social Work Staff and know how to identify and avoid team-destroying behaviors.

(22) Anxiety Disorders Among Children And Adolescents: Recognition and Interventions
The purpose of this course is to educate participants on the diagnosis and treatment of child and adolescent anxiety disorders.  DSM IV diagnostic criteria and evidence-based treatment practices will be of primary focus.  

(23) Financial Resources for Foster Parents Considering Adoption
Participants will learn about the eligibility criteria and procedures to apply for each of the four types of subsidies available to families. Participants will receive an overview of the federal and state adoption tax credits and will gain information on benefits for adoption that many businesses offer. They will also explore that financial help that may be available for their foster or adopted teens as they explore colleges.

(24) Extra-Ordinary Parenting
This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the realities of parenting a child with complex health and development needs. Participants will; explore the impact of chronic illness and disability on children and families, become familiar with common diagnoses and medical technology needs seen in the foster care population, problem solve preparing their home for a child with special needs, gain insight into acquiring skills needed to care for this population of children, address the challenges of working with a wide range of professionals,  learn strategies for promoting cognitive and emotional development, and discuss approaches to working with birth families around visitation and permanency planning as it relates to the child's ongoing care needs.

(25) Dealing With the Explosive Child
Explosive children frequently display rage and blatantly disrespect adult supervision and guidance. Explosive children get the attention of anyone involved and those in close proximity to the situation. This workshop will provide participants with intervention strategies that have proven effective in curbing a child’s aggression.

(26) Childhood Medical Disease 101
This six hour workshop provides some selected information on chronic childhood illnesses in general, and information regarding asthma, diabetes, and sickle cell disease in particular. Symptoms, management issues, and treatment issues of the specific diseases as well as child protection aspects of chronic illness will be addressed. A variety of training modalities (e.g., lecture, video, group discussion, case example) will be utilized.

(27)Dealing w/Difficult Behaviors in the Professional Setting:  Getting The Best Out of Anyone
This workshop focuses on identifying, and understanding individuals who display difficult behavior.  By using evidence-based practices, one will learn more about themselves, uncover why individuals exhibit unwanted behaviors, and explore effective tools to not only minimum the effects of behaviors, but to help individuals understand that more productive behaviors might help one meet six basic human needs.

(28) Build a Bridge to Healthy Relationships  
Face fears and bust through barriers that commonly arise in relationships between foster parent, biological parents, caseworkers and teachers. See a “style show” that reveals the secrets for communicating effectively in each relationship. Learn and practice practical skills that will build trust and cooperative working relationships at every stage of contact.

 Full