Training Resource Center: Adoption Support for Kentucky Program

Adoption Support for Kentucky Adoption Support for Kentucky (ASK) specializes in the utilization of support groups to offer pre and post-adoptive support and training to foster and adoptive parents. ASK provides the opportunity to share resources, suggestions, frustrations and successes with those who share the unique life experience of adoption. ASK strives to prevent pre-adoptive disruptions and post-adoptive dissolutions through peer support and training related to caring for children who have been placed in out-of-home care or who have been adopted. ASK utilizes experienced foster and adoptive parents to provide peer-led adoption support group meetings throughout the Commonwealth. They offer support and provide two-hours of Cabinet approved training at each meeting. Support and information are also shared with foster and adoptive parents by phone and email. Additionally, Cabinet-approved training is provided by Adoptive Parent Liaisons (APLs) through one-on-one meetings with foster parents in accordance with DCBS Standard of Practice (SOP) 12:15 regarding Ongoing Foster Parent Training. Support and relevant information is also provided by ASK’s Adoptive Parent Liaisons (APLs) by phone and e-mail to foster and adoptive parents. Adoption is a very unique experience and ASK exists to provide a continuum of proactive advocacy, ongoing support, and specialized training. Any adoptive family may be a part of ASK. Some who attend support group meetings adopted years ago, while others may have formed their Forever Family more recently. Others who may attend are caring for the child of a relative or are foster parents considering adoption. ASK is proud to offer its services to families formed through state, private, relative or international adoption, as well as to resource parents and relative caregivers. Goal: ASK strives to prevent pre-adoptive disruptions and post-adoptive dissolutions through peer support and training. Objective 1: Provide training for parent liaisons Adoptive Parent Liaisons are experienced adoptive and foster parents who are recommended by the regional Recruitment & Certification (R&C) Teams. New Adoptive Parent Liaisons (APLs) undergo a two month training period wherein they are trained and mentored by an experienced support group leader and/or Program Coordinator. Program Coordinators provide at least one professional development training each year for Adoptive Parent Liaisons. Training sessions may include best practices for teaching new skills and concepts to adult learners, facilitating the support component of an ASK meeting, strategies to promote ASK services regionally, enhancing ASK service delivery, and a Training of Trainers (TOT) for the foster and adoption related trainings included in the ASK training library. Objective 2: Conduct support groups via parent liaisons ASK support groups are provided based on the needs of foster and adoptive parents and regional requests. Support groups are provided anywhere between one and four times each month. ASK schedules approximately 372 support group meetings each fiscal year with approximately 31 occurring every month at various locations across the Commonwealth. On average, more than 700 hours of training are provided each year at ASK support groups. An additional 700+ hours of one-on-one training are provided by ASK APLs to foster and adoptive parents across the Commonwealth at the request of R & C staff. In any given fiscal year, the ASK program typically administers and provides more than 1400 hours of foster parent training credit. Objective 3: Provide ongoing technical support to parent leaders Program Coordinators confer with each regional R&C Supervisor and staff at least once each fiscal year to assess their parent leader’s effectiveness, receive recommendations for program improvements and training topics. Program Coordinators conduct these meetings either in person or by conference call. Program Coordinators maintain regular contact with supervisors via email and provide information and updates as requested. Program Coordinators maintain monthly contact with Adoptive Parent Liaisons. This may occur through email, individual calls, group conference calls and/or face to face meetings. Conference calls may be scheduled to provide parent liaisons an opportunity to collaborate with other parent liaisons and the program coordinators. The program coordinator conducts at least one site visit with each APL to observe their performance as a support group leader and trainer and provides them with written feedback, as well as ongoing coaching as appropriate. Program Coordinators are available for support by phone, email, and one-on-one meetings. Adoptive Parent Liaisons receive professional development training related to their role with ASK at least once each year. Objective 4: Publicize support groups Program Coordinators monitor and track APL recruitment efforts and offer strategies for how APLs can best publicize support groups in their area. Support group information may be submitted to local newspapers, radio stations, and public access television stations. Program Coordinators maintain a website with all support group listings. A welcome packet that contains information regarding ASK services is sent to every newly approved DCBS foster home. The ASK support group listing also appears in FAST Track e-magazine. Program Coordinators attend adoption fairs, SNAP events, and various meetings as needed to promote ASK. Adoptive Parent Liaisons and Program Coordinators attend DCBS pre-service meetings to explain services to prospective foster and adoptive families. Objective 5: Provide support and training to foster and adoptive parents through parent liaisons Adoptive Parent Liaisons are available to offer support and provide two-hours of Cabinet approved training at each ASK support group meeting. Support and information are also shared with foster and adoptive parents by phone and email. Additionally, Cabinet-approved training is provided by APLs through one-on-one meetings with foster parents in accordance with the practice guidance for DCBS Standard of Practice 12:15 regarding Ongoing Foster Parent Training. The contact information of each APL, including their home and/or cell phone number and email, is included on regional promotional materials. Adoptive Parent Liaisons also receive requests for support from Recruitment & Certification (R & C) Teams and are available to adoptive parents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Objective 6: Provide consultation, support and advocacy regarding adoption Program Coordinators are available to serve as a NACAC subsidy representative. Program Coordinators and Adoptive Parent Liaisons advocate for adoptive families through an Adoption Awareness Campaign in the month of November. The University of Kentucky utilizes Subcontractor for grants.