Governor signs Graves bill to streamline foster parent training process
A bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Graves to make it easier for prospective foster parents to complete their pre-service training has been signed into law.
Under House Bill 2256, all training materials would be made available online. However, some components would still be required to be completed in person. Graves says his bill is meant to provide more flexibility to what he says can be a rigid and burdensome process.
“Being a foster parent is hard work, and adequate training is vital, but we should not make the process harder than it needs to be,” said Graves, R-Fall City. “House Bill 2256 will make it easier for individuals to complete their training and get licensed, which is important as we seek to end our foster parent shortage. I'm grateful for the bipartisan collaboration that resulted in broad support for this bill, and look forward to seeing how it positively impacts people's lives.”
Prospective foster parents must complete 24 hours of core pre-service training, which is provided by the Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence. The training includes information about:
- the potential impact of placement on foster children;
- social service agency administrative processes;
- the requirements, responsibilities, expectations, and skills needed to be a foster parent;
- attachment, separation, and loss issues faced by birth parents, foster children, and foster parents;
- child management and discipline;
- birth family relationships;
- information on the limits of the adoption support program; and
- helping children leave foster care.
To learn more about becoming a foster parent, click here.
