First Time Foster Parents Britli Fuller, Annie Menefee, Taylor King & Tessa Reichel

Overall Program goal: To educate and prepare first time foster parents fostering children ages 2-5 in the areas of preparedness, securing attachment, establishing healthy family dynamics, and appropriate discipline.

Program Environment -These topics are targeted towards first time foster parents fostering children ages Participants will take part in discussion, interactive activities and education. -It will take place in Manhattan, Kansas at the Holiday Inn Conference Center. -The program will be taught in the evenings over the course of four days. -Beverages and snacks will be provided as well as childcare service as needed.

Unit 1: Parent REadiness-Britli Fuller Unit goal: -After this unit has been completed all participants will know what the process looks like to become a first time foster parent. They will be fully made aware of what the guidelines are and clearly understand the role that everyone plays. Unit objectives: -Participants will be able to identify and meet the needs on the checklist required to have a foster child ages Participants will be able to communicate effectively at the end of each week where they feel the child is on a scale of 1-10 in all of their basic needs. (see Appendix)

Opening Activity -Checklist (see Appendix)  preparation that needs to be done

“Who do you work with?” - Lecture -The Agency -The Biological Parent

Role playing scenario -This goes along with the lecture (see Appendix) -partner up

Closing speaker -Contact information (see Appendix) -Support Group

Unit 2: importance of attachment- annie menefee unit goal: -After completing this section of the program, first time foster parents will be able to effectively practice good techniques that form a secure attachment, be aware of the importance of attachment and how it affects the child in the future Unit Objectives: -participants will know the importance of attachment and the impact it has on the child -participants will be able to identify the 4 different types of attachment styles and what are the long-term outcomes of each -participants will be able to explain 3 different ways that help foster secure attachment between parent and child

What they will do Participants will engage in 4 different activities as well as go through a lecture over attachment theory and what they can do to help foster attachment with their child. Finally they will end the session with discussion and go over any questions they may have. The program will go as follows: -Prequiz -Attachment lecture -Practice “I love you Rituals” -Attachment style quiz -Discussion and questions -Post quiz

Attachment lecture What is attachment theory? -Importance of attachment 4 types of attachment styles -Secure attachment -Insecure-Resistant (anxious) attachment -Insecure-avoidant attachment -Disorganized attachment ways to establish secure attachment -Provide a positive family atmosphere -“I Love You Rituals” activity -Be emotionally engaged and available to their child’s need

Unit 3: Family dynamics - Taylor king Unit goal: -Having successfully completed this teaching unit, parents will have a firm understanding of how their family dynamics will change, how to best accommodate upcoming changes, and acquire new information regarding a variety of local resources to best foster an environment that is safe for their core family as well as their foster children. Unit Objective: -Identify two spaces in their home that may create a perceived unsafe space for a foster child ages 2-5 -Participants will be able to identify four areas in which their family dynamics will change once a foster child is introduced -Identify three local resources and familiarize themselves with their services

Lecture  Home Environment -How space is perceived to be either safe or unsafe  Family Relationships/Dynamics -Parent/Parent Relationships -Parent/ Foster Child Relationships -Sibling/Foster Child Relationships

Barnga ACtivity GAME INSTRUCTIONS: -Groups of 4 -Winners rotate clockwise APPLICATION TO LECTURE MATERIAL: -Every foster child has a unique background -Not one set of “correct” rules

unit 4: Discipline- Tessa Reichel Unit Goal: -Once the teaching unit has been completed, future foster parents will have enough knowledge to make them feel comfortable with and able to be effective in their discipline. Unit Objective: -Foster parents will come up with the boundaries and specific behaviors that relate to their personal beliefs by writing in the questionnaire section in detail and by rating themselves. -Each foster parent will come up with appropriate consequences for negative behavior if it is acted upon by writing in the questionnaire. -Foster parents will write out a plan on how they will present the rules and expectations to the foster child. -Foster parents will write out three types of disciplining techniques they will use with their foster child.

Activity 1 Questionnaire Discipline Questionnaire Before Lecture: 1.What is your comfort level about becoming a foster parent? 1 the lowest, 10 the highest. 2. What are some of your concerns? 3. Will you parent the foster child the same way you parent your children if you have them? Explain. 4. What type of discipline techniques will you enforce? 5. How do you plan on explaining the rules of the house? 6. How do you think the family dynamic will change? What are your expectations? 7. How will you conduct your behavior in unforeseen circumstance?

Discipline Lecture -Appropriateness in Disciplining non-related children. Who should be disciplining. Establishing Rules. -Reactions of foster children being disciplined. Expectations. -Types of effective Discipline. Examples/Stories. -Benefits of Discipline

Activity 2 Questionnaire and measurable survey for educator After Lecture Questionnaire: 1.What is your comfort level after taking the class? 1 the lowest, 10 the highest. 2.Have you gained any knowledge about the concerns you did have? 3.What types of discipline will you plan on using when it is necessary? 4.What are some new expectations you have about being a foster parent? 5.Was there anything that you wish you would have learned more about? 6. What are you most excited about in becoming a foster parent?

Closing Discussion Small group discussion & full group discussion

Follow-up -two days after the final teaching they will receive an survey -one month after they get a follow up call from one of the instructors